The County Government of Embu has embarked on mass vaccination of cows against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) following recent sporadic outbreaks.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Agriculture, John Nyaga, said the move was necessitated by the need to reduce virus transmission that could lead to a full-blown outbreak of the disease.
He said they are projecting to inoculate approximately 96,000 cows across the county to control the spread of the highly contagious disease that can lead to deaths and related economic losses to farmers.
Speaking on Monday during a meeting with chiefs and assistant chiefs from various parts of the county who will be instrumental in mobilising farmers during the exercise, Nyaga said prevention was the best way to deal with the disease through regular vaccination, as the disease had no known cure.
County Agriculture Chief Office, Njeru Mwita, said by vaccinating all the cows, they will ensure the county remains free of the disease that has the potential of crippling the livestock sector.
He attributed the recent sporadic cases to poor uptake of the vaccination by farmers and encouraged them to fully participate this time round to guarantee the health and safety of their animals.
“We are taking proactive steps to ensure the success of the programme through collaboration with the local administrators,” he noted.
Embu County Commissioner, Jack Obuo, called on the administrators to spread the word widely so that all the farmers present their cows for vaccination.
He commended the cooperation and collaboration between the national and the county governments, especially in areas of productive economy and agriculture.
The vaccination campaign is part of the county’s broader livestock health and food security programme aimed at boosting agricultural productivity.
By Samuel Waititu
