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contents 

March - April 2016 

Editor’s Peek 

14 

EMERGING 

LIVES 

Why we all need 

a rabbit 

Livestock 

Management 

Policy holding back 

livestock sector 

30 

10 

DAIRY FARMING 

Towards a climatesmart 

dairy farming 

ANIMAL 

HEALTH 

The livestock 

disease 

headache 

20 

Welcome to the premier 

publication of ‘Livestock 

East Africa’, a peerless 

regional magazine on 

all matters livestock. 

Founded on the basis of a 

noble concern regarding 

the scarcity of information 

on livestock farming in the region, Livestock East Africa 

seeks to credibly inform, educate and enlighten all players 

in the livestock sector with a long term objective of seeing 

the accomplishment of the full potential that livestock 

farming in the region holds. Towards this worthwhile cause 

the publication will be delving into beef farming, dairy 

farming, rabbit keeping, apiculture, poultry, camel keeping, 

domestic pets, fish farming just to mention a few. 

In this first issue that you now hold in your hands, 

‘Livestock East Africa’ takes a special focus on animal 

welfare, livestock management in counties, leather 

development, livestock and finance, livestock policies, 

livestock marketing, law and livestock, animal health, 

animal feeds, and a segment on emerging livestock. To this 

end we engage a farmer and a veterinary officer in Nyeri 

County, one Dr. Gakuo Mwangi on the procedure of using 

feedlot feeding system in finishing beef cattle. An insight 

on rabbit keeping from the Ngong Breeding and Training 

Centre forms the peak of our focus on emerging livestock 

and the untapped potential it holds. 

As regards the leather sector, we comprehensively 

investigate what it will take to revamp the winning ways 

of Kenya’s leather industry. An informative piece about 

livestock insurance and marketing also comes to you just in 

time to illuminate the economic and financial dynamics of 

livestock farming in the region. Poor animal health being 

the biggest inhibitor to the full livestock prosperity in the 

region, our Chief Correspondent Tobias Belle engages 

Kenya’s Director of Veterinary Services Dr. Kisa Juma 

Ngeiywa in an exclusive interview to investigate the status 

of livestock disease control in Kenya and East Africa. But 

that’s not all. As you hungrily flip the pages for more of 

the credible content we have for you, get into our ‘Herder’s 

Kitchen’ and find out what we have prepared for you in our 

delicious recipe. 

The Livestock sector in Kenya alone contributes about 

10 per cent of the GDP, and plays an equally significant 

role in the economies of Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. 

This implies that ignoring this key component of our 

economies can have catastrophic consequences. Preventing 

such unfortunate outcome is the sole purpose of ‘Livestock 

East Africa’, which now has a regional reach. In tandem 

with our slogan of learn, breed and earn, we will continue 

to engage all stakeholders in the livestock sector, from 

farmers, producers, the private sector, county governments, 

the national government and corporations in a collective 

effort towards positive livestock transformation. 

Welcome once again to this edition, enjoy the read and together 

let’s kick start this journey of great promise and potential. 

Mbugua Njoroge 

Managing Editor 

19 

POULTRY 

FARMING 

The KARI improved 

kienyeji chicken 

19 

CAMEL 

FARMING 

Intriguing camel facts 

Managing Editor 

Mbugua Njoroge 

editor@livestockeastafrica.com 

Administration and 

Logistics Manager 

Dianah Ngina 

ngina@livestockeastafrica.com 

Correspondent 

Tobias Belle 

tobias@livestockeastafrica.com 

Marketing 

Two Third Marketing Solutions 

advertising@livestockeastafrica.com 

moses@livestockeastafrica.com 

+254 773 896 861, +254 721 489 665 

Writers 

Paul Wanyagah 

Abdikarim Daud 

Aamera Jiwaji 

Susan Onyango 

Kamau Ireri 

Creatives 

Eddie Concepts 

gichics@gmail.com 

Printers 

Colour Print 

Kampala, Uganda 

Contact: Partick Joram Mugisha 

Tel: +256-782-540893/ 

+256-706-340893 

pharmchem82@gmail.com or 

mugisha@livestockeastafrica.com 

Kigali, Rwanda 

Contact: Emmanuel Mugabe 

Tel: +250-788-625 725 

emmamugabe@gmail.com or 

mugabe@livestockeastafrica.com 

Disclaimer: 

Livestock East Africa does not 

necessarily share the views of 

contributors. No responsibility can 

be accepted for opinions expressed 

by contributors, or claims made by 

advertisers within this publication. 

Livestock East Africa is published by Goldthrift Limited 

Bishop Magua Centre, Ngong Road, P.O Box 10475 00200, Nairobi Kenya 

Cell: +254 721 489 665, editor@livestockeastafrica.com, www.livestockeastafrica.com 

No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher. 

4 Livestock East Africa March - April 2016 


Learn • Breed • Earn March 2016 - April 2016 Livestock East Africa 5


LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION 

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION 

By Aamera Jiwaji 

Kenya’s 

Leather 

Revival 

Plan 

Livestock News 

Cabinet Secretary 

Mr. Willy Bett 

New 

Agriculture 

CS Takes 

Office 

The newly appointed 

Agriculture, Livestock 

& Fisheries Cabinet 

Secretary Mr. Willy 

Bett reported to 

his new office on December 18, 2015. The 

former Managing Director of the Kenya Seeds 

Company took over from immediate former 

acting Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed. Mr. 

Bett said his priority as CS in the Ministry 

is to fast-track programes and policies aimed 

at ensuring food security. He said he was 

lucky he was familiar with players in the 

sector and would put in his best. Mr. Adan 

Mohamed who is the Industrialization 

& Enterprise Development CS has been 

acting as Agriculture, Livestock & Fisheries 

CS since March 2015, when former CS 

Felix Koskei stepped aside. 

D 

enya’s oncethriving 

leather 

industry has 

fallen on hard 

times, largely as 

a result of poor 

government 

regulation. But 

a change of 

mindset and 

a new strategy could see Kenya becoming a 

regional hub in the near future to take its fair 

share of the global trade, which is worth $78bn. 

Kenya has a plan to pull the country’s leather 

industry up by its bootstraps. The latest plank 

in the on-going strategy came in June 2015 

when the Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary, 

Adan Mohamed, announced that the Kenyan 

army would henceforth buy boots from local 

manufacturers and not European suppliers. 

A week later, he appointed a nine¬ member 

task force of industry insiders – including 

representatives from Bata Shoe Company, 

Leather Technologies and Fashions, Alpharama 

and the Kenya Leather Development Council 

– to spearhead the recovery of the leather 

industry. 

Buy Kenyan-Build Kenya 

Mohamed’s actions are one of the first 

tangible steps towards the Buy Kenyan 

– Build Kenya initiative introduced by 

national branding movement Brand 

Kenya, designed to promote locally 

manufactured goods and services within 

Kenya and in international markets. 

Mohamed, the former Barclays Bank 

Managing Director for East and West 

Africa, has a five-year plan to make 

Kenya the leather hub for East and 

Central Africa using the export duty 

model. 

This is good news for Kenya’s leather 

industry which is yet to recover 

from a 1990s downturn. Before 

then, Kenya’s leather industry – 

made up of raw material (hides 

and skins), tanneries, footwear, 

and leather goods manufacturing 

– thrived. But this changed after 

the government abolished a 22% 

export compensation scheme in 

an attempt to liberalise the market 

and cut tariffs on imported leather 

and footwear. The move provoked 

a surge in cheap imports and 

second-hand items, and half of 

Kenya’s 19 tanneries went out of 

business. 

