By Nancy Masit
Narok County Government has carried out a three day vaccination exercise for sheep and goats.
Chief officer for Livestock services, Dr Faith Njoki said the exercise was a collaboration between World Bank Funded Resilience Project, the Food Agriculture Organisation through the county directorate of Veterinary Services and the County Government of Narok to control livestock diseases including PPR and others.
She said the farmers will be able to control diseases to ensure the animals are free of disease and therefore can be sold to markets within and outside the county.
She added that livestock keeping is a major activity in the county supporting household economy. According to 2019 census, Narok County has 1.4 million cattle and 2.5 million small stock mainly kept in the arid and semi-arid zones which cover 2/3rds of the county.
She said livestock industry is vibrant in the county and animals are sold to get money for activities like paying medical bills, school fees and ensuring household food security. She noted that the animalsโ products are rich in protein for family nutrition.
Dr Benard Njau said the common main diseases are; Blue tongue, peste des petit ( PPR), sheep pox and in goats contagious caprine pleuropnemonia (ccpc).
He said that the vaccination was conducted county wide targeting the wards with high density of animals which includes Maji moto โ Naroosura, Loita ward, Siana ward, mara ward, lolgorian ward, Ololunga ward Emarti ward and Kimintet ward.
Mr Otuma Sengeny from Mararianta village in Mara division and Narok south sub county thanked the County government for the vaccination.