Four livestock markets shut over disease outbreak

By ROBERT KIPLAGAT

Baringo, Kenya: Four livestock markets in Baringo County have been closed indefinitely following an outbreak of deadly foot-and-mouth disease.

Speaking in her office in Kabarnet yesterday after issuing the quarantine, Baringo County Director in charge of Veterinary Services Cherono Lang’at said Emining, Marigat, Barwessa and Loruk livestock markets had been closed to allow for vaccination.

 “It is true, there is an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the three sub-counties and we have imposed a quarantine with four markets being closed to allow time for vaccination,” said Dr Lang’at.

Disease spreading

She said the disease started last December at Kimalel area where they vaccinated 25,000 livestock but the disease recurred mid last month in Marigat and was also detected in the other areas.

Animals affected by foot-and-mouth exhibit disease symptoms such as rise in temperature, dullness and a lactating cow will show a sudden drop in milk yield.

Other signs include blisters developing within a few hours, most frequently on the upper surface of the tongue and the bulbs of the heels.

The veterinary official added that the markets would remain closed until the disease monitoring team confirms that it has completely been wiped out.

Transactions worth Sh12 million are made in the four markets each week.

Dr Lang’at said that they have already procured the vaccines and that they are targeting to vaccinate more than 300,000 head of cattle in Mogotio, Marigat and Baringo North and that Sh100 will be charged per injection.

She explained that since the Ministry of Agriculture had devolved its functions, the county was forced to procure its vaccines unlike previously when it was under National Government where such vaccines were highly subsidised.

Lang’at called on farmers to bring their livestock for vaccination.

But some farmers who spoke to The Standard decried the high cost of vaccination and called on the county government to reduce the charges to enable them vaccinate their livestock against the disease.

“We are willing to vaccinate our animals but Sh100 is too high. Some farmers like me have over 100 livestock and I wonder where I will get Sh10,000 to vaccinate them unless I sell one of them of which it is impossible as markets are closed,” said Elijah Koros, a farmer in Marigat.