Contrary to the intention to provide expanded 

markets for Kenya’s leather goods, by 2004/05 

80% of Kenya’s hides and skin were being 

exported in their raw form. Tens of thousands 

of jobs were lost in the tanneries and the 

government lost revenues of $12m) according 

to a 2010 report by Traidcraft and EcoNews 

Africa. 

Today, Kenya’s leather industry is a shadow of 

what it once was. Estimates indicate demand for 

shoes is at 38m pairs a year but local producers 

manufacture less than 4m units per year. With 

demand outstripping supply, Kenya imports 

85% of the units and is the second-largest 

importer of footwear and leather products in 

Africa after Egypt. 

Tightly laced 

In 2006, the government raised the export 

tax payable on the export of raw hides and 

skins to 20% and the following June doubled 

it to 40%. The decision, which defied the 

EU’s commitment to free trade, worked in 

Kenya’s favour and a 2010 report by Traidcraft 

Exchange and Oxfam shows that it increased 

the number of tanneries in the country, created 

7,000 new jobs, improved incomes for 40,000 

people, increased leather exports by 54% and 

boosted sector earnings by almost €8m. 

New Abattoirs and Tanneries 

More recently, the government has announced 

plans to establish abattoirs and tanneries in 

various counties to boost production of hides 

and skins. There are currently 14 tanneries in 

the country, but government reports say they 

will increase to 21 after the completion of eight 

mini leather processing units located in various 

regions. 

Six mini leather tanning factories were 

scheduled to open in Wajir, Garissa, Makueni, 

Isinya, Mogotio and Kanduyi last July, hiking 

the number of tanneries in the country to 19 

– the largest in Africa, according to Kenya’s 

Leather Development Council. 

Kenya has also embarked on a campaign to 

woo investors, and Italy is one of the markets 

it is pursuing with the offer of a 10-year 

corporation and withholding tax holiday and 

a 100% investment deduction on investments 

over 20 years. 

In July 2015, the government further 

stimulated the sector by mandating public 

sector institutions such as the Armed Forces 

and National Police Service to source footwear 

locally. Orders from the military alone are 

estimated at 30,000 pairs a year, and it is good 

news for market leader Bata, which makes 

military boots at its Limuru plant. 



Learn • Breed • Earn March - April 2016 Livestock East Africa 

7


Focus on County Livestock 

Focus on County Livestock 

Compiled by livestock East Africa Reporter 

The Dairy 

Revival 

in Murang’a County 

Murang’a County 

Governor, Mwangi wa 

Iria during the launch 

of the ‘One Youth One 

Cow’ initiative in in 

September, 2015 

M 

urang’a is 

arguably 

one of the 

counties 

with the 

highest 

agricultural 

potential 

in Kenya. 

Perhaps that 

explains why the county government’s 

vision is to be a trendsetter in agricultural 

production. Last year in November 2015, 

the county government bagged two awards 

during the 2015 Governors’ Award at the 

International Hotel in the categories of 

Agriculture, food security and Education. 

But exactly to what extent is the county 

government channeling efforts towards 

revamping the livestock sector, and is it 

sufficient? 

The well-deserved commendation for 

the county can be attributed to various 

revolutionary agricultural programs that 

the County Government has rolled out 

in dairy farming, horticulture and the 

revival of cash crop farming. Specifically 

though, dairy farming has benefitted from 

significantly progressive initiatives in 

Murang’a, and this focus is not misplaced, 

considering that Kenya as a whole has one 

of the most developed dairy sub sectors 

in the Sub Sahara. Matter of fact, the 

contribution of dairy sub sector in Kenya is 

about Kshs. 100 billion worth, much higher 

than Tea (46.8 billion) and Horticulture 

(65.2 billion) 

Dairy Initiatives 

One of the primary agricultural focus for 

the county as aforementioned has been 

the dairy sector, and this should not be a 

surprise, considering the governor, Hon. 

Mwangi wa Iria, borrows his name from 

a Kikuyu word ‘wa Iria’ which means 

milk-man. In this regard the County 

Government has subsidized the cost of 

artificial insemination in ensuring farmers 

get the right and quality breeds with 

massive milk production capacity. The roll 

out of this program saw the reduction cost 

of AI services from Kshs. 1500 to Kshs. 600 

and 500 for services offered at individual 

farmyards and designated cattle clutch 

sheds respectively. The County government 

is also building new AI sheds across the 

county towards this noble initiative. 

It is imperative to note that livestock 

production is a wholesome process, and 

no one aspect can thrive without the 

other. There is no need of having milk 

if you can’t sell or process it, right? The 

County Government thus has established 

Murang’a County Creameries (MCC) 

in an approach geared towards fetching 

more returns from dairy farming. MCC 

is an umbrella organization that currently 

brings together all the milk SACCOS 

operating within the county. To this end, 

35 milk cooling plants have been instituted 

across the wards in Murang’a County to 

enhance value addition. Plans are currently 

underway to set up a milk processing 

plant at Maragua area. These plant shall 

play a key role in totally breaking the 

intermediary costs incurred by farmers and 

will ensure they reap more returns. In order 

to further cushion the farmers from unfair 

fluctuations and vagaries of market, milk 

price has been set at Kshs. 35 a litre, payable 

on monthly basis. The County has further 

partnered with Brookside Company to buy 

milk at the same price. 

Increasing Access of Dairy 

Cows 

It is a fact that with dwindling land 

parcels, the milk sector is a natural choice 

for Murang’a residents. This is especially 

true since zero grazing does not require 

large tracts of land which is a necessary 

recipe in crop farming. The County 

Government, in its Dairy programme, 

identified and purchased dairy cows that 

were later resold to farmers either through 

structured or individual financing. This was 

aimed at creating awareness and increasing 

accessibility of the right dairy breeds in the 

region. But that’s not all. Equally worth 

mentioning is the One Youth One Cow 

project. 

This programme helps youths get 

soft loans from SACCOS for dairy 

farming, and will help them buy quality 

hybrid dairy cows from the Murang’a 

County Creameries. According to the 

County boss governor Mwangi wa Iria, 

this will go a long way in ensuring the 

youths engage in constructive economic 

activities rather than idling. 

Way to Go 

It is well within the realms of objectivity 

to state that the County Government of 

Murang’a has made significant steps in 

The County 

Government 

anticipates 

continuing with 

this programme. 

The main aim of 

this was to signal 

a new beginning, 

create awareness 

and also help 

improve the 

breed quality. 

streamlining Dairy farming in the region, 

which may not necessarily be said of all 

the other regions. There are however still 

large room for improvement, if the efforts 

are to bear juicier fruits and benefit more 

people. The County therefore, cannot 

afford complacency at this time. More 

important though, is that other county 

governments, which are spearheading 

similar advancements even in other areas 

of livestock farming, should not, even 

for a second, settle for less. The livestock 

potential in the counties is vibrant to say 

the least, and the more transformative 

steps are taken by all counties, the better 

our country’s economic fortunes. 




9


DAIRY FARMING 

DAIRY FARMING 

By Susan Onyango 

Towards a 

Climate- 

Smart 

Dairy 

Farming 

D 

airy is 

a major 

activity in 

Kenya’s 

agricultural 

sector and 

a source of 

livelihood 

to some 

500,000 

people engaged through the value 

chain. The industry engages one million 

smallholder farmers who account for 80% 

of milk produced in Kenya, with large-scale 

farming accounting for the remaining 20%. 

