Annual Report SR-CRSP SOCIOLOGY

Animal Health Management Through Biotechnology

I Research

Activity I: Vaccine Use Research. Identification of Prevalent Animal Health Problems in the Machakos and Coast Sites

Problem Statement and Approach

The Small Ruminant Collaborative Research Program is conducting an impact assessment study of the Kenyan Dual Purpose Goat in the districts of Kilifi and Kwale in the Coast and in the low lands and hills of the Machakos district in the Eastern Province. These are new testing sites for the KDPG, which previously was introduced (first generations of this breed) in western Kenya. The purpose of the study is to determine how flexible are the production systems to incorporating the KDPG as an additional enterprise, and the benefits that families will draw from this operation. On-farm studies of animal health problems in the area of introduction of the Dual Purpose Goat in western Kenya were not developed. This was recognized as a need by the group which prompted an assessment of animal health practices and services available and used by farmers in all the sites. A baseline survey was conducted inquiring on the perceived animal health problems and actions taken by farmers for cattle, goats and sheep.

The three clusters were selected in the Coast, two of 20 household families each and a third of 19. Two clusters of twenty were selected in the Machakos area. These were used for the animal health survey. The participating farmers are located in the Bahari location of Kilifi District (North coast), and Kwale District of the South Coast. The other groups based in Machakos district of the Eastern Province, are located in the hills (Kimutwa) and lowlands (Kitanga). There are socio-economic, historical and agroecological differences among the clusters. These are referred to in the Impact Assessment activity of the Dual Purpose Goat Component in this report.

Livestock keeping is a major activity among the smallholder farmers in both regions, as a source of income, meat, milk, manure, and draft. The use of oxen for tilling land is especially important in Machakos District. Another main reason for keeping livestock is for investment purposes. Animals can be sold in bad times (drought, cash needs e.g. school fees, etc.) as a source of ready cash. This particularly applies to small ruminants.

Farmers in Machakos keep cattle, goats and sheep under extensive grazing management. Less farmers in the Coast kept cattle compared to small ruminants because of the high incidence of East Coast Fever and Trypanosomiasis. Some studies have identified diseases, lack of adequate veterinary services, unavailability of water, high costs of animals and concentrate feeds, and labor shortages as key constraints to livestock production.

Progress

Results from the Baseline Survey 1993-1994 on Animal Health

The livestock population present in the households varied between the Coast and Machakos. Only 20 of the 59 families (34%) in the Coast reported owning cattle, while 37 of the 40 families (93%) had them in the Machakos. Households with goats in the Coast were 61%, while in the Machakos area these represented 88%. Only one family had sheep in the Coast, while 20 percent had them in Machakos dryland area.

A question asked was what type of health problems has the farmer encountered by animal species. The diseases and problems mentioned for cattle in the Coast were TrypanosomiasisTrypanosomiasis was reported in the Coast also as sleeping sickness because the causing agent, the Tse-Tse fly causes this illness in humans. This disease is also referred to as nagana in the Machakos area., ticks, worms, mastitis, skin disease and boils, pneumonia, and East Coast Fever (only one). In the Machakos district the problems identified were Foot and Mouth disease (FMD), Trypanosomiasis, East Coast Fever, Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pneumonia (C.B.P.P.), pneumonia, mastitis, liver flukes, gall bladder infection, worms, and skin disease and boils.

Worms were the most commonly mentioned animal health problem (48% of the responses) by Coast farmers (Table 1). Trypanosomiasis was the most important cattle disease (58.3% of responses), followed by worms (25%). The later was the most important problem with respect to goats (69.2%), followed by Trypanosomiasis (15.4%) and Anaplasmosis (15.4%). On the other hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) was the most commonly mentioned (56.8% of responses) cattle disease by Machakos farmers (Table 2). This was followed by CBPP (15.9%), Trypanosomiasis (15.9%) and finally worms at 11.4% of the responses. CCPP was the most commonly mentioned in the case of goats (50% of responses), followed by worms (34.6%), Trypanosomiasis (7.7%) and FMD (7.7%).

The study takes place in two different agroecological zones. As a result prevalence of small ruminant diseases may differ between the Coast and Machakos. From the four most commonly mentioned small ruminant diseases CCPP was mentioned only by the farmers in the Machakos sample. Tables 3 and 4 present the number of farmers that responded having problems with the diseases.

