Kenya’s Kericho County over the weekend announced the launch of foot-and-mouth vaccine at Kaptoroi Village in Ainamoi Ward.
It marks the start of a countywide initiative aimed at protecting farmers’ livelihoods, safeguarding livestock health, and preventing the spread of the disease.
The exercise targets over 233,000 animals across all 20 wards of Kericho County and aims to achieve herd immunity to eradicate Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
Foot-and-mouth is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects cattle, causing painful blisters in the mouth and on hooves. Although it is not often fatal, especially among adult cattle, it affects livestock’s productivity.
It causes fever, blisters on the mouth and feet, reduced milk production, weight loss, and sometimes death in cattle, sheep, and goats, posing a serious threat to livestock health and farmers’ animal trade.
Speaking during the launch, Kericho County Governor Erick Mutai urged livestock farmers across the county to ensure their animals receive vaccination at the nearest centres promptly, emphasiing that the exercise would be closely supervised by trained Livestock Officers, and Extension Officers to guarantee safe and efficient administration.
Mutai urged all livestock owners across Kericho to have their animals vaccinated promptly to protect herd productivity and maintain uninterrupted market access.
“And I urge every livestock farmer across Kericho to promptly avail their livestock for this vaccination exercise because Foot and Mouth Disease spreads rapidly through contact between animals and contaminated materials and so timely vaccination remains the most effective way to protect your animals,” stressed Mutai.
He assured stakeholders that well-equipped veterinary teams have been deployed across all wards to ensure vaccination centers are accessible, guaranteeing that no animal across the county is left out of the immunisation drive.
Statistics from the State Department for Livestock indicate that the national Mass Livestock Vaccination Program has already made significant progress countrywide, with the exercise covering nearly 9 million animals and protecting livestock against major diseases, including Foot and Mouth Disease.
MG/as/APA