Worldwide the livestock sector 

is responsible for 14% of all human 

induced greenhouse gas emission. As 

part of an agreement under the United 

Nations Framework Convention on 

Climate Change, developing countries 

may undertake Nationally Appropriate 

Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) to 

reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

These NAMAs are prepared 

under the umbrella of a national 

governmental initiative, in the 

context. 

Climate Smart 

Agriculture 

Within the 

framework of 

the National 

Climate Change 

Action Plan, the 

Government 

of Kenya is 

developing 

NAMAs in the 

agricultural sector 

to support climatesmart 

agriculture, 

i.e. low-emission, climate resilient and 

productivity-increasing agricultural 

investments. The intention is to submit 

the proposed NAMAs for support by 

international climate finance. 

A Nationally Appropriate Mitigation 

Action in Kenya’s dairy sector is necessary 

for the development of approaches to 

improve productivity and contribute to 

green economic growth through reduced 

greenhouse gas emissions and climate 

resilience benefits. 

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock 

and Fisheries, in coordination with the 

Ministry of Environment, Water and 

Natural Resources, is currently developing 

the NAMA with participation of numerous 

players in the dairy industry. 

The Kenya Dairy Board, together 

with the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture, 

Livestock and Fisheries, World Agroforesty 

Centre, the CGIAR Research Program 

on Climate Change and Food Security 

(CCAFS), FAO and UNIQUE forestry and 

land use, recently convened stakeholders at 

a workshop to initiate the development of a 

NAMA for the country’s dairy sector. 

The workshop was intended to identify 

existing value chain actors and supporting 

institutions key in the development of 

a NAMA for Kenya’s dairy sector, to 

sensitize stakeholders and create awareness 

on a dairy NAMAs, and to outline steps 

towards the development of a NAMA for 

Kenya’s dairy sector. 

Livestock Challenges 

In a speech read on his behalf, the Principal 

Secretary in the State Department of 

Livestock, Prof. Fred Segor, outlined 

challenges affecting the dairy sector. 

These include low quality animal genetics, 

insufficient extension services, inadequate 

and poor quality feeds, high cost of 

inputs, lack of certified inputs, land tenure, 

inadequate investments, effects of climate 

change, among others. 

He added that to address these 

challenges, the government has put in 

place polices and strategies to develop both 

legal and institutional frameworks. These 

include the dairy policy and bill, the Dairy 

Master Plan and Implementation Strategy, 

the Agricultural Policy 2015, the revised 

Livestock Policy and the Veterinary policy. 

All these efforts are geared towards 

increased productivity from the dairy 

sector, and one of the greatest challenges 

that will hinder the achievement of this will 

be climate change effects. This therefore 

calls for the design and implementation of 

climate-smart policies. 

Possible Interventions 

During the workshop, participants identified 

interventions along the value chain that can 

bring transformational change covering 

input suppliers, farmers, processors and 

producer organizations. Following the 

consultations, further investigations will be 

made to confirm interventions to include in 

the dairy NAMA. 

A structured engagement between 

the national and country government, 

the private sector, dairy cooperatives and 

processors, development partners, research 

institutions, training institutions and 

farmers will be critical in ensuring there 

is increased productivity and profitability 

from the dairy sector through a low carbon 

and climate resilient pathway. 

Source: ICRAF 

The government has put in place polices 

and strategies to develop both legal and 

institutional frameworks. These include 

the dairy policy and bill, the Dairy Master 

Plan and Implementation Strategy, the 

Agricultural Policy 2015, the revised 

Livestock Policy and the Veterinary policy. 




11




Takaful Insurance of Africa branch in Wajir, northern 

Kenya by International Livestock Research Institute 

By Tobias Belle, bellehtobias@gmail.com 

Is Insurance 

the livestock 

refuge? 

in particular embraced livestock insurance? 

What exactly is the status of livestock 

insurance in the region? 

D 

istress selling 

is a term so 

painfully 

familiar 

with most 

East African 

livestock 

farmers, 

especially 

those from 

the Arid and Semi-arid Lands. This results 

mainly from the unpredictable and harsh 

weather conditions that characterize these 

areas. The pastoralists have for a long time 

known the bitter taste of Mother Nature 

when it comes knocking in the form of 

scorching sun and pro-longed unforgiving 

droughts. The end result is not only 

unprecedented loss in death of animals, 

but also a drastic deterioration in the living 

standards of the affected communities. 

Livestock insurance is the one sure way that 

can water down the vicious cycle of severe 

loss of animals and poverty that result with 

it. But to what extent has the East African 

farmer in general and the Kenyan farmer 

Livestock Insurance in Kenya 

Thomas Odhiambo, an insurance expert 

and a Senior Consumer Education Officer 

at the Insurance Regulatory Authority 

of Kenya (IRA) asserts that livestock 

insurance in Kenya is still at nascent level of 

development and has not fully achieved the 

huge potential it holds. “This is attributed 

to the fact that insurance companies 

have not laid much focus in agricultural 

insurance. Livestock farming is also mostly 

practiced in remote parts of the country, 

which makes it difficult and expensive 

for insurance organizations to penetrate,” 

adds Odhiambo. His sentiment 

embodies one of the major 

challenges that face the livestock 

insurance sector in the country and 

the region as a whole. The concept 

of agricultural insurance in general 

and livestock insurance in particular 

is still new in Africa. Nonetheless 

there are deliberate efforts aimed 

at reversing this trend, and maybe, 

just maybe if all the key players in 

the sector are to rise to the occasion 

and continue channeling efforts to 

this effect, livestock insurance can be 

the best thing that ever happened to 

livestock farmers. 

Various players in the livestock 

sector have made deliberative efforts 

to educate farmers, particularly 

from Marsabit, Wajir, Turkana and 

Mandera over the importance of 

livestock insurance. This noble course is 

aimed at seeing livestock farmers maintain 

a sustainable livelihood through managing 

risks associated with livestock farming by 

using insurance. The initiative dubbed Index 

Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI)is one such 

insurance product that has been modelled 

to suit these areas with extreme conditions. 

Developed by ILRI, it works on the basis of 

index readings of the forage cover in each 

IBLI unit. The product is designed to protect 

against prolonged drought and triggers 

payment to pastoralists to help maintain their 

livestock in the face of severe forage scarcity. 

Kenya Markets Trust, getting technical 

backstopping from ILRI, work with private 

insurance companies (currently Takaful 

and APA) to provide livestock insurance to 

pastoralists. 

Asset Protection Index Based 

Livestock Insurance 

Conventional Livestock insurance pays when 

animals are lost to theft, disease, drought flood 

and many such perils. However this is not 

workable in ASAL regions due to challenges 

that are almost part of the lifestyle in those 

regions, a fact that motivated the modeling 

of the IBLI insurance product. Ali Hassan, 

the Livestock Portfolio Director at Kenya 

Markets Trust asserts, “ Asset Protection 

Index Based Livestock Insurance is based 

on the concept that immediately the satellite 

readings indicate that the forage cover is 

below a set threshold, payment is released 

to farmers whether their animals die or not. 

The rationale is that the findings are meant 

to enable farmers use traditional practices of 

safeguarding their animals,” This justifies the 

term - 

Asset Protection. The farmer 

therefore can either drive the animals to 

greener pastures, buy water or fodder or take 

them to the market when they are still healthy. 

This way the farmer never loses income, thus 

a sustainable livelihood. 

