This archive report was first published on 23 November 2019.
Foot and Mouth Disease: A Threat to Kenya's Livestock ¶
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly communicable viral disease that affects hooved animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. According to a recent study in Nakuru, the disease is a significant threat to Kenya's livestock, with farmers using unorthodox methods to treat the disease.
The study, conducted by the Nakuru Regional Veterinary Investigation Laboratory (RVIL) in collaboration with the county veterinary staff, aimed to determine the socio-economic impact of the outbreak that had affected 10 of the 11 sub-counties in Nakuru. The study found that four of the seven common serotypes of the disease had been confirmed, including Types O, A, SAT 1, and SAT 2.
Interestingly, the disease usually occurs in the dry season of January to March, but in this case, it occurred from July to October, making it an unusual occurrence. The study also found that the disease kills mostly young animals, but in this case, some farmers reported high death rates in adult animals.
According to the study, farmers who kept farm records not only on vaccination but also other aspects such as production/sales, deaths/births, and diseases/treatments reported lower incidence of FMD than those who kept no records. The study also found that a majority of the farmers (65%) reported the disease outbreak to a private animal health service provider as opposed to a government veterinary staff.
Upon receiving the news, a majority (85%) of the service providers (private and public) treated the animals. However, the study also found that 15% of the farmers whose animals had the disease had vaccinated them. The study also revealed that a majority of the farmers whose animals were affected by the disease drenched them with local brew (busaa) as the treatment of choice.
Busaa is about 4% alcohol, a concentration which is very mild as compared to surgical spirit, which is 70% alcohol. The brew normally makes the animal drunk, thus reducing the pain in the foot and mouth wounds. However, the study warned that the brew is stable for one to two days after production, and thereafter, acidification and denaturing take place, making the substance toxic.
Some farmers buy busaa that lasts for over five days, which implies that they could be poisoning the animals unintentionally and this explains the deaths that were occurring in adults, a rare condition as FMD is known to kill mostly young animals.
According to the study, farmers who reported incidence of FMD predisposing factors such as bringing in new animals, fodder, visiting or being visited by another FMD active HHH, and or being visited by an animal health service provider a week before the outbreak reported higher incidence of the disease than those who had no such encounter.
Published on November 23, 2019, the study highlights the need for farmers to adopt proper disease control measures and management issues such as feeding and breeding seriously.
