Makueni to Roll out Countywide Mass Livestock Vaccination program

The County Government of Makueni through the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative Development is set to roll out a mass vaccination program in March, targeting at least 200,000 livestock across the county.

The livestock diseases targeted for vaccination include foot and mouth disease, Lumpy skin disease in cattle while sheep and goats will be vaccinated for contagious pneumonia and goat plague

Currently, the department has prioritized vaccination of dairy cows due to their vulnerability ahead of the mass vaccination.

According to Agriculture CEC Joyce Mutua, the exercise is being implemented in partnership with Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society Limited and aims at increasing household incomes of dairy farmers in Makueni through reduction of livestock disease outbreaks.

The Cooperative is facilitating the aggregation of animals at a central point for vaccination as well link the vaccinators to farmers who prefer vaccination of the animals in their own crushes and homes.

On its part, the county government is conducting farmer sensitization on livestock disease control and other veterinary matters, and coordinating the procurement, collection, storage and delivery of livestock vaccines

Mutua, however, adds that the services will be accessed at a subsidized fee of Sh. 50. Per animal.