Livestock Insurance Hurdles 

Despite the huge promise that livestock 

insurance holds, the venture has not fully 

penetrated the communities that can benefit 

from it the most. Among the inhibitors 

to this transformation are the logistical 

issues. Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir and 

Turkana are expansive counties that can’t 

be traversed easily, with an infrastructure 

system desperately begging for attention. The 

weather conditions can only be described as 

hostile. The security issues are real. Level of 

understanding of the concept of insurance 

is painfully very low, and to finally nail the 

coffin, cultural issues, traditional practices 

and beliefs are difficult to overcome. Some 

communities can’t trust what they can’t see, 

hence making the concept of insurance 

suspect. 

The challenges to seamless livestock 

insurance in the pastoralist communities 

might seem endless, but this very fact is 

what makes livestock insurance especially 

important in these areas. This should be the 

very catalyst that pushes various players to 

invest in livestock insurance. Perhaps one of 

the major challenges to successful integration 

of insurance products is the aspect of religion. 

This should be considered when developing 

livestock insurance. Thankfully the IBLI 

concept has been piloted by two companies, 

o n e 

of them Takaful Insurance of 

Africa,which is a company whose principles 

of operation are based on the Muslim faith. 

Islamic Insurance 

Thomas Odhiambo notes that Muslims do 

not adhere to some conventional insurance 

concepts such as interest or uncertainty. These 

are given terminologies such as Gharar to 

imply uncertainity, Mysir to imply gambling 

and Riba to denote interest. They instead 

believe on Tabaru (contribution towards 

a common fund) as opposed to premium. 

They would also like their funds invested in 

Sukuk (Islamic bills and bonds) as opposed 

to government bonds and bills. This therefore 

make Sharia-compliant insurance companies 

like Takaful a welcome reprieve. This however 

is not a call for complacence since current 

efforts still leave a lot to be desired. 

Pastoral communities occupy the Arid 

and Semi-Arid Lands that make 80% of the 

total land area of Kenya. That is too much of 

an area to be known only for chronic poverty 

and shameless aid dependence, don’t you 

think? According to the Arid Lands Report 

2005, the pastoralists own 60 billion shillings 

in value of livestock, and own close to 70% of 

the livestock in the country. These folks can 

literally run our economy! Now can you look 

me in the eye (not that I’m scary) and tell me 

insurance is not key in these areas? The truth 

is that the chronic droughts will be here with 

us to stay. The adverse weather conditions will 

persist, but amidst all these, farmers from all 

over the region need to have a cushion for 

these challenges. They need to be ready. This 

is the only variable over which they can have 

control. 




13


Livestock Management 

Livestock Management 

By Paul Wanyagah and Abdikarim Daud 

Policies Holding Back 

Livestock 

Sector 

W 

ith about 

1 7 . 4 

million 

cattle, 17 

million 

sheep, 

2 7 . 7 

million 

goats 

a n d 

2.6 million camels, Kenya has immense 

livestock resources. 

It is estimated that this sector accounts 

for about 10 per cent of GDP and about 42 

per cent of the agricultural GDP. It however 

faces numerous challenges, the biggest 

being lack of a centralised approach to 

development and growth of the sector as a 

single entity. Within the livestock sector, the 

dairy sub-sector is a little more developed 

and structured relative to beef cattle, goats, 

sheep and camel. 

Although the dairy sub-sector continues 

to face challenges in the areas of animal 

husbandry, disjointed inputs supply, 

poor sector service delivery and lack of 

financial access by small scale producers, 

its success can largely be attributed to the 

role played by the Kenya Dairy Board in 

the regulation and production, marketing, 

distribution and supply of dairy produce. 

The meat sub-sector on the other hand is 

highly fragmented, poorly managed and 

riddled with inefficiencies that affect profit 

potential, predictability and meaningful 

planning along the entire value chain. 

Pastoralists in Livestock Value 

Chain 

Pastoralists are estimated to produce 86 per 

cent of Kenya’s beef, mutton and chevron, 

yet this group is largely excluded from 

meaningful value capture. Beef is, by far, 

the most popular meat consumed in Kenya, 

representing 69 per cent of meat consumed 

by volume. Demand will continue to grow, 

driven by increasing urbanisation and a 

growing middle class. It is also important to 

emphasise that local demand will outstrip 

supply in the near future. 

Let’s keep in mind that beef for export is 

not even in the equation, as we speak of the 

future. 

If Kenya does not improve its production, 

range management, value chain promotion 

and marketing, the country may as well 

prepare to use its scarce foreign exchange 

to meet the shortfall in local beef demand. 

Before the 1990s, Kenya’s leather industry 

products such as raw hides and skins and 

processed leather materials thrived in the 

domestic as well as foreign markets. 

Inappropriate policies in the mid- 

90s, such as the scraping of export tax 

compensation, led to the collapse of many 

tanneries and pushed local leather actors 

out of the market, leading to the flooding of 

imported leather products into the country. 

Between the late 60s and mid-80s, the beef 

industry had started gathering strength that 

would have propelled it to its full potential. 

These were the days when The 

Livestock Marketing Division (LMD) was 

actively promoting livestock trade, when 

the Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) 

was a model in Africa’s meat industry, 

and when the Government was actively 

promoting the establishment of large scale 

ranches in the rangelands and expansion 

of feed lots in order to increase meat offtake. 

Measures were also put in place to 

expand the Agricultural Development 

Corporation farms to provide credit to 

livestock producers. All these started falling 

apart due to lack of focus, institutional 

mismanagement and good amounts of 

confusion within the policy frameworks. 

Fast forward to 2015, the Government 

seems to be showing signs of revitalising the 

livestock sector, starting with the almost-tobe-unveiled 

livestock insurance scheme for 

pastoralists and the ongoing livestock policy 

reforms such as the veterinary policy. 

Devolution has also come in handy. A 

few counties are beginning to put up key 

infrastructure such as abattoirs and livestock 

markets. 

The absence of an entity to champion, 

regulate, develop and promote our meat 

industry is what is stopping us from tapping 

into all the possibilities that could drive the 

meat sector into a whole new level. 




15


COVER STORY 

COVER STORY 


The 

Livestock 

Marketing 

Landscape 

in Kenya 

Mr. Chapara 

Nyangunye, 

a professional 

herder at a 

Borana Ranch 

in Isiolo County. 

Photo; courtesy 

of Kenya 

Markets Trust 

forward? Are there measures in place to 

ameliorate the same? According to Ali 

Hassan, there are key factors that are 

instrumental in improving the state of 

market operations in the country as entails 

livestock farming. 

Producing for the market 

Ali Hassan notes that in the beef 

sector alone, there’s a deficit of 

18% in the country, which makes 

the price of meat 10 % higher 

in comparison to neighboring 

countries. This consequently makes 

beef in the country uncompetitive. 

One would wonder, and rightfully 

so why this is the case in country 

where we have an estimated 17.5 

million cattle. Ali attributes 

this to the fact that majority 

farmers and producers do not 

produce for the market and are 

not market oriented. “Pastoralists 

have in the past not produced for 

the market. The percentage of 

animals owned by pastoralists is 

estimated at 70%, but they only 

sell 14% of what they own. 

Our target is to increase that 

to 30% and above and we’ll 

be good to go.” 

The aspect of producing 

for the market is key 

since this ensures that 

right from the farmer 

to the consumer, there 

are guiding frameworks 

that ensures what 

goes into the market 

is exactly what merits 

the threshold of quality. 

