Republic of Kenya Integrated Pest Management Framework (ipmf) For Kenya Agricultural Productivity and Agribusiness Project (kapap) and Kenya Adaptation to Climate Change in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (kaccal) February 2009

7.4 Key livestock pests and diseases

178. 
     Livestock disease is one of the major constraints to animal production in Africa (Table below). This is in addition to inadequate nutrition, poor management practices and socio- economic constraints. Vector-borne diseases, particularly trypanosomiasis transmitted by the tsetse flies and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) seriously limit livestock production and improvement in much of African countries south of the Sahara. In addition the tsetse flies also transmit the fatal human sleeping sickness.
     

178. 
     For livestockanimals, the most common disease is the East Coast Fever which is a tick-borne disease. The problem as worsened in the last 10 years as most of the communal dips have collapsed and the private dips are not accessible to most of the farmers. Another reason is that the ticks have now gained resistance to the organophosphates originally used for their control and the farmers now have to use pyrethroids which are relatively more costly and therefore unaffordable to most farmers. The situation has led to an increase in other tick- borne diseases such as Babeiosis, heartwater and anaplasmosis.
     
179. 
     Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious and can spread extremely rapidly in cloven- hoofed livestock populations through movement of infected animals and animal products, contaminated objects (for example livestock trucks) and even wind currents. Vaccination is complicated by a multiplicity of antigenic types and subtypes. Substantial progress has been made towards the control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in several regions, notably Europe and parts of South America and Asia. Foot and mouth disease is relatively easily contained through the use of vaccines. However, the many variances of the disease slow down the control process.
     
180. 
     Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is often regarded as an insidious, low- mortality disease of cattle, but this assessment is based on experiences in endemic areas. In susceptible cattle populations, the disease can spread surprisingly rapidly and cause high mortality rates. The disease is spread with the movement of infected animals, including acute cases and chronic carriers. Major CBPP epidemics have been experienced in eastern, southern and western Africa over the last few years. It currently affects 27 countries in Africa at an estimated annual cost of US $2 billion(Thomson, n.d.).
     
181. 
     Another disease of importance is mastitis. The disease is related to hygiene and is common where hygiene in the livestock pens is not maintained. Similarly, nagana which is transmitted by tsetse fly is an equally troublesome disease in Livestock.
     
     
182. 
     Tsetse fly control methods include the following:
     

1. 
   Deployment of insecticide (e.g.deltamethrin) impregnated targets/traps
   
2. 
   Application of pour-ons on livestock with Flumethrin
   
3. 
   Cattle crush-pen spraying with Decatix, which also controls ticks and biting flies
   
4. 
   Disease surveillance
   
5. 
   Use of zero grazing unit protective nets
   
   

178. 
     Since the trypanosome parasite also causes sleeping sickness in people, successful control of the disease in cattle should result in added benefits for human health. Another potential benefit is that increased use of targeted treatment of cattle with insecticide may lead to reduced incidence of malaria in some localities where mosquitoes feed on the same animals.
     
     
179. 
     The most important disease occurring in goats is Helminthiasis. The disease is caused by helminthes (worms) and the farmers spend a considerable amount of money on buying dewormers.
     
     
180. 
     The major disease of poultry is Newcastle. This is a virus spread primarily through bird- to-bird contact among chickens, but it can also spread through contaminated feed, water or clothing. Outbreaks occur in most parts of the world, and there have been two major pandemics over the last century. It is a major constraint to the development of village chicken industries, particularly in Asia and Africa. A large number of wild bird species can harbour Newcastle disease virus and, occasionally, the disease affects large-scale commercial poultry units in developed countries, despite tight biosecurity measures. Others diseases within the country include Gumboro, Coccidiosis and fowlpox.
     
     
181. 
     Aquaculture is a fast growing industry in Kenya. Common diseases of fish include:
     

1. 
   Bacteria – Fish remain in vertical position, white spots on the skin around the mouth.
   
2. 
   Remedy – Antibiotics e.g Furaltadone
   
3. 
   Fungal – cotton–like growths on the mouth and barbels. Caused by handling, netting or parasite
   
4. 
   Remedy- use malachite green
   
5. 
   Parasitical- Fish assume vertical position and rub their heads on the pond surface a) Remedy – Use formalin
   
6. 
   Worms – Red-brown worms on skin and barbels a) Remedy- Use of Masoten
   
7. 
   Broken head – pop eyes, soft skull and deformed caudal fin. Causes: Poor water quality
   
8. 
   Remedy- Observe good quality
   
9. 
   Open belly – Swollen bellies, necrotic intestines, Causes: Bacteria a) Remedy- Decrease feeding regime