War against the CBPP disease - Infonet-Biovision

Nr. 75 August, 2011Fish grow well with proper feedingThe productivity of fish ponds can beincreased by providingthe fish with supplementary food.Zipporah NduluManufactured fish feeds are not widelyor readily available in East Africa.Exceptions exist where larger commercialoperations such as TamTroutproduce their own feeds for their ownfish and may have excess quantitiesavailable for sale. Where manufacturedfeeds are available, they mightbe found in one or more of the followingforms: Meal, crumble, dry sinkingpellets, moist sinking pellets, and floatingpellets.Some recipes for feedCottonseed cake 37%, Wheat bran 57%Freshwater shrimp (Caradina spp.), 6%Vitamin mix minimal.This is one of the different diet formulationsthat have been tested at SaganaAquaculture Centre.Some farmers are successfully usingfeeds they have mixed for themselves.Examples of mixes that are easily preparedand economical to use include: fish meal(Caradina spp.) and maize bran, sometimeswith some omena meal added.Feed processing usually includes anumber of steps, including grinding,mixing, binding together, fat coating,drying/cooling, crumbling, andbagging. In the East African region,most on-farm feed preparations aremade in small quantities, using improvisedmachinery that is operatedHow much feed do the fish need?It is important to estimate how manyfish fingerlings you have in your pondto properly calculate how much feed togive them. When you prepare the pondfor stocking, keep a record on howmany fish were stocked, and makeTime sincestockingAssumed sizeof fish (grams)frequent observations of the pond toknow whether or not some fish havedied.A look at the table below will helpyou understand the amount of feedyour fish require:Amount to feed per day*Wheat bran Pelleted diet (26% protein)1-2 (months) 5-20 1g/fish 1g/fish2-3 (months) 20-50 1-3 g/fish 1-2g/fish3-5 (months) 50-100 3g/fish 2g/fish5-8 (months) 100-200 4g/fish 3g/fish8 or more Over 200 5g/fish 3-4g/fish*Using supplementary feed, e.g., bran and a diet of 26% protein (Source: Sagana)tilapia or ponds with both tilapia and catfish (polyculture).the morning and in the evening.second week, using their actual weight to determine the amount to feed ratherthan an assumed weight.Fish farmers harvesting fish from a pond.either manually or mechanically, withoutputs of not more than five 90-kgbags daily.Feed ingredients can be groundmanually. The ingredients are thenmixed in a hand-operated mixer. Afterpreparation, feeds can be made intopellets using a pelleting machine.How to feed the fishTo begin with, throw out small amountsof feed at a specific time of the day andobserve the response. After the fishhave accepted the prepared feed andlearned when and where they willreceive it from, they should becomevery enthusiastic feeders. Normallyfish take about 15 minutes to consumethe food.You should be prepared to reduce theamount of feed per day when one ormore of the following occur:normal amounts of feed higher than normal for the time of yearAll of the above may occur simulta-(Photo TOF)neously when you are nearing the endof a production cycle, especially if theplanned harvest time is during the hotmonths.When to feed your fishKeep the following points in mindwhen feeding your fish each day: often browse all day long. mentaryfeed is between 10 a.m. and 4p.m., when the water temperature anddissolved oxygen are reasonably high.position and time each day for eachpond. The fish soon learn when andwhere they can expect a good meal. dedicated person.Feeding by hand has benefitsSome of the ways fish feed can beoffered to fish include:you walk along the pond bank.or table under the water.fish food when the fish bump a lever. releases or broadcasts feed at predeterminedtimes. automatic feeder requires that an attendantbe present at feeding time, butboth need to be refilled regularly andperiodically checked to be sure theyare operating properly.One benefit of feeding by hand isthat the farmer has the opportunity toobserve how well the fish are feeding,as well as how fast they are growing.Healthy fish usually eat enthusiastically,and any deviation from enthusiasticeating suggests that a problemmay be developing.The following are some reasons whyfish such as the Nile tilapia may notfeed as well as expected. low.fast you do not see the fish eating it.

