Tsetse Flies Infest Kotido District

 Tsetse flies, the vectors that spread Nagana and sleeping sicknesses in animals and people respectively have densely infested Kotido, district officials have said.

Contatino Ogwang the district entomologist says high density of the vectors has been confirmed in Kacheri, Rengen, Longaroi, and Kotido sub counties where most cattle keepers have moved their animals for water and pasture.

Ogwang said his office alongside the production department will use multiple approaches aimed at curbing further infestation citing use of target cloth acaricide in most affected areas to save the cattle.

Target cloth acaricide is used as traps for tsetse flies in areas where they are dense, to kill them once they come in contact with the cloth.

Ogwang also said that they have strengthened surveillance across the district. According to him, nagana reduces fertility in livestock, milk production and  livestock productivity in general.

Loumo Lokorigena, a Kacheri Sub County official, said the tsetse flies are making the cattle restless and unable to graze properly as they are common in the grazing fiels.

“The flies are disorganizing the grazing of cattle and we are afraid for our lives as well,” he told URN on phone.

Joseph Longoli, the Kotido District Veterinary Officer said they are mobilizing farmers for vaccination of livestock targeting cattle, goats and sheep.

He said government in partnership with FAO have supplied vaccines, but he did not provide the quanties.

Among the vaccines provided are Deltamethrine(Pour on) 400ltrs; Paste des Ruminants (PPr) for sheep; Contagious Caprine Pleropnemonia  (CCCPP) for goats and Contagious Bovine Pleropnemonia (CBPP) for cattle.

According to the 2020 census, Kotido district had 717,670 cattle, 492,400 goats and 63, sheep.

Other animals including donkeys camels and pigs add to over 190,000 according to records. 

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