The role of Veterinarians in areas with persistent failure of rain (Drought Stricken areas)

The drought stricken areas are usually the marginal areas where livestock production system is the main farming system. Large parts of Somali fall under this category and the NE Somali (Puntland) being no exception. Apart from livestock being kept for nomadic livelihood and, the unregulated export of animals to Arabian and Gulf countries has introduced a new dimension in the lives of the livestock producers in terms of increased demand for pasture, water and veterinary drugs. In order for veterinarians either private or public, to play an effective role, in the treatment and control of livestock diseases, its important to understand the likely events which occur in resultant stress situations and make timely interventions. In the event of prolonged dry spell or drought, veterinary inputs may be of no value as severe scarcity of water and pasture are likely to cause situations where animals are nutritionally compromised and go through a period of being beyond help. The role of veterinarians in drought- stricken areas is crucial and veterinarians should be considered as stakeholders in trying to contain difficult situations. The Kenya Veterinarian Vol. 22 2001: pp. 58-5

Virus Neutralizing Anitbodies to Bovine Herpes Virus Type 1 (BHV-1), Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) and Rinderpest (RPV) Viruses in Smallholder East African Zebu Cattle in Coastal Kenya

A total of 511 sera samples were collected from Small East African Zebu (EAZ) cattle on 32 smallholder farms in Malindi Division, Kilifi District, Coast Province of Kenya. They were assayed using the standard virus neutralization test (VNT) for antibodies to rinderpest (RPV) and some rinderpest-like diseases namely bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) and bovine herpes virus type 1 9BHV-1). The overall estimated prevalences were 10.2%, 45.8% and 28.6%, respectively. A significant increase (

Assessment of natural ixodid tick infestations in sheep

Assessment of adult female tick burden was performed on 160,151 and 150 yearling sheep in coastal Kenya at the end of three consecutive infestation periods, respectively. The main attachment sites of fully engorged female ticks were ears, head, body sides, perianal and scrotal/udder regions. Averaged over the three sampling periods, 87 percent of the ticks counted were on the ears. The correlation between tick count on the ears and total body tick count was high (0.97). The average repeatability for two recorders of tick counts on the ears and the whole body was similar and high (0.95 and 0.93, respectively). The results suggest the ear tick count is a good indicator of tick burden on sheep exposed to natural tick challenge consisting predominantly of Rhipicephalus appendicultatus and R. evertsi

Dairy co-operatives and policy reform in Kenya: effects of livestock service and milk market liberalisation

Liberalisation in the dairy industry in Kenya is currently under way in several forms. The urban milk market monopoly of the Kenya Co-operative Creameries has been lifted. Clinical veterinary and artificial insemination (AI) services are no longer publicly supported in many areas. Private sector response to these reforms was expected to be greatest in the high-potential market-oriented dairy zones of Central Province, where the dairy farmers' co-operative societies play a central role in meeting the needs of dairy producers. A survey conducted by the authors measured the changes between 1990 and 1995 in milk marketing and service provision by the dairy co-operatives. Tabular and GIS analyses were used to evaluate the survey data. Dramatic changes in milk market patterns are apparent, in ways unintended by the policy reforms. Most notable has been a large increase in the role of the unregulated raw milk market. This helped increase real milk prices paid to producers by up to 50%, but also led to a steepening of the price gradient with distance from urban consumption centres. Large increases were observed in the provision of veterinary and AI services by the dairy farmers' co-operatives societies, whose producer client base and credit facilities may enable them to compete effectively with the independent private sector. Market liberalisation therefore expanded the role of the raw milk market and the participation of the dairy farmers' co-operative societies in milk marketing and the provision of input services