Ali Hassan further notes; 

“We are challenging them to produce 

for the market and this is done by meeting 

the market demands. We’re doing this by 

letting farmers know the specifications that 

are required in particular markets…” 

Insights from Kenya Markets 

Trust (KMT) 

If there’s one point of convergence in opinion 

by all stakeholders in the livestock sector, 

it’s that we can do better as a country when 

it comes to marketing. For a sector that is 

estimated to contribute about 10 per cent 

of GDP and about 42 per cent of the entire 

agricultural GDP in the country, the fact 

that the marketing and trade infrastructure 

is wanting should not just be a course for 

concern but a catalyst towards affirmative 

and sustainable solutions. 

These solutions will go a long way 

in ensuring that every stakeholder, from 

the producers to the consumers get a fair 

deal in the market chain. The obligation 

of improving the market infrastructure 

is one that rests squarely on the shoulders 

of all parties involved; from the farmer, to 

the large scale producers, to the relevant 

organizations, government institutions 

and the private sector. To better grasp the 

livestock trade landscape in the country 

and region, I sought audience with one Ali 

Hassan Mohamed, the Livestock Portfolio 

Director at the Kenya Markets Trust 

(KMT). 

Kenya Markets Trust works in 

partnership with the private sector and 

government to transform how markets work, 

with a bid to making them more inclusive, 

more competitive and more productive. 

The organization, which is funded by 

the UK Government’s Department for 

International Development (DFID) and 

the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, is 

one among many players in the Kenyan 

Livestock sector that seek to deliver large 

scale and sustainable change in selected 

markets for the benefit of producers and 

consumers. 

So what exactly ails the Kenyan 

livestock market and what is the way 

Entrepreneurial spirit of 

Farmers 

Seasoned entrepreneur and Shark Tank 

host Daymond John once said that 

‘Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor 

an art. It’s a practice.’ Unfortunately this 

is a practice that not every pastoralist has 

embraced. According to the Arid Lands 

Report 2005, the value of animals owned 

by pastoralists is estimated at Ksh. 60 

billion, yet the amount traded in any 

particular year is only 6billion. Which 

Continued.... 



Learn • Breed • Earn March - April 2016 Livestock East Africa 17


COVER STORY 

LIVESTOCK BRIEFS 

begs the question, why are farmers not 

venturing into commercial engagements 

to earn from their livestock? Why is the 

entrepreneurial hunger absent? Ali Hassan, 

the Livestock Portfolio Director at KMT 

states that not all pastoralist communities 

have embracedcommercial livestock farming 

despite owning large herds of cattle. 

“The Somalis are more commercialoriented 

by nature. For instance they have 

established solid networks and currently 

they take their immature male animals to 

TaitaTaveta ranches to be finished within 

certain timeframes. They have further 

partnered with private sector and are even 

exporting live animals to Mauritius…” It’s 

worth reiterating that this is a trend that 

should be imitated by all other communities 

across the country, don’t you think? 

Apart from the personal initiative by farmers 

and individual producers when it comes to 

commercial ventures, comes the obligation 

of the private sector and government 

organizations in in streamlining the 

livestock market. Ali cites initiatives such as 

the OlPejeta Conservancy, Laikipia ranches 

among others with they are working to 

strengthen ventures such as feedlot systems 

to ensure quality and health of animals. 

Market Information 

The adage ‘Information is power’ is not 

an exception when it comes to livestock 

marketing. Matter of fact if you come to 

think of it, the entire marketing process 

depends on effective communication of 

vital information. From identification, 

selection, breeding, health and development 

of an animal, to determination of price, to 

selection of a marketing and distribution 

channel up to the consumer, everything 

relies on availability of credible information. 

Ali notes that lack of market information 

is one of the biggest challenges facing the 

sector. The livestock producer should be 

able to know what quality, quantity and 

specifications of animals required to meet 

that market demand in terms number, 

time and price. Closely linked with lack 

of sufficient reliable information, he 

asserts, is the lack of reliable authentic 

data on livestock with which someone 

can confidently plan. With the livestock 

sector having been devolved under the new 

constitutional dispensation, the mandate of 

ensuring the availability of reliable data on 

livestock lies with the county governments. 

To this end however, many counties are yet 

to rise to the occasion. 

Ali Hassan, the Livestock Portfolio 

Director at Kenya Markets Trust 

So what is the Marketing 

future? And what is the way 

to go? 

Apart from the already aforementioned 

areas, Ali Hassan agrees with me that there 

is more that can be done to ensure Kenya 

effectively competes globally in the livestock 

sector. One of his key concerns is the poor 

investment in the livestock sector in the 

country. He asserts that county governments 

should put in place incentives like land and 

tax to encourage investment in livestock 

rearing. But that’s not all. Inaccessibility to 

flexible and affordable finance is another 

key area that needs to be addressed. Let me 

digress a bit to better hammer this point 

home. Majority of pastoralists, who own 

close to 70% of livestock in the country live 

in communal lands and they are constantly 

on the move and without land title deeds. 

This makes accessing loan and credit 

facilities a pipe dream since in many cases 

they have no collateral or security to support 

loan acquisitions. Then comes the aspect 

of affordability. It therefore means that the 

government institutions and the private 

sector must marry to see through successful 

investment in the livestock sector. 

It is however imperative to note that 

little can be achieved in any sector in 

a country without sound policies. This 

includes policies that will encourage formalprivate 

sector engagements and better terms 

of trade both at the county and national 

levels. Ali Hassan speaks of The Livestock 

Authority Bill, which he says is at an 

advanced stage, and which he believes will 

positively transform the livestock sector in 

the country if it is effected. “The Bill will 

address among other areas, the aspect of a 

regulatory body for the livestock sector. This 

will consequently ensure the enforcement 

of standards and quality control…” says Ali 

Hassan. 

Kenya is in a closer proximity to main 

terminal markets such as the Middle East 

in comparison to other countries in the 

region, which uniquely qualifies it to benefit 

more from livestock. By extension, this 

means that there should be infrastructure 

in place to link producers to terminal 

markets. Ali further proposes that pastoral 

counties should come together in economic 

blocks to produce quality finished products 

that can be processed within the pastoral 

communities. But such success can only 

be realized through effective participatory 

range management. This implies that 

the community ideals, knowledge, values 

and practices must be tapped into when 

initiating livestock farming ventures. In such 

a context people would know when to graze 

where, when to administer medication, and 

have water points at strategic points. This 

can ensure an all-year round production! 

Over and above, the most important 

aspect in marketing is quality. And among 

the most basic recipes to achieving quality 

in livestock is effective breeding. This calls 

for specialization along the livestock value 

chain. To this end Ali Hassan notes; “We 

should be taking care of our breeding and 

still withstand any harsh environments in 

pastoral areas…” 

So much can be said as regards marketing 

in the livestock sector, but then again we 

have rules, like that of my editor which 

stipulates that I can only write so much. 

Nonetheless as I pen off, it is imperative to 

note that Kenya has made major milestones 

in the sector. The energy and willingness 

by key stakeholders to take the country 

to the next stage is evident, but as Bill 

Gates pointed out, ‘It’s fine to celebrate 

success but it’s more important to heed 

the lessons of failure’. And more evident 

than the milestones made in the livestock 

marketing sector is the promise it holds, the 

untapped potential it has and the numerous 

opportunities yet to be grabbed. This makes 

it the noble responsibility of all players in the 

sector to ensure this potential does not turn 

into a mirage. 

