The veterinary Department has provided free vaccinations for goats and lambs against Peste des Petits Ruminants -PPR (Pests of Small Runinants) disease, which has sparked excitement among livestock farmers in Katakwi district.
The Katakwi Veterinary Department received 20,000 doses of PPR vaccine from MAAIF with the goal of vaccinating 20,000 goats and sheep. Approximately 10,000 goats and sheep have already been vaccinated in the sub counties of Toroma, Usuk, Akoboi, and Katakwi, particularly in the modal villages of the state house’s poverty alleviation project.
The vaccination exercise, which is now taking place throughout three counties in the Katakwi district, aims to reduce the outbreak of PPR disease. The vaccine protects sheep and goats from PPR, a contagious disease. It is a liver-attenuated virus vaccination injected subcutaneously in the neck to animals aged four months and above.
Dr. Anthony Odeke, Acting District Veterinary Officer, says they are starting vaccinations after some PPR disease cases were recorded in Getom, Usuk, and other sub counties. He says PPR causes severe pneumonia, gastroenteritis, and stomatitis, and that therapy focuses on symptom management and opportunistic secondary bacterial infections.
He emphasized that the symptoms of PPR in goats include a sudden high fever, despondency, and secretions from the eyes and nose. Other symptoms include ulcers in the mouth, increased salivation, coughing, severe diarrhea, and a risk of pneumonia or death. Goats may also exhibit signs of dehydration and aborted babies, especially in pregnant animals. “Its composition after reconstitution with respective diluents each dose of 1ml should contain not less than 1 x 102.5 TCID50 PPR virus,” he guided.
According to John Robert Ocen, Veterinary Officer for Akoboi Sub County, the initiative has effectively covered ruminants in six parishes: Akoboi, Okokoma, Lalei, Dadas, Aleles, and Laukucok, against an outbreak of PPR illness, which attacks small ruminants such as goats and sheep.
Ocen underlined the importance of deworming and housing livestock in order to avoid the Phenomenon and skin virus, as well as protecting them from wild creatures such as Karancle and dogs.
A section of livestock farmers such as Joseph Obwale with 20 goats, Ben Godfrey Oceger with 17 goats noted that this relieves the expenses of getting private treatment of livestock.
Cyrus Aruo and Charles Omakada, residents of Akoboi Subcounty, have applauded the government efforts saying it’s one way of improving livestock health.
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