Nr. 75 August, 2011Bamboo can transform the environmentBamboo trees can protect the soil,purify water, provide firewood andused to make many products.Peter KamauAlthough Kenyan farmers know andplant many types of trees, very few ofthem plant bamboo, yet the tree is oneof the most valuable among the treespecies in the country. Bamboo canplay a very important role in Kenya’safforestation and conservation efforts.The tree grows three times faster thaneucalyptus trees, reaching maturity inonly three years. It can be harvestedafter every two years for up to 40 years.Some species of bamboo can grow atthe rate of 1 metre a day. Besides, thetree can be put to many uses becauseof its many good qualities; it can beused for building purposes, bambooshoots are a source of food, other partsof the trees can be used to make floortiles, baskets, boats, bridges, brushesbuckets, charcoal, furniture, roofingtoilets, toothpicks as well as waterpipes. Edible varieties of bamboo areavailable locally.It can prevent soil erosionThe bamboo roots form a network ofroots in the soil, therefore binding itand preventing soil erosion especiallyin steep slopes and riverbanks wheresoil erosion is greatest. The abundantfoliage that dry and fall off create athick humus layer that enriches thesoil. Studies done in Kenya and SoutheastAsia have shown that naturalbamboo forests have excellent waterpurification qualities, which also helpimprove soils. The roots help preventthe soil from being washed away byrun off water during heavy rains.It absorbs carbonSome species of bamboo absorb asmuch as 12 tonnes of atmosphericcarbon dioxide per hectare- the tree istherefore very important in addressingsome of the effects of global warmingand climate change. At the householdlevel, bamboo can provide a valuablesource of firewood and charcoal. Ityields more than 7000 kilocalories ofenergy, half the yield from the sameamount of petroleum. Farmers can alsoplant bamboo species that have largethorns along the fences for securitypurposes.Planting Bamboo treesThe first step in production of bambooinvolves the selection of planting material.The planting material may comein form of seeds or wildings (seeds collectedfrom the forest). Bamboo treestake a long time to flower and produceseeds. Flowering intervals may rangefrom 40 to 80 years and when the seedsare finally produced, they are onlyviable for a few days before they die.A Nigra bamboo bush (top). An ediblebamboo shoot (middle) and bamboo cuttingsin the nursery (below).Farmers should therefore be carefulwhen buying seedlings from hawkersor vendors.Collecting seedlingsBamboo seedlings growing wildly inforests can be collected and used tostart a bamboo plantation. The seedlingscan be collected in a few areasin high mountains such as Aberdareranges, the Mau and Mt Elgon. Theseedlings, often found in young clusterscan be scooped using a spadeand taken to a nursery and planted inpolythylene bags. The roots should notbe disturbed during the transportationand planting.Vegetative propagationBamboo can be propagated vegetatively.This offers a better source ofplanting material. A section of the rootsystem of the bamboo (rhizome) is cutand planted but farmers should takecare not to damage the roots, buds andrhizomes. Culms (bamboo stems) canbe cut and planted. Multiplication ofseed from bamboo stem is faster thanwild seedlings and root cuttings.Varieties available in KenyaThere are many varieties of bamboothat can be grown in Kenya. Belowwe provide farmers with a numberof common bamboo species includingtheir qualities and uses.Yushania alpina: An indigenousspecies that grows in mountainousareas in Kenya. It is mainly found inAberdares, Mt Elgon and the Mauranges.Dendrocalamus giganteus: This is thelargest bamboo species in terms of size.It can grow well in highlands and otherwet areas in the country. It has edibleshoots.Dendrocalamus Asper: A giantbamboo species which is mainly usedfor weaving, making pipes, fencingand basketry. It has edible shoots.Bambusa vulgaris ‘’vitata’’- An exoticspecies found mainly found in lowlandareas such as Machakos. It is mainlyused in papermaking, poles and handicrafts.Bambusa hamiltonii: A fast growingspecies from China.It is used in theconstruction industry and has edibleshoots.Nigra: A species of bamboo that hasgood water purification and filtrationpurposes. It grows well in highlandsand wet areas.Psedosassa Japonica (arrows): Anexotic species mainly planted in watercatchment areas. It has water conservationand purification qualities.Farmers interested in buying any of thesebamboo species can contact KEFRI TreeBreeding and Silviculture Centre MugugaP.O Box 20412,00200 Nairobi, 0722 157414, 0722 801 539.

