Ronald Kalyango
1 July 2008
Kampala — A TOTAL of 500,000 goats and sheep in Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Kotido, Kaabong and Abim districts will be vaccinated against Peste des Petisis Ruminants (goat plague) and other contagious diseases.
The plague is a highly contagious disease of both domestic and wild small ruminants (animals that have four stomachs and chew cud). The virus which causes it is closely related to the rinderpest virus of cattle and buffaloes.
It is characterised by sudden onset of depression, fever and discharges from the eyes and nose. Other symptoms include sores in the mouth, laboured breathing and cough. Others are foul-smelling diarrhoea, dehydration and pneumonia.
It is estimated that between 80 to 90% of flocks can get infected while 50 to 80% of those may die. Goats are usually more severely affected than sheep.
Animals rarely survive the plague because their owners detect the disease when it is in advanced stages.
More so, the cost of treating one sick animal is more than the cost of vaccines for 100 goats.
The vaccination exercise will be carried out in Uganda and Kenya. It is expected to cost $393,000 (about sh635m) and is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
In 2007, the plague was reported in Karamoja and the surrounding areas where it led to the death of 200,000 small ruminants.
Districts which were initially affected were Kotido, Moroto, Kaabong and Nakapiripirit with a small ruminant population of about two million. Deaths due to the disease were estimated at over 200,000 by July, 2007.
The districts which were suspected to be affected included Lira, Kitgum, Amuria, Katakwi, Kumi and Kapchorwa.
The region is also at the risk of contagious caprine pleuro pneumonia, another disease that affects sheep and goats.
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