Prevention of diseases is always both better and cheaper than treatment. Even if vaccines and other preventive measures may seem expensive, they are in the long run much cheaper than loosing animals or letting animals loose condition and buying expensive drugs - not to mention the fees of the vets!
The following public and private disease prevention also protects the rights of the animals to a worthy enjoyable life and are the pillars of good and successful (and profitable) management.

Above picture shows a typical cattle dip, preventing insect and particularly tick borne diseases, by letting the animals jump into a dip filled water with added acaricide (tick poison). Prevention of tick borne diseases is by spraying, dipping or using Pour-on chemicals to get rid of the ticks

Very many animal diseases are preventable by vaccination and scientists are constantly searching for new vaccines to manage diseases.

Only healthy animals should be vaccinated, because weak animals will not respond effectively. Some weak animals can even become sick from the vaccines.

Vaccines take a minimum of 2 weeks or more to take good effect.

Do not use antibiotics and other drugs in connection with vaccines, as they may interfere with the protective effects of the vaccine.

Try to avoid disinfectants during vaccinations. Use sterilization by boiling water or use new disposable needles.

Avoid using chlorinated water when giving chicken oral vaccines. Use rain water, spring water or borehole water - but NOT Chlorinated water.

When using live vaccines some animals may develop mild symptoms of the disease. This is no cause for alarm, as it shows the vaccine is working.

In many countries farmers are using immuno stimulants to raise the general level of immunity against a wide range of diseases. These products are not yet available in East Africa in 2010.

Vaccines are available in Kenya from KEVEVAPI Kabete. for further information see here

Mode of administration

The following vaccines are available in East Africa to prevent the mentioned diseases.

Vaccination regime recommended for commercial layer and broiler chicks, but the bold printed ones are also applicable to improved management of indigenous chicken (modified from Sigma recommendations).

The bold ones are also needed for small holder chicken flocks (including indigenous chicken)

Quarantine refers to the total ban on movement of livestock and livestock products from one administrative unit (district) to another following an outbreak of a notifiable disease. its mostly done by the veterinary authorities as a disease control measure.

Livestock Movement Control - this refers to a continous (done all the time) disease control measure whereby all animals for trade or breeding purpose, moving from one adminstrative unit (district) to another must be inspected and be certified healthy and free from any notifiable disease before permits authorising such movement are issued by the inspecting officer. It is an offence for a person to move animals from one adminstrative unit to another without permit authorising such movement.

Quarantine/livestock movement control helps veterinary authorities to contain disease outbreaks hence minimising socio-economic losses through deaths and closure of livestock markets Helps to minimise spread of diseases to clean areas.

NOTE: Most producers and traders view quarantine/livestock movement control regulations negatively but it should be understood that its a disease control measure used by veterinary authorities for the benefit of all stakeholders in the livestock industry and if these rules and regulations are followed, the veterinary authorities are able to contain any disease outbreak faster and hence hasten the lifting of a quarantine.

Review workshop team. Nov 2 - 5, 2010