An Appraisal of Livestock Marketing, Grazing Management and Helminth Control Practices amongst Smallholder Farms in Nyeri District, Kenya

Abstract

A cross-sectional study to appraise existing livestock marketing practices, grazing management and current helminth control strategies in smallholder farms in Mathira Division of Nyeri District, Kenya, was carried out to provide preliminary data for a long-term epidemiological investigation of helminth infections in domestic ruminants. Rapid rural appraisals were carried out with the local veterinarians and animal health assistants to provide information on livestock marketing and current and recommended helminth control strategies. A questionnaire survey of local farmers was also carried out on 116 randomly selected smallholder farms to investigate livestock management and helminth control practices. The main findings were as follows: First, livestock sales were related to specific cash demands with no structured production or marketing strategies or targets for age and weight at offtake. Secondly, the majority of ruminants were kept on pasture most of the time with a high proportion (>50%) grazing on communal pastures. Thirdly, local farmers relied on anthelmintics alone for helminth control, treating small ruminants 1-4 times (mean 3.3) and cattle 1-8 times (mean 3.5) a year. Based on these findings, it was considered that the generation of local epidemiological information on helminth infections would allow the development of appropriate anthelmintic treatment strategies which could reduce the frequency of drenching and be therefore more cost effective.