Naro researchers set to roll out tick vaccine for livestock
May 19, 2021 Cow on a farm
Ugandan livestock farmers are set to reap big when the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) completes final trials of the anti-tick vaccine within the next few months.
Dr Fredrick Kabi, the lead researcher on the vaccine at NaLIRRI, says the process is moving smoothly and before the end of the year, livestock diseases caused by ticks will be a thing of the past.
“It has taken us more than six years of immense research into getting rid of the ticks that transmit East Coast fever to livestock and I can assure all trials so far have returned positive results. The ticks keep mutating and of late had become resistant to acaricides but with this vaccine, livestock is going be safe,” he says.
Naro researchers set to roll out tick vaccine for livestock observer.ug - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from observer.ug Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Daily Monitor
Saturday February 13 2021
Cattle in a shade at Nakyesasa, Gayaza, Wakiso district. Routine cleaning is important in avoiding foot rot in cows. PHOTO/FILE.
Summary
Foot rot is a foot disease of cattle, sheep and goats.
The disease in sheep and goats, however, differs from the condition known as foot rot in cattle.
In sheep and goats, foot rot is a contagious bacterial infection caused by the pathogen Dichelobacter nodosus.
Advertisement
Foot rot is an infectious condition that causes swelling, heat and inflammation in the crevasse between cattle’s hooves, causing some of them to become lame in severe cases. Lame animals can lose weight quickly if they are reluctant to travel to feed and water.
Daily Monitor
Saturday December 19 2020
Cows feeding on Total Mixed Rations (TMR) at Nakyesasa. A TMR is a method of feeding cows that combines feeds formulated to a specific nutrient content into a single feed mix.PHOTO/GOERGE KATONGOLE
Advertisement
Costs of treating tick-borne diseases will be significantly reduced when the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) releases anti-tick vaccines in 2022.
The revelation was made during Saturday’s third virtual Seeds of Gold Farm Clinic held at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) at Nakyesasa.
Dr Fredrick Kabi, the lead investigator on the vaccine, says they have done six years of experimentation and clinical trials have been more than 75 per cent successful.