Nr. 75 August, 2011The only way to fight CBPP is vaccinationIt is a devastating disease thatis becoming a threat tocattle holders in Sub-Saharan Africa.Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia(CBPP) is one of the most devastatingdiseases that affects cattle throughoutmost of sub Saharan Africa. The diseaseaffects both pastoralist and mixed croplivestocksystems, but its impacts aregreatest in pastoralist areas. CBPP outbreaksshould be reported immediatelyto the veterinary services.The mortality rate is variable, rarelyexceeding 50 per cent, and depends ona range of factors such as age, breed,nutrition, presence of other infectionsor infestations and the type of management.Lactation yields of infected cowsare reduced by up to 90 percent; meatproduction is affected through reducedgrowth rates of infected animals.Although CBPP was once foundworldwide, it was eradicated frommost continents by the mid-20thcentury. By the 1970s, the disease’s incidencealso began to decline in Africa.It was introduced into Africa in 1852through an imported bull from theNetherlands. However, CBPP recentlymade an alarming resurgence inaround 25 African countries, includingKenya. The disease is a serious threatto livestock production in Sub-SaharaAfrica, apart from the economic losses:It has negative implications on regionalAnimals can carry the infection for two yearsContagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia(CBPP) is caused by a bacteriumcalled Mycoplasma mycoides var. mycoidessmall colony. Transmission fromanimal to animal occurs from direct,close, repeated contacts between diseasedand healthy animals in sharednight accomodation or at water holes,cattle dips, markets and commongrazing areas; usually, nomadic herdscan be a CBPP reservoir since theymay contain many chronically infectedanimals. The causative agent is presentin liquid droplets in the breath and inurine; air-borne transmission appearspossible over distances up to 200metres. Sheep and goats are resistantto the disease.Affected animals have difficultyin breathing due to damage of thelungs and lose condition. The earliestsigns are a sudden onset of fever to40° C or more and, in milking cows, adrop in milk yield. Sick cattle tend toisolate themselves from the herd andstop eating. Severely affected cattletypically stand with their head andneck extended and forelegs apart, andbreathe through the mouth. All agesand international tradein animal and animalproducts. It has preventedthe majority ofAfrican countries fromgetting access to highlyprofitable markets inthe developed world.A study carried outsome years ago in 12countries in Western,Central and EasternAfrica (includingof cattle are susceptible; young cattledevelop painful joint swellings whichappear like lung infections. Many cattleshow no disease signs despite beinginfected, and others recover quicklyafter a transient mild disease, yet theycan carry infection for as long as twoyears and may be responsible forpassing on infection at a later date.One dose costs Ksh 30The most widely used vaccine is T144,produced by the Kenya Veterinary VaccinesProduction Institute in Nairobi/Joint-swellings: A symptom of CBPPKenya) estimatedthe total annual economiccost of CBPP ataround 2 million Eurosper country (Ksh 200million). During the latest outbreak inTanzania in the 1990s, 250,000 cattledied – with direct losses estimated tobe over 50 million US dollars.Difficult to eradicateThe most efficient method to eradicateCBPP, which has proved effective inEurope, North America and Australia,is the stamping out policy: Controlwas achieved by eliminating the wholecattle herd population wherever thedisease was detected, with compensationof the stockowners.Only Botswana has managed toeradicate the disease by this method;for most other African countries it isnot feasible, for a variety of reasons(e.g. lack of money for compensation,understaffed veterenary services, difficultmovement control etc.). So themost cost-effective method to controlthe trans-boundary disease is by quarantine,coupled with preventive vaccination;unfortunately, there are noother control methods. The problemtoday is not so much the type of vaccinesas it was some years ago; today,the vaccine T144 has proved its efficacy(see box) It is cheap and saves on costs.The difficulties begin with the efficientconduct of a vaccination campaignrespectively the strategy andlogistics for implementation of the vaccinations: target 100 per cent of cattle within ageographically defined area.Continued on page 6Kabete, a government institution. Theproduction per dose costs Ksh 5. Butwhen the governmental veterinaryservices are doing the vaccination,they include transport, staff allowancesetc., so one dose costs aboutKsh 30. Only veterinary personnel areallowed to buy and administer thevaccine (see page 1).Many farmers prefer using antibioticsin treatment of CBPP, since thisis a cheaper method for them. Informationon the benefits of antibioticsare contradictory. Some scientists,cattle holders and community animalhealth workers in various Africancountries argue that effects of thedisease can be reduced by at least halfwhen an appropriate antibiotic treatmentregime is used for sick animals.However, other scientists considerantibiotics as ineffective in controllingCBPP and dangerous. According tothem, antibiotics slow the progressionof the disease in a herd, but theyare ineffective in chronically affectedanimals. Even worse: They can hidethe clinical signs of CBPP in a herd,allowing the disease to spread evenfaster. TOF