Compiled by LEA Editorial Team. 

The KARI Improved Kienyeji Chicken 

Did you know there is a local chicken super breed that develops faster, is 

highly resistant to diseases and has higher productivity? The breed known 

as Kari Improved Kienyeji Chicken was developed by KARI, currently 

christened Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization 

(KALRO). This was after ten years of intensive research under the 

National Poultry Development Programme. The hen achieves 1.5kg in 

about five months when the rest of the indigenous breeds take up to seven 

months or more. Its ability to withstand harsh conditions is amazing, with 

a feathering system that makes it adjust faster in any climatic conditions, 

including arid and semi-arid regions. Farmers have an option of keeping 

them as layers, for meat or both. A hen can produce between 220 and 280 

eggs a year, which is almost similar to a white leghorn exotic layer kept in a 

deep litter system. The chicken is easy to maintain since it can be kept under 

free range system or deep litter system. 

Intriguing Camel facts 

Camels are credited as the most resilient 

animals due to their adaptability to extreme 

conditions in Arid and Semi-arid lands. 

Camels reach approximately 7 feet in 

height (at the hump) and weigh up to 1500 

pounds. Among their desert adaptation 

are three eyelids and two rows of eyelashes 

that prevent sand from entering their eyes. 

Camels move easily due to their specially 

designed foot, consisting two toes that 

spread when the animal touches ground 

and prevent them from sinking in the sand. 

Most mammals would die if they lost 15% 

of their water, but a camel can lose 20- 

25% water without becoming dehydrated. 

Camel milk is rich in iron, vitamins and 

minerals and is healthier than cow’s milk 

due to its low fat content. Some camels 

when provoked, spit greenish substance 

from their stomach, and can use all four 

legs to kick their opponent in self-defense. 

In Arab cultures, the camel symbolizes 

patience, tolerance and endurance. Camels 

have played such an important role in 

Arabian culture that there are over 160 

words for ‘camel’ in the Arabic language. 

Source; www.onekind.org 

The Farmers Choice Love Affair 

On 14th February this year, Farmers Choice had a special 

Farmers Choice Valentines Love Fiesta held at 

Uchumi Sarit Centre in Nairobi, where customers 

were awarded with various Farmers Choice 

gift hampers. Talk of love gone porky. Or is it 

beefy? Senior Merchandiser Sharon Kegedi 

presented the hampers alongside Margaret 

Wainaina, the Uchumi Sarit Centre’s branch 

manager. It’s close to impossible to mention 

Farmers Choice 

Managing Director, 

James Taylor 

What you need to know when 

taking a pet dog or cat to Kenya 

pig without thinking of Farmers Choice, and 

this is justifiably so. Established in 1980, the 

company’s central purpose has been to sell fresh 

and processed pork products. With a focus on 

fresh sausages, bacon, ham, pork and even beef, the 

brand has taken a special place in the hearts of pigs. And 

Kenyans. 

Do you wish to transport a dog or cat pet into Kenya from another country? Then 

these are the regulations you should take note of. First of all it’s crucial to note that 

the only point of entry is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and pets must arrive as 

manifest cargo. There must always be an import permit, an Airlines Captain Affidavit 

stating that your pet was on a direct flight to Kenya and they must undergo ticks and 

tapeworms test, which is completed within 48 hours of entry. A copy of the Rabies 

Certificate should be included, and all forms must be legalized by the Kenyan 

embassy. All domestic dogs and cats must be free of evidence of disease 

communicable to humans when examined at the port 

of entry to Kenya. If your dog or cat is not in apparent 

good health, further examination by a licensed 

veterinarian may be required at your expense. A form 

of identification indicating ownership of the 

pet is also mandatory. Failure to comply 

with these regulations will mean your pet 

will be refused entry, returned to country 

of origin or placed in quarantine, at your 

expense of course. Source; PetTravel.com 

18 

Livestock East Africa March - April 2016 




ANIMAL HEALTH 

ANIMAL H E A LT H 

Currently about 70% of the diseases in 

animals can be passed to humans 

(zoonotic diseases). These include the 

emerging pandemic threats such as 

Avian influenza, Middle East Respiratory 

Syndrome-Corona virus and Ebola that 

pose serious danger to human life. 

The 

Livestock 

Disease 

Headache 

One on One 

with DVS, Dr. 

Kisa Ngeiywa 

Compiled by Tobias Belle, 

bellehtobias@gmail.com, 

Photos: Tobias Belle 

D 

r. Ngeiywa is the Director of Veterinary 

Services and the World Organization for 

Animal Health (OIE) delegate for Kenya; 

but the astute livestock veteran humbly 

waters down the seniority of his office and 

asserts; “I am not directing, I’m just a team 

player and a believer that every person 

has something to offer. The principle of 

inclusivity is the basis of my operations.” 

With over 30 years of productive work 

in the Agricultural sector, Dr. Kisa Juma 

Ngeiywa was among the public servants 

feted last year during the prestigious 

Public Servant of the Year Awards, where 

the Public Service Commission of Kenya 

recognized him for his efforts in devolving 

a progressive environment for farmers. 

Livestock East Africa sought to find out 

the progress Kenya is making in handling 

livestock disease control, which is the 

biggest challenge facing the sector in the 

country. 

You were awarded for your 

efforts in streamlining the 

livestock sub-sector in the 

counties as entails animal 

health. Kindly bring us up to 

speed on this progress. 

I have been in this office since October 

2013, and my coming coincided with 

the implementation of the devolution of 

Dr. Ngeiywa is the Director of Veterinary 

Services and the World Organization for 

Animal Health (OIE) delegate for Kenya 

some aspects of veterinary services to 

the counties. So our mandate is to ensure 

services are delivered without interruption 

and management control measures are put 

in place to ensure the system remained 

seamless. This required coordination with 

various officials at the county levels and a 

change of structures in line with the new 

constitution. Our key priority areas are 

veterinary policy, animal health, animal 

production, animal welfare, food safety, 

veterinary regulatory control, and animal/ 

animal products certification for local 

and international trade. The directorate of 

Veterinary Services has done very well in all 

these areas since I took charge of the office 

of the Director of Veterinary Services. As 

entails animal health we have formed joint 

committee for delivery of veterinary services 

between national and county governments. 

This committee continuously addressees 

bottle necks, tracks progress and deliberate 

on strategies that can be put in place to 

streamline the livestock sub-sector. 

What are the efforts in place 

to ensure human health is not 

compromised as a result of 

animal diseases? 

Currently about 70% of the diseases in 

animals can be passed to humans (zoonotic 

diseases). These include the emerging 

pandemic threats such as Avian influenza, 

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome- 

Corona virus and Ebola that pose serious 

danger to human life. No clinical case of 

these diseases has occurred in Kenya but 

we are undertaking routine surveillance 

with zero reporting. The Ministry of 

Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries jointly 

with Ministry of Health formed Zoonotic 

Disease Unit (ZDU) which is guided by 

Zoonotic Technical Working Group that 

tackles various zoonotic diseases such as Rift 

Valley Fever and brucellosis. Through ZDU 

we have developed a joint national strategy 

for control of Rift Valley Fever disease and a 

strategic plan for the elimination of human 

rabies in Kenya. 

What steps are in place 

to streamline delivery of 

animal health services in the 

counties? 

