Revival of cattle dips boosts livestock sector in Nandi
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The revival of community cattle dips is transforming livestock keeping in Nandi County, with farmers reporting improved animal health and renewed confidence in dairy and livestock production.
In Tinderet Sub-County, the focus on cattle dips by the county government has particularly offered livestock keepers a practical way of controlling ticks and other external parasites that have for years affected cattle productivity and exposed farmers to losses.
The importance of the initiative came to the fore on Monday when former Nandi County Assembly Speaker and gubernatorial aspirant Joshua Kiptoo toured a cattle dip in Chemursoi sub-location, where he interacted with livestock keepers and community members.
Kiptoo pledged to collaborate with local residents and other stakeholders to ensure a steady supply of acaricides to the facilities, saying effective tick control was essential to safeguarding livestock health and improving household incomes.
He said properly maintained community cattle dips could play a central role in revitalizing the livestock sector because they offered farmers an affordable and accessible way of protecting their animals from diseases associated with ticks.
According to Kiptoo, the sustainability of the facilities should not be left entirely to government agencies, urging farmers and local communities to take ownership of the dips while working closely with relevant authorities.
He said healthy livestock translated into higher milk production, better growth rates, and improved returns for farmers, adding that the revival of cattle dips should therefore be viewed as an investment in the rural economy.
Pastoralist Reuben Ng’etich said the return of regular dipping had relieved farmers of the burden of individually looking for expensive methods of controlling ticks.
“Ticks have been a major challenge because they weaken our animals and can lead to diseases and reduced milk production. With the cattle dip operating again, farmers have a convenient way of protecting their livestock,” he said.
Ng’etich stated that farmers were now able to devote more attention to improving breeds, feeding, and milk production because disease prevention had become easier.
A community leader, Maurice Tanui, said the revival of cattle dips demonstrated the value of community participation in solving local economic challenges.
He said the facilities had previously served as important centres where farmers could collectively manage livestock diseases, but their decline had left many households vulnerable to losses.
Tanui urged residents to take responsibility for maintaining the dip, contributing where necessary and ensuring that farmers adhered to recommended dipping schedules.
He also called for closer cooperation between livestock keepers, veterinary officers, community leaders, and government agencies to guarantee that acaricides were consistently available and used correctly.
The revival of the dips comes at a time when livestock farming remains an important component of Nandi’s agricultural economy, complementing crop production and providing households with milk, manure, food, and income.
Farmers argue that strengthening disease prevention at the community level could also encourage more households to invest in improved dairy breeds and expand their herds.
The cattle-dipping programme is increasingly being seen as more than a veterinary intervention.
It is emerging as part of a broader effort to strengthen rural livelihoods by reducing livestock losses and creating conditions for farmers to earn better returns from their animals.
The livestock keepers said with consistent support, the initiative could once again become a critical pillar of livestock production and household economic empowerment across the county.
By Sammy Mwibanda
Reporting originally appeared via Kenya News Agency. Read the full source for additional context.