Nr. 75 August, 2011Using soap in making plant extractsWhy are we discouraging the use ofproducts with traces of chemicals andyet we call for use of soap in making ofthe plant extracts?Is it advisable to use soap and yet it ismade from the factory with ingredientssuch as preservatives with traces ofpoisons, which is against the rules oforganic farming?Apart from soap in making a plantextract fermented pesticide, what elsecan we make use of to replace soapparticles?tsz - Soap is a relatively natural chemicaland its application is allowed inBanana stems are poor fodderIs there any way one can add valueto banana stem and give as feeds toanimals? Since they are available inhigh numbers: Could they help towithstand drought during water shortages?Chebukwabi CBO dam grouptsz - It is a good idea to make use ofavailable resources on the farm, and itis absolutely possible to feed bananastems to livestock. However, bananastems have high water content, andthey are very poor in protein, so theywill not contribute to milk productionof dairy animals or to growth of younganimals. They are also low in energyand minerals. They may therefore helpto get over a difficult period, but notmore. If given the choice, animals willprefer banana leaves to stems. Youalso mentioned value addition. ThisContouring with an A-frameWhat is the measurement of the twopoles of an A-frame making letter A?And what is the measurement of thepole crossing the two poles?You can make them as long as youlike, both need to be at the samelength; I would make them 2.50 m, soorganic farming. Traditionally, it is producedby mixing liquid plant or animalfats with a strongly alkaline solution(usually lye = sodium or potassiumhydroxide). The chemical reaction iscalled soponification and has long beenused for this purpose. It seems thatalmost 5000 years ago, soap was producedin Babylon using ashes andcypress oil or sesame seed oil.Soap has a property that reduces thesurface tension of water. By addingsome soap to watery extracts, the solutionwill not form drops that just rollaway from the leaf surface, but spreadand stick to the plant more effectively,making the pesticide more effective.We do not know of any cheap andeasily available substance that has thesame effect.But you are right, not any soapshould be used. Omo for example issimply toxic to plants. Use the ordinarynatural soap bars (kipande soap) suchas jamaa, kasuku, ushindi etc., which donot contain harmful compounds.usually includes some kind of conservation,which might be a problem.Due to the high water content, bananastems tend to rot quickly. The waterhas to be extracted as fast as possibleto prevent this. You could try to chopthe material into small pieces, sun-dryit, and store it in a cool, dark place. Letthe animals decide whether they likesuch a preparation.that they can be moved well. The polecrossing the two poles can be 1.50 m;take care that it is fixed at the same distancefrom the bottom of the poles (seesketch: length B), and that you markexactly the middle of this timber crossingthe two poles (see sketch length C)Tithonia… as medicineSince animals feed on Tithonia leaves,can I prepare a fresh solution of it andgive it to my animals to boost theirhealth? Anne Mafumbo, Bungoma.You may try it, but be aware thatthe effect is very uncertain. Second, itwill not help animals that are alreadysick or in very poor health. It may alsobe easier to feed any plant directly.You may even let the animals decidewhether and how much to feed fromparticular plants. They usually havea good instinct and know which feedsare good for them and which are not.… as vegetable?Is it possible for me to use tithonialeaves as vegetables because of thesoft green and tender parts of it? JaneSonga, BungomaWe have never heard of preparing andusing Tithonia as a vegetable, and thereis probably a reason for this. We adviseyou to be careful when eating anythingthat is not used as food traditionally.… as feedCan Tithonia be used together withleguminous fodder tree leaves to makea feed formulation?If you harvest young Tithonia shootsand dry and store them carefully, theywill be a very good feed supplementif offered together with grass or hay.You may use tithonia in the same wayas leguminous fodder plants such ascalliandra, leucaena or desmodium.Tithonia leaves may not be as rich inproteins, especially if you use oldershoots. Make sure to feed only smallquantities of all of them (20 – 25% ofthe total ration).Compost without manureWhat will I do if I do not have manureand I would like to make a compost?tsz - Animal manures are very goodfor compost making because theyprovide the nitrogen that is necessaryfor efficient rotting of the compost.But compost can also be preparedfrom plant material only. Make sure toadd enough soft, green material (e.g.weeds), and make use of leguminousplants, because they are rich in nitrogen.If available, you can enrich yourcompost with rock phosphate, a verygood phosphorous source for organicfarmers. Some farmers also add EM1which can support the rotting process.