Sh10mn tagging exercise to help stem cattle rustling in Laikipia
Kenya Veterinary Association Chairman Samuel Kahariri (right) tags a cow with a microchip at Jua Kali Centre in Laikipia County on January 8, 2018. PHOTO | MWANGI NDIRANGU | NMG
The pilot will see some 50,000 head of cattle fitted with microchip tags that can transmit information about the animal's movement, its history and the owner.
The chip tracking is expected to help minimise theft, assist in disease control and ease animal movement.
The project will eventually be rolled out in other counties where livestock farming is the main economic activity.
Laikipia County government has collaborated with with the Kenya Veterinary Association (KVA) to launch a livestock identification and traceability project aimed at curbing cattle theft in the region.
The pilot of the Sh10 million project, set to take three months, will see some 50,000 head of cattle fitted with microchip tags that can transmit information about the animal's movement, its history and the owner.
“We chose to pilot this project in Laikipia County since it’s a leader in the beef sector and the county government plus other stakeholders have shown a lot of interest,” said KVA chairman Samuel Kahariri at the launch of the project at Jua Kali Market in Laikipia North Sub-County Monday.
He said low frequency identification would minimise theft, assist in disease control and ease animal movement.
Dr Kahariri added that the traceability would also help in marketing of the county’s livestock products especially in international markets by enabling consumers to track information about a product.
The project, a public private partnership with support from the national government through the State Department of Livestock, will eventually be rolled out in other counties where livestock farming is the main economic activity.
The team of doctors doing the tagging will be in different parts of Laikipia in the next few weeks carrying out the exercise.
A herder looks after cattle in Laikipia County on January 8, 2017. Herders in the region will benefit from a Sh10 million tagging project undertaken by the Kenya Veterinary Association, County and national government and other stakeholders in an effort to curb cattle rustling in the region. PHOTO | MWANGI NDIRANGU | NMG
Diversification
The devolved unit is trying to get pastoralists to shift from traditional ways of rearing livestock to methods that will curb spread of disease and improve quality and quantity of livestock.
It also involves establishment of fodder reserves to improve quality and quantity of their animals.
Various stakeholders in the livestock value chain have agreed to have the first feedlots in the County by early next year.
Among those interested in the livestock modernization project include the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the Kenya Meat Commission, Kenya Veterinary Association, the National Drought Management Authority, a section of pastoralists and ranchers, livestock traders and financial institutions.
Some private and community ranches and conservancies like the Laikipia Nature Conservancy have already set aside land for growth of the reserve fodder.
Dr Kahariri said Laikipia County should benchmark its livestock standards with those of the European Union (EU) which are very high.
