East Coast Fever continues killing cattle in Jonglei

By John Actually

July 18, 2011 (BOR) – East Coast Fever, which broke out in April 2008, continues to kill cattle in large numbers in Jonglei, forcing the cattle keepers to flee to Central Equatoria and Lakes states from June-to-July this year, Sudan Tribune has learned.

In a visit to the cattle Camp in Bor, a cattle keeper, Gai Deng told Sudan Tribune
that their camp is affected by East Coast Fever, a tick- borne protozoan infection caused by Theileria parva that killed over 10,000 cattle since it started three years ago.

Deng said the disease had killed 30 cattle in the last two months after they crossed the to the eastern bank Nile when rainy seasons started.

“We are afraid that this disease will leave no cow alive by the end of this year if it continues to kill cattle like this”, he added.

Another cattle keeper, Deutong Manyok said the drugs brought by the state livestock health units are too expensive for them to afford and accused the drugs sellers of selling un-effective drugs at exaggerated prices.

“They are selling one vial of parvaquone or Clexon at 90-100 Sudanese Pounds [US$34-37] which cannot even treat the cow when you buy it,” said Manyok.

Asked why some cattle herders crossed the Nile to Lakes and Central Equartoria states, Deng, one of chiefs of herders in Kolnyang district said most of herders left in June for Lakes state as it was the only way of avoiding the disease.

In an interview with the minister of Livestock and Fisheries in Jonglei, Nyang Lul Gai told Sudan Tribune the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) had been working to eradicate the disease in the areas affected but the uncontrolled movement of cattle and a lack of funds had hindered their progress. He said he was optimistic that GoSS will do everything possible to eradicate the disease.

Gai said his ministry distributes the drugs free of charge whenever there is a serious outbreak of disease but that drugs owned by animal health workers who are not paid by the state government are sold at relatively low prices and that the drugs are effective once the appropriate doses are administered.

Lul said his ministry plans to build quarantines and cattle deeps at the state borders for cattle to be observed and treated before allowing them to cross to Jonglei and the bordering states. He said the proposed budget of SDG500,000 (US$187,000) is yet to be raised and the shceme will require stability in the state.

According to the minister, taking care of the domestic animals is among the priorities of his ministry saying the 90 percent of the Jonglei citizens depend on livestock for their livelihood.

Although cattle are seen as source of pride and wealth by owners, they are also source of conflicts between major tribes of Nuer, Dinka and Murle in Jonglei that kill hundreds of people every year through raiding and cattle rustling.

(ST)