A Study of Diplostomum Parasites Affecting Oreochromis niloticus in Chepkoilel Fish Farm and Two Dams in Eldoret-Kenya

The Diplostomum parasite completes its life-cycle in fish eating birds, but spends considerable time in the eye vitreous humor of many fresh water fishes. Its infection in fish causes severe ocular pathology, and leads to increased susceptibility to predation. A study on Diplostomum parasites was conducted at Chepkoilel University with an objective of assessing its parasitic indices and effects on O. niloticus. A total of 40 fish were collected from the fish farm and 155 from the dams between November 2010 and January, 2011. Fish were weighed and length measured to ascertain their condition factor. The fish were observed for the Diplostomum parasite to ascertain parasitic indices in the different habitats. The parasite abundance was related to fish size and condition factor to determine parasite’s effect on O. niloticus. Fish were found to have a parasitic prevalence (%) of 100, 84 and 66 in Kerita dam, Kesses dam and Chepkoilel fish farm. Parasite mean intensity was 12, 9 and 14 respectively.The wellbeing of the fish was not compromised by the parasites, as was seen in the correlation between condition factor and parasite abundance. There was a Pearson correlation of P = 0.357, 0.516 and 0.565 in Kerita dam, Kesses dam and Chepkoilel fish farm respectively. The dams and the fish farm did not pose significant difference in the parasitic indices, probably due to their proximity. There was seen equal abundance in both fish sexes, implying no sex preference in infection. Keywords: Diplostomum, Oreochromis niloticus, prevalence, Abundance, Mean intensity, Condition factor

Factors influencing adoption of New Castle Disease Vaccine in Kakamega County in Kenya

Kenya has approximately 28 million poultry of which 22 million (76%) are indigenous chicken kept on free-range system by small-scale farmers in rural and peri-urban areas. Poultry production requires low initial capital and maintenance costs; however, predation and disease hinders this potential from full exploitation by 50-74% and 36-50% respectively. New castle disease (NCD) is the major cause of mortality in indigenous chicken flock. In Western Kenya, vaccination using heat labile live vaccines has been in use for its control. Due to high costs incurred in handling the vaccines, only large-scale commercial farms have the capacity to meet the demand. This leaves out the small-scale indigenous chicken farmers who produce over 70% of meat and 50% of eggs consumed in Kenya. This study was undertaken in January 2011 with the main objective being to determine mortality due to NCD and the factors influencing the adoption of its vaccine. Descriptive survey using questionnaire was used and forty respondents were involved the study. Only 35% of the respondent in the study area had adopted the vaccination and out of all the chicks hutched, only 45% survived to maturity. The loss due to predation and diseases were 45% and 55% respectively. The factors that influenced adoption were effectiveness, ease of availability, lack of any other option and affordability of vaccine at 34.6%, 26.9%, 23.1% and 15.4% respectively