In the spirit of the new constitution 

which advocates for dialogue, collaboration 

and consultation, the Directorate of 

Veterinary Services has engaged with 

county governments from the governors, 





ANIMAL HEALTH 

ANIMAL H E A LT H 

to county executive committee members 

and county directors of veterinary services 

on how to ensure seamless delivery of 

veterinary services. To achieve this I 

initiated a process of developing guidelines 

for delivery of veterinary services which 

is published. The consultations received 

goodwill from leadership at county and 

national government. We have also 

sensitized and enlighten livestock value 

chain actors on requirements for accessing 

markets for animal/animal products. 

What measures are in place 

to ensure unhealthy animals 

and animal products do not 

penetrate the borders? 

We are improving our border surveillance 

through enforcing strict regulations at 

the various border entry points such as 

Namanga, Lungalunga, Loitoktok, Busia 

among others in collaboration with the 

county governments and partners. The 

mandate of this office is to safeguard animal 

and human health through animal and 

animal product inspection and certification. 

Despite the efforts being made, proper 

management of animal health is still the 

biggest challenge the country is facing. 

Why is this the case, and what 

is being done to mitigate the 

problem? 

Introduction of Structural Adjustment 

Programmes in the 1980s had a visible 

negative impact on the Agricultural 

sector. By 1989, the government stopped 

Kenya Trade 

Network Agency 

(KenTrade) 

developed the 

digital system to 

facilitate ease of 

doing business 

i.e. faster clearing 

of goods. For 

animal and 

animal products 

certification and 

attestation are 

done before the 

clearance. 

employing veterinary professionals and 

paraprofessionals directly into the public 

service whereas training institutions 

expanded releasing more professionals into 

the market. Although there was an increase 

in private professionals delivering animal 

health service, the quality of the health 

services declined due to weak professional 

regulatory framework. However, currently 

we are doing a lot to reverse this in 

coordination with counties. We are 

formulating various standard methods and 

procedures for control of priority animal 

diseases in collaboration with development 

partners. 

How is the risk of quacks 

and unqualified persons 

handled to prevent instances 

of unprofessional practice 

that can compromise animal 

health? 

There are qualified animal health 

service providers who include veterinary 

surgeons who are degree holders, veterinary 

paraprofessionals who have degree in animal 

health sciences, diploma or certificate 

in animal health and production. They 

are registered and authorized to provide 

veterinary services by the Kenya Veterinary 

Board (KVB). KVB issues them with an ID. 

This is an opportunity to make a rally call 

to all members of the public and Kenyans 

at large to demand for that identification 

before any animal health service provider 

attends to their animals. The statutory body 

to streamline the operations of animal health 

service providers has issued a professional 

code of conduct and ethical guidelines. 

One challenge currently is that there’s 

dissemination of poor quality veterinary 

drugs, and this is because Kenyan borders 

are porous and the fact that veterinary 

professionals are not entirely in control of 

the medicines and poisons. 

Can you say the counties 

have fully invested in the 

livestock sub-sector? 

The counties are putting effort but some of 

them have not prioritized animal health. 

There are international requirements 

dictating the ratio between the livestock 

and the animal health service providers. 

Some counties are struggling to meet the 

requirements, especially in the Arid and 

Semi-arid Areas that are not attractive 

to private veterinary practice. Some 

counties have agreed on joint approaches 

to the control of notifiable trans-boundary 

diseases. 

What are some of the 

collaborative efforts geared 

towards boosting livestock 

trade? 

There are many efforts by the national and 

county governments, development partners, 

non-governmental organizations and the 

private sector to facilitate market access for 

animal and animal products e.g. Bachuma 

livestock export zone in Taita Taveta; 

livestock quarantine station in Namanga, 

residue monitoring plans for milk, meat and 

honey; standard methods and procedures 

for nine priority diseases and a quarantine 

guide. Also cross-border harmonization 

meetings, regional animal health networks 

and the Kenya Electronic Single Window 

System. 

How does this digital system 

work exactly and where 

does a local farmer fit in the 

equation? 

Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) 

developed the digital system to facilitate 

ease of doing business i.e. faster clearing 

of goods. For animal and animal products 

certification and attestation are done before 

the clearance. Say for instance to send 

some animals to Ethiopia their import 

requirements are given by the Ethiopian 

Director of Veterinary Services. When these 

requirements are fulfilled, the Director of 

Veterinary Services Kenya attests by issuing 

online an international veterinary health 

certificate to allow this movement. The local 

farmer must ensure that all the requirements 

for export are adhered to. 

What do you currently 

consider the biggest 

challenge in the region as 

entails animal health and 

what is the way to go? 

Well, one of the biggest challenges is 

poor delivery of veterinary services, 

the uncontrolled livestock movement, 

unharmonized policy and legal frameworks, 

misuse of veterinary medicines, and the low 

priority given to livestock development by 

the governments. 

The way forward is to finalize and 

implement the Kenya veterinary policy 

immediately and for all stakeholders along 

the livestock value chain to adhere to the 

guidelines for delivery of veterinary services 

in Kenya. 

Any final comments? 

As entails animal health I can say 

professionals should invest a lot on 

understanding the various communities 

in which they serve. Approachability, 

networking and inclusivity. I believe in one 

thing, that everyone has something to offer. 




23


Livestock Law 

Livestock Law 

By Mbugua Njoroge King’a 

The Livestock 

Breeding Bill; 

The new proposed 

law establishes the 

Kenya Livestock 

Breeding Board that 

will be expected to 

carry out the 

following roles: 

develop standards 

for selected 

livestock breeding 

processes and 

enforcement of 

such standards for 

purposes of 

product quality 

assurance and 

multiplication. 

What you need to know 

K 

enya is set to have finest livestock stock mate with another. In this way, farmers 

The Livestock Breeding 

county governments and other relevant Composition of the Kenya 

if the Livestock Breeding Bill is passed could guide the development of desirable 

Board 

organizations; ensure that the relevant Livestock Breeding Board 

into law. The Bill sets stage for farmers, traits, such as flavor, size, color, behavior 

The new proposed law establishes the authorities and stakeholders, certify The Bill defines composition of the 

research Institutions and commercial or resistance to disease. 

Kenya Livestock Breeding Board that will that imports and exports of genetic Kenya Livestock Breeding Board. The 

breeders to identify genetically superior The Bill construes livestock to mean 

be expected to carry out the following roles: materials, equipment and facilities meet membership shall comprise nine members 

animals for purposes of improving the any domestic animal of ruminant or nonruminant 

species such as cattle, sheep, 

develop standards for selected livestock set standards and exchange in animal as follows; Chairman, the Director 

production or performance ability of 

breeding processes and enforcement of genetic materials is sufficiently monitored; responsible for veterinary Services or his 

the animal population in Kenya. This goat, camel, donkey, horse, pig and rabbit 

such standards for purposes of product establish National Breeding Centre representative, the Director responsible 

endeavour is in line with human desire or domestic pets and includes birds such 

quality assurance and multiplication; and Kenya Livestock Breeding Bureau; for livestock resources or his representative 

to have superior stock for food, leisure as chicken, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons 

facilitate formation of association of monitor trends in and threats to livestock and Chief Executive Officer as ex-official 

and other uses. For thousands of years, and quails; bees; any emerging livestock 

breeders incorporating both modern, resources and making recommendations member. 

farmers all over the world have guided and any other animal which the Cabinet 

indigenous and pastoralist breeders; as appropriate; promoting community Other seven members will be 

animals’ reproduction. Humans chose Secretary may, by notice in the Kenya 

compile data and information management based breeding and provide advice on distributed as follows; two people 

which cow or goat, for example, would Gazette, declare to be a livestock. 

for livestock breeding in liaison with reproductive and genomic technologies. representing associations of livestock 




March - April 2016 Livestock East Africa 

25

Livestock Law 

breeders one person who is a professional 

animal breeder or a quantitative 

geneticist representing research; one person 

representing pastoralists; one person 

representing the Livestock Genetic Society; 

and one person representing the interests of 

livestock producers one person representing 

the interests of livestock products and 

processors. 

