Nairobi — The fifth batch of livestock from Kenya to Mauritius left the Mombasa port yesterday.

According to the Livestock Traders and Marketing Society of Kenya chief executive, Mr Aden Dualle, a special livestock vessel will dock at the port today morning.

MV Murray Express is expected at the port where it will load the 2,400 animals.

The vessel's local handling agents, according to a shipping itinerary released yesterday by the Kenya Ports Authority, are Spanfreight Shipping Agency.

The livestock include 1,000 bulls and 1,400 goats that were bought from in northern Kenya and taken to Taita ranches for fattening.

Dualle said the ranches in Taita are disease-free zones ideal for raising livestock for the export market.

Top officials from the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries led by the minister, Mr Joseph Munyao and Permanent Secretary David Stower were expected to officiate at the loading ceremony.

In the meantime, Dualle, in conjuction with Inland Enterprises praised the Government for spearheading the livestock export deal.

"Livestock traders are upbeat on the deal to export and hope that more export markets will be established," he said.

He called on the Government to give support to the Livestock Ministry to make it more vibrant in tapping lucrative overseas markets.

Dualle said other leading markets for Kenyan livestock are Egypt and the Middle East.

At the same time, Dualle called for the speedy revival of the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC).

"This will be instrumental in giving hope to livestock farmers who used to supply KMC with livestock for slaughter and canning," he said.

He assured the Mauritius importers that Kenyan livestock traders would strive to ensure that international standards and procedures for export of livestock are met.

"We want to have this trade deal prosper and will do everything possible to maintain the standards," Dualle said.