Appraisal of animal health constraints along the dairy value chains in Kenya

Abstract

Abstract The study was carried out in the Counties of Nairobi, Kiambu, Kericho, Kilifi, and Uasin Gishu. The overall objective of the study was to identify and document constraints that limit effective management of dairy value chains. Identification of the constraints will aid in identifying interventions geared towards boosting dairy productivity and profitability. Primary and secondary data were collected through a stakeholder survey amongst the value chain stage actors that revealed the results as: Research institutions and vaccine producers experienced constraints at institutional levels that impacted on the effective animal health management. Agro-vets were critical contact points for the actors of the livestock industry and hence possess potential avenues for dissemination of animal health information messages. Some of the Agro-vets were manned by non-professionals, lacked proper storage facilities for the drugs, illegal substandard drugs, and limited input capital and high interest rates on loans thus affecting their operating capacity. The three Regional Veterinary Investigation Laboratories (VILs) visited served 33 counties. Counties close to VILs presented more samples for testing than those far placed. The total samples recorded were 45,040 comprised of 6,971 in Eldoret, 11,975 in Kericho and 26,091 in Mariakani in a period of 11 years. Ten priority diseases diagnosed accounted for over 85% of the total. Overall mastitis was the most important at 41.9%, followed by ECF at 10.6% and nematodes at 4.5%.