LSD symposium - I. Gluecks - Cattle farming in Kenya, Africa livestock health challenges, wildlife interface and drought. Linking research to policy

1. Cattle farming in Kenya, Africa - livestock
health challenges, wildlife interface and
drought. Linking research to policy.
Ilona Gluecks
Head of CRF&CR, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

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Global commodity values 2020: animal source foods, five of the top ten (value USD1.1 trillion)
Livestock is 40% of agGDP globally
15-80% in LMICs
-
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
Milk, whole
fresh cow+
buffalo
Rice, paddy Meat
indigenous, pig
Maize Meat
indigenous,
chicken
Wheat Sugar cane Meat
indigenous,
cattle
Soybeans Eggs, hen, in
shell
Current million USD
(value for 2020)
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% growth in demand for livestock products to
2030
0
50
100
150
200
250
E.Asia
Pacific
China
South
Asia
SSA
High
income
3
0
50
100
150
200
250
E.Asia
Pacific
China
South
Asia
SSA
High
income
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
E.Asia
Pacific
China
South
Asia
SSA
High
income
0
50
100
150
200
250
E.Asia
Pacific
China
South
Asia
SSA
High
income
Poultry Milk
Beef Pork
Estimates of the % growth in demand for animal source foods in different World regions, comparing 2005 and
2030. Estimates were developed using the IMPACT model, courtesy Dolapo Enahoro, ILRI.
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• Livestock sector accounts for 4.4% of Kenya’s GDP (USD 3.4 billion
(2017)
• Employs 50% of the agricultural labour force plus provides jobs along
the value chains (meat, dairy)
• 60% found in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs)
• 90% raise animals both for meat & milk production.
• In high rainfall areas, employment & income through dairy, poultry and
pig production
Importance of livestock in Kenya
Cattle farming in Kenya
Species No (million)*
Cattle 18.8 (14.3 beef, 4.5 dairy)
Goats 26.7
Sheep 18.9
Camels 3.2
Poultry 44.6
Pigs 0.5 *https://kilimonews.co.ke/general-news/livestock-
population-in-kenya/, June 22, 2022
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ILRI’s Kapiti Research Station and Wildlife Conservancy
• Run as a livestock research station,
commercial livestock ranch (since 1980s) and
wildlife conservancy (since 2020)
• 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres or 150 km²)
• 85km East of Nairobi in Machakos County
• Semi-arid lands
• Thousands of wildlife species including
various species of carnivores and herbivores
as well as birds and reptiles
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1,767 cattle 1,714 sheep
508 goats
43 camels
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Rainfall patterns – impact of drought
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
194019421944194619481950195219541956195819601962196419661968197019721974197619781980198219841986198819901992199419961998200020022004200620082010201220142016201820202022
Rainfall Kapiti since 1940 (mm)
Total " Avg
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3,500 cattle 1,767 cattle
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Drought preparedness and mitigation
Points to consider Mitigation and preparedness points Challenges
Grazing planning Dry season & wet season grazing plans
based on pasture availability not
stocking rates
Frequency of below normal
rainfall; wildlife; incursion of
other livestock;
Water
management
Rainwater harvesting (10 water pans); 5
boreholes
Maintenance $$$
Destocking Sell of commercial stock to maintain
breeding stock
Market (demand, prices, overflow
of animals)
Feed & forages Production/storage of hay and silage Rain-fed → same issues during
low rainfall
Irrigation → costly
Wildlife Include into grazing planning; income
from tourism
Control, income??

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• Predators
• Herding, predator proof bomas,
healthy wildlife population
• Grazing competition
• Grazing planning, tourism ($$)
• Disease transmission (FMD, LSD, MCF,
ECF…)
• Rigid vaccination schemes, tick control
• Reservoir for the next pandemic??? →
• Research!!!
Challenges and opportunities
Wildlife – livestock interface

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• Role of wildlife in zoonotic disease
transmission
• Spillover of pathogens between
wildlife-livestock
• Climate change and wildlife – change
in weather resulting in diminishing
sources of resources and increased
pests and disease
• Increased Human-wildlife conflicts –
role of agropastoral communities
• Sustainable utilization of wildlife
Importance of research into livestock – wildlife – human interface
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Research on wildlife – livestock – human interface
• Transmission of AMR genes
between wildlife & livestock
• ASFV in warthogs
• Wildlife distribution at Kapiti
(FLI)
• Baseline on wildlife &
livestock pathogens (FLI)
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Livestock health challenges for farming in general:
• High prevalance of infectious disease (viral,
bacterial, parasites)
• Availability of and accessibility to
• veterinary services,
• diagnostic capacity,
• veterinary products
• Easy access to antimicrobials → increase in
AMR
• Quality of veterinary products (i.e sub-standard
or counterfeit products, quality standards
during production)
• Limitation on implementation of disease control
programmes and policies

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Livestock health challenges – Kapiti in particular
• Maintaining high biosafety & - security
standards → $$$
• Classic disease control practices
o Tick control → weekly spraying
o Vaccinations (FMD, LSD, Anthrax, (“MCF”))
o Treatments
• Operational costs
• Opportunities for on farm field research to
inform policies and decision makers:

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Vaccine trial on MCF
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Vaccine for Rift Valley fever
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Research on animal genetics
• Improving sheep breeds (Dorper
& Red Maasai) and safekeeping
indigenous breed (Red Maasai)
• Mzima cow – trypanotolerant cattle
• Productivity of SLICK versus NON-SLICK Dairy
Cattle in East African environments

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Environmental research
Greenhouse gas measurements & validation; Grassland field experiments on biomass
& phenology; soil fertility assessments

20. Protecting people, animals, and the environment every day
Drawings: FAO/Chiara Caproni