There were no reported cases of CCPP within the Coast clusters (Table 3), but 13 cases reported in the Machakos clusters (Table 4). Most of the farmers (8 out of the 13) would call a vet. and another 4 would use local herbs to cope with CCPP. A similar number of cases of worms were reported in both the regions (9 cases). Five of the coastal farmers called a vet, one used local herbs and 4 drenched the animals. In the case of Machakos farmers, 6 called a vet, and 2 used purchased drugs. Only 2 cases were reported on Trypanosomiasis and the farmers either called a vet or used local herbs. There were two cases of pneumonia reported by farmers in the Coast. On the other hand, 13 cases were reported in Machakos. Seven farmers sought veterinary assistance (Vet. Assist.), while five used local, referred by them as traditional herbs.

The survey asked what were the diseases of concern by animal species. Farmers responded listing both diseases and symptoms. The major symptoms/problems mentioned are presented in Tables 5 and 6 for the clusters in the Coast and Machakos.

Ticks (35.1% of responses) and diarrhea (35.1%) were the most frequently mentioned problems (Table 5), followed by skin disease (10.8%), fever (10.8%), and pneumonia (8.1%) in the case of Coast farmers. Ticks were mentioned as a major problem with respect to cattle (42.9%), followed by diarrhea (21.4%), fever (21.4%), pneumonia (7.1%), and skin disease (7.1%). On the other hand, diarrhea and pneumonia (each 35% of the responses) were the most frequently mentioned by the Machakos farmers (Table 6). Specifically, pneumonia (30.8%) was most frequently mentioned in the case of cattle, followed by diarrhea (26.9%), skin disease (19.2%), liver flukes (15.4%), and gall bladder infections (7.7%). In the case of small ruminants diarrhea was the most frequently mentioned problem (41.2%), followed by pneumonia (38.2%), gall bladder infections (11.8%), skin disease (5.9%), and liver flukes (2.9%).

Over 50% of the times farmers in the Coast seek veterinary help, 60% and 47.4% of the responses for cattle and goats respectively (Table 7). Only 11.8% of the responses (10% for cattle and 13.2% for goats) reported using other practices/treatment methods including herbs, burning with a hot metal, ashes, as their first coping strategy. Farmers also mentioned that they bought drugs (6.7% for cattle and 18.4% in case of goats) and treated the animals themselves. Only 7.4% of responses drenched their animals and 7.4% of responses indicated they sprayed their animals. Also 7.4% of the responses reported dipping animals.

On the other hand, 57.6% of the responses in case of cattle and 52.5% in case of small ruminants, indicated that farmers sought the services of a veterinarian (Table 8). Local treatment methods were also used as shown by 35.6% of the responses (32.9% in the case of cattle and 39.3% in the case of small ruminants). Farmers also purchased drugs and treated their animals, as indicated by 6.8% of the responses (8.2% for cattle and 4.9% for small ruminants).

Of farmers reporting on a second coping strategy, 47.4 consisted of seeking veterinary assistance for cattle, while it was 50 percent in the case of goats (Table 9).

Farmers indicated that they sought veterinary assistance 48.3% (47.4% in case of cattle and 50% in case of goats) as a second strategy (Table 9). The results show that farmers also use local methods of treatment as indicated by 52.6% of the responses in the case of cattle and 50% in case of goats.

Source: Baseline data base SR-CRSP 1993.
Household Farmers in the Machakos Clusters with Goats were 35 in the sample of 40.
Household Farmers in the Coast clusters with Goats were 36 of 59 in the sample.

As Table 10 indicates both sites have some similar health problems. The differences are mainly in the existence of ticks and skin problems in the Coast, and CCPP and pneumonia in Machakos. In most cases farmers sought veterinary assistance or purchased medicines. The use of herbs was also mentioned and dominated in a number of responses for diarrhea.

Some Preliminary Conclusions

Animal health problems are present in both agroecological areas, and farmers have experience in seeking veterinary assistance. They do this not only for large ruminants, but responses demonstrated that they will also call the veterinarian for small ruminants. In the case of CCPP the strategy seems to be to solve the problem, rather than prevent it. It was reported by 13 of the 40 farmers in the Machakos area. This was not reported in the Coast area, although a study cited above indicates the presence in the Kwale district (Coast). The diseases most commonly named as problematic include Trypanosomiasis and worms for the Coast farmers. CCPP, worms and in some cases Foot and Mouth Disease were the most problematic in the case of Machakos farmers. The presence of the disease was determined in the Machakos area, and farmers act after the disease presents itself by treating the infected animal, instead of choosing prevention by vaccinating which would prevent the disease from appearing. In other words , instead of preventing by vaccinating the flock, farmers chose to treat after the animal is infected. An important number of farmers mentioned the use of herbs, though these were not identified.