Mastitis Therapy in Western and Central Parts of Kenya: Veterinary Service Providers' Perspective

Abstract

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was carried out in Kakamega and Kiambu counties of Western and Central Kenya respectively, to determine the category of veterinary practitioners involved in mastitis treatment, diagnostic methods used, the antibiotics used and their effectiveness. A total of 69 questionnaires were administered to veterinary service providers. In Kakamega County 13/24 (54%) of service providers interviewed were government veterinarians, 10/24 (42%) private veterinary practitioners and 1124 (4%) agrovet owners. Concerning the level of training 18/24 (75%) of them were holders of certificates in animal health and production, 4/24 (17%) degree in veterinary medicine, 1/24 (4%) degree in agriculture and 1/24 (4%) secondary form four. In Kiambu County majority were private veterinarians 35/45 (78%), followed by government veterinarians 8/45 (18%) and agrovet owners 2/45 (4%) where 32/45 (71%) were holders of certificates in animal health and production, 12/45 (27%) degree in veterinary medicine and 1145 (2%) certificate in animal production. Most of the service providers interviewed used clinical signs to diagnose bovine mastitis, where it was the only method used in Kakamega County while in Kiambu County it was used by 40/45 (89%) of the respondents while only 5/45 (11%) used California Mastitis Test. Further, in Kakamega 22/24 (92%) of the respondents did not take samples for laboratory test while in Kiambu 20/45 (44%) did not take samples for laboratory testing. In both counties bovine mastitis was the most treated disease. In Kakamega 22/24 (91.7%) of the respondents used penicillin-streptomycin combination to treat mastitis and 2/24 (8.3%) used tetracycline. In Kiambu County antibiotics used were penicillin-streptomycin combination 36/45 (80%), cephalexine 3/45 (7%), gentamycin 3/45 (7%), ampicillin 1/45 (2%), sulphonamides 1145 (2%) and tetracycline 1145 (2%).