Suspected cases of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) have been reported in several of Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), prompting county governments to step up vaccination campaigns as veterinary authorities work to contain the spread.
The warning comes from the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), whose latest drought bulletin identifies FMD as one of several livestock diseases threatening pastoral communities despite improved grazing conditions following the long rains.
Vaccination campaigns launched as FMD spreads
According to the NDMA, suspected FMD infections have been recorded in Baringo, Laikipia, Makueni, Meru, Narok, Wajir and West Pokot. The affected areas include Tigithi, Mutara and Maundu Miri in Laikipia; Kibwezi East and West in Makueni; Igembe North and Tigania West in Meru; Mara, Naikarra and Siana wards in Narok; and Suam, Lelan, Lomut and Weiwei wards in West Pokot.
The authority said vaccination campaigns have been launched in several counties as officials seek to limit further transmission.
“Foot-and-Mouth Disease remains a major threat to livestock production in several counties,” the NDMA said in its May bulletin.
FMD is one of the world’s most contagious livestock diseases, affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. While adult animals rarely die from the infection, outbreaks can significantly reduce milk production, slow weight gain and disrupt livestock trade, with serious consequences for household incomes and food security.
The disease is marked by fever and painful blisters in the mouth, on the tongue, teats and between the hooves, often leaving infected animals unable to feed or walk comfortably.
Other livestock diseases raise concern
The NDMA report also points to the continued spread of other livestock diseases across the ASAL region.
Cases of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), commonly known as sheep and goat plague, were reported in Isiolo, Mandera, Turkana, Wajir and West Pokot. The viral disease is highly contagious and can cause severe respiratory illness, digestive complications and high death rates among small ruminants.
Lumpy Skin Disease was reported in Baringo, Makueni, Narok, Turkana and West Pokot, particularly in Mnagei and Riwo wards. The disease affects cattle and domestic water buffalo, causing fever, skin lesions and reduced productivity.
Goat herds continue to face pressure from Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP), which the NDMA identified as the most widely reported goat disease. Cases have been recorded in Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera, Turkana, Wajir and West Pokot, with Pokot North and Pokot Central listed among the highest-risk areas.
The report further notes outbreaks of Sheep and Goat Pox in Garissa, Isiolo and Mandera, while anthrax cases were reported in Meru and West Pokot, including confirmed infections in Suam and Kodich wards along the Kenya-Uganda border.
Other livestock illnesses, including tick-borne diseases such as anaplasmosis and babesiosis, were recorded in Baringo, Garissa and Laikipia. Trypanosomiasis and black quarter were reported in Mandera, while Isiolo recorded worm infestations linked to livestock feeding on fresh forage.
Livestock recover after seasonal rains
Despite the disease outbreaks, the overall condition of livestock has improved across much of the ASAL region following the March-April-May rains.
The NDMA said cattle body condition was rated as good in nearly 87 per cent of monitored areas, while sheep and goats were in good condition in a similar proportion of counties.
“The recovery was further supported by the presence of crop residues, supplementary feeding for vulnerable herds, reduced trekking distances to water, and ongoing health interventions such as vaccination campaigns,” the authority said.
Improved pasture, browse and water availability have helped livestock recover from previous drought conditions. Even so, veterinary experts warn that sustained surveillance and timely vaccination will be essential to prevent disease outbreaks from eroding those gains.
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