Impact of drought‐related vaccination on livestock mortality in pastoralist areas of Ethiopia |
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| Authors: | Andy Catley Dawit Abebe Berhanu Admassu Gezu Bekele Bayou Abera Gezahegn Eshete Tesfaye Rufael Tesfaye Haile |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Research Director at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;2. Research and Policy Specialist at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;3. Technical Coordinator (Pastoralist Livelihoods Initiative) at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;4. Consultant at the Feinstein International Center, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;5. Deputy Programme Manager with Action Contre la Faim, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;6. Animal Health Department Head with Afar Pastoral, Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau, Afar, Ethiopia;7. Head of Cell Culture Laboratory at the National Animal Health Research Center, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Sebeta, Ethiopia;8. Livestock Marketing Adviser with SNV–Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. |
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| Abstract: | ![]()
Under a national Livestock Policy Forum in Ethiopia the impact of livestock vaccination during drought was assessed in order to inform the development of a best‐practice guideline. For each of the different types of vaccine used during drought years there was no significant difference in livestock mortality, for any species, in vaccinated compared with non‐vaccinated herds. The limited impact of vaccination on livestock mortality was attributed to weaknesses in the design and implementation of vaccination programmes, including use of inappropriate vaccines, low vaccination coverage, problems with vaccine dosing, incorrect timing of vaccination and problems with vaccine storage. If these weaknesses could be overcome vaccination could be a useful means to protect livestock assets, with considerable benefit‐cost ratios. Vaccination should be conducted as a standard preventive measure during normal years, and programme design should be informed by participatory epidemiological studies. |
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| Keywords: | drought livestock vaccination mortality participatory epidemiology |
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