Kotido district has rolled out a mass vaccination program for livestock, targeting 771,600 heads of cattle as a preventive measure against contagious pneumonia in cattle, which kills large numbers.
According to officials, at least 1.2 million sheep and goats are also targeted in the ongoing vaccination.
It was rolled out on Tuesday with community animal health workers involved to support the technical workers after the district received 30,000 doses of vaccine for pneumonia in cattle (CBPP) with support from the government and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO.
The vaccine was received this month.
The district also received 75,000 doses of vaccines for goat plague and 57,000 doses for pneumonia in goats and sheep.
The vaccination follows an outbreak of bacterial pneumonia in cattle and plague in goats and sheep due to the movement of livestock.
Kotido District Production Officer Dr Sam Richard Erecu said the vaccination is aimed at containing the diseases in livestock to prevent a quarantine.
He added that the cattle that have been moved to the neighbouring districts in search of water and pasture will be vaccinated in those districts to avoid more infections when they move back.
Vaccination of livestock in Kotido is a common strategy by the government in the prevention of outbreaks and death of livestock as it’s the main source of food security and a major contributor to the local market economy.
The ongoing vaccination exercise that is expected to last 3 weeks has excited the cattle keepers whose 1.8 million livestock combined were in danger of dying in large numbers.
Lokoel Apatuko of Nayeele village, Lokorik parish in Lokwakieal sub-county, said the response from farmers towards vaccination is positive.
Louli Nerikau of Lokwakieal sub-county lauded the government for the intervention.
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