Top five goat diseases in Kenya

By Henry Jami Mang’eni

The five top goat diseases in Kenya account for 66 per cent of all goat deaths in Kenya. This makes them the most important determiner of how much profit a farmer makes. 

Here is a complete guide on how to deal with them.

1. Camprine contagious pleuropneumonia (CCPP)

This is a serious disease that affects goats. It can spread from animal to animal through air droplets causing high animal deaths in Kenya and across Africa. Turkana herders lost up to Sh234,600 to the disease for every 100 goats they kept according to a study carried out by International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI).

CCPP is most common during periods of heavy rain and cold. This means it is most prominent in Kenya in March to May, June and July, and November and December.

Symptoms that reveal the disease are: 

1. Animal(s) losing weight
2. Fever 
3. Coughing 
4. Difficulty breathing
5. Mucus
6. The herders will also observe the affected animals seeking shade because their temperatures go high even 41°C and even more.

Prevent the disease through:

1. Consulting a veterinary officer who can routinely conduct checks on your flock 
2. Control the movement of your goats to avoid mixing of flocks
3. Separate the healthy from the sick ones
4. Conduct proper checks against diseases before mixing your stock with new ones or those from the market 
5. Proper housing
6. Vaccination- This is the most effective way of disease prevention. 

Use a vaccine Caprivax.1 ml per animal every six months.100 doses are sold at Sh2,000 though the prices may not be fixed.

The research done by ILRI scientists above showed that even if the vaccine only works one-fifth of the time, the money saved by herders was still much greater than the cost of the vaccination. Specifically, for every Sh136 spent on vaccination, farmers saved an average of Sh784.

Vaccines should be administered only to animals over three months of age.

Treatment

Done by use of antibiotics like oxytetracycline at 20 mg/kg but the problem is that they recover but remain carriers that can transmit so it is highly advisable to ensure you vaccinate them. 100ml of oxytetracycline costs about Sh1,000.

2. Orf

A viral infection is commonly known as Sore Mouth Disease. It can also be passed to humans especially when they get in contact with the wounds of the sick animals.

Symptoms include wounds or sores in the mouth, legs, and the teats.

Treatment.

According to CDC’s, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no specific treatment to cure viral infection however care is done on the secondary infection by use of antiseptic and pain relief. 

1. Control by separating the animals with symptoms from those not affected. 
2. Orfvax Vaccine is used to vaccinate the animals and according to KEVEVAPI (Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute), it is recommended that vaccination is done once per year. A dilutant of 30ml is applied and a few drops are applied on scarified or scratched skin on the thigh putting few drops.
3. Humans handling the sick animals themselves should be free from cuts and open wounds.

As a preventive measure, it is important to wear rubber latex gloves when handling sheep and goats.

3. Trypanosomiasis

A disease that occurs on goats transmitted by tsetse flies. It also occurs in humans as sleeping sickness. Due to this WHO World Health Organization has set up a target to eradicate human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) by the year 2030. Kenya established the Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council (KENTTEC) in 2012.

The signs and symptoms are intermittent fever, anemia, oedema, lacrimation where the animal shades tears, swelling of the lymph nodes, abortion, decreased fertility, emaciation, and appetite loss.

Treatment is available through the use of Diminazene aceturate and the common names in Kenya are Berenil, Veriben, and Diminasan. You can also use Homidium bromide or chloride available as Novidium or Ethidium.

Control measures assist in preventing the disease.

1. Use of prophylaxis treatment drugs available at local agriveterinery outlets like Samorin and Veridium.
2. Since the tsetse is the vector, the use of vector control has proved to be effective example the sprayed animals, insecticide screen targets, sterile insect techniques(STI), and bush clearing.
3. The use of trypanotolerant breeds like the West African dwarf also prevents the cases in goats. The breed exists in West Africa.
4. Heartwater

A tick-borne disease transmitted by bone ticks can result in high deaths up to 90 per cent when not taken care of.

The symptoms include: 

1. Animals dropping dead with no signs and this is when the case is acute
2. The animal becomes nervous and walks in circles 
3. Appears to be chewing, and hits its head over objects. 
4. Bone ticks could also be seen on the body of the animal.

Control the disease by eradicating the ticks by use of acaricides and dipping. This is done weekly.

Treatment is done through administering antimicrobials also treated with oxytetracycline but all administration should be done in the early stages of the disease for it to be effective.

5. Caprine pox 

A viral disease that occurs in goats.

Symptoms include: 

1. Red spots appear on parts of the body including the muzzle, eyelids, ears, and udder. 
2. They can spread all over the body when the disease is severe. 
3. The animal becomes depressed and reluctant 
4. Loses appetite
5. The nose discharge is seen and the eyes appear swollen. 
6. There is also difficulty in breathing

Control of the disease is available through vaccines. 

1. Use S & G vax at a rate of 1 ml per animal, available at KEVEVAPI and the local licensed agri veterinary outlets.
2. Treat by administering antibacterial drugs, which are used to handle the secondary infections.

Handling of the above cases should be done in consultation with the local veterinary office.

In Kenya veterinary vaccines are produced by Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) Road A, Off Enterprise Road, Industrial Area. Nairobi Kenya 0724651895/0203540071

(Photo Credit: ILRI/Geoffrey Njenga)