Kenya Livestock Breeding 

Bureau to establishment of a 

gene bank 

The proposed law provides for establishment 

of a Gene Bank. The Bill read in part, “In 

consultation with the Genetics Research 

Institute of Kenya Agricultural Livestock 

Research Organization (KALRO), Kenya 

Animal Genetic Resource Centre (KAGRC) 

and other institutions, the Bureau shall 

develop programs for the conservation 

of animal genetic resources in situ (in 

site) and ex situ (off site) for purposes of 

preserving the Country’s heritage of animal 

genetic resources. 

Biotechnologies for livestock 

breeding 

In consultation with relevant stakeholders, 

the Bureau shall from time to time, 

evaluate and approve biotechnologies to 

be used in the country for commercial 

animal breeding and improvement. The 

biotechnologies which, for the time being, 

are approved by the Bureau and from which 

a breeder or farmer may make a choice 

for commercial livestock breeding in Kenya 

include- reproductive biotechnologies 

which include- Artificial Insemination 

(AI), embryo transfer, OPU and In vitro 

maturation (IVM)/In Vitro Fertilisation 

(IVF), sexing and, cloning; and molecular 

biotechnologies which include- DNA 

technologies in animal nutrition and growth, 

DNA technologies in animal genetics and 

breeding, and DNA technologies in animal 

health. 

National Breeding Centre To 

regulate breeding activities 

The functions of a Reproductive and Genetic 

Technologies Service Centre shall be to: 

locally recruit or receive, as the case may besires, 

through contract mating, for semen 

production, processing, storage and eventual 

distribution; embryos, oocytes, tissues and 

ova; or import sires for the production of 

semen or semen doses, embryos, oocytes, 

tissues and ova for processing, storage and 

eventual distribution; carry out, in addition 

to information received from the National 

Center, research in animal and technologies 

related to animal reproduction; and establish 

DNA and embryo libraries in Kenya. 

Pastoralists and indigenous 

breeders rights 

Furthermore, the Bill requires the Board to 

mobilize pastoralists and indigenous animal 

keepers into formidable associations which in 

turn will be expected to participate in cultural 

activities, animal shows and field days. In 

making provision for the mobilization of 

pastoralists, the Board shall take into account 

requirements of any regional accord that 

impacts animal breeding and improvement 

activities by trans-boundary pastoralists. 

It is the responsibility of the board to 

assist the pastoral and indigenous animal 

keepers to articulate their rights over their 

animal genetic resources. These rights 

encompass and recognize pastoralist breeds 

as products of their communities and 

pastoral and indigenous knowledge, culture 

and accordingly part of the animal 

genetic resources in public domain and of 

the Country. The Board is also required to 

protect pastoralist diverse animal genetic 

resources, knowledge and technologies. 

Moreover, the Board is expected to 

encourage the use of pastoralists’ indigenous 

and pastoral knowledge concerning 

the conservation and sustainable use of 

animal genetic resources without the fear 

of its appropriation by the state or any 

other person. It is instructive to note that 

pastoralists access, use and selling of 

their animal genetic resources will not be 

restricted by intellectual property rights 

and genetic engineering technologies so 

as not to disrupt the integrity of their 

indigenous genetic resources, under this 

Act or in any international Convention, 

Protocol or Treaty to which Kenya is a 

signatory in order to empower them 

in the management of animal genetic 

resources. 

The Board is expected to protect Kenyan 

breeders from unconscionable contracts 

or deals or any form of unwarranted 

exploitation of their animal genetic 

resources, technologies or knowledge by 

local or foreign persons or organizations 

in whatever form and in particular, to be 

protected from unfair exploitation of their 

livestock genetic resources; 

Intellectual Property and 

ethical issues dimension 

The Bill comes at a right time when 

Kenya’s livestock sector needs a facelift 

for national prosperity and food security. 

Besides, the proposed law will insulate the 

country against Intellectual Property (IP) 

exploitation by unscrupulous international 

players and developed countries, particularly 

those Western countries that grant patent 

for inventions related to animal breeding 

and genetics. 

In these countries, this practice is 

generally accepted due to the advancement 

in sequenced genomes, transgenic livestock 

and cloned animals. A good case in point is 

a patent that was granted to New Zealand 

and Australian researchers in 2003. These 

researchers obtained a patent for the 

Booroola gene despite a general belief that 

genes cannot be patented. Scientists have 

ever since argued that the Booroola gene in 

Australia, which has a large effect on litter 

size of sheep, can be traced back to Bengal 

sheep which were imported from Calcutta 

and crossed with Merinos in Australia some 

years back. 

Although many countries have raised 

ethical issues and objected to protection of 

animal breeding, it is a fact that the issue of 

the patentability of animals will continue to 

attract varied reactions across the globe for 

many days to come. Nonetheless, it now 

crystal clear that there is an impending 

danger that animal genetic material from 

developing countries may be exploited by 

developed countries and large international 

companies. In view of this, there is a strong 

rationale for a legal framework to create the 

appropriate utilization of animal genetic 

resources. 

As populations of rare breeds dwindle, 

so does the genetic diversity of their species. 

As genetic diversity drops, those protective 

genes may die off with the disappearing 

animals. And that could put food security at 

risk. One epidemic might wipe out nearly all 

of them at once. Domestic animal diversity 

is essential for future generations to develop 

breeds that can adapt to largely unforeseeable 

ecological and economical scenarios. Farm 

animal genetic resources form the raw 

material that farmers depend on to adapt to 

changes in the natural environment and in 

production conditions. This justify why the 

proposed law is necessary to forestall such 

eventuality. Parliament must should rise to 

the occasion and pass the proposed without 

further delay. 

The writer is Intellectual Property, 

Communications and Media Relations 

Practitioner mbuguajoroge@gmail.com 

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To reserve this space get in touch with us through the following contacts: 

advertising@livestockeastafrica.com or moses@livestockeastafrica.com or 

mbugua@livestockeastafrica.com or +254 773 896 861 or +254 721 489 665 

26 

Livestock East Africa March - April 2016 

Learn • Breed • Earn


ANIMAL FEEDS 

ANIMAL FEEDS 


Photos; Tobias Belle 

Beefing up 

Beef Farming; 

The Feedlot System 

I 

t’s 5 pm. No, it’s actually 

approaching six, and 

the sun is about to 

set over the beautiful 

landscape in Kiganjo, 

Nyeri County. With 

its final golden rays it 

blesses the ecosystem, 

no doubt with a promise 

of a better tomorrow. 

I rarely see this epic 

environmental beauty back in Nairobi, 

but my host here, One Dr. James Gakuo 

Mwangi seems indifferent. His familiarity 

and touch with the nature is visible. He 

says something funny, and we both laugh 

heartily, making me forget I’ve waited for 

him the whole day for this interview. You 

see Dr. Gakuo is one of those people who 

have the ability to wrong you but disarm 

you in a second with a smile. His charm 

and positive energy makes me further forget 

I have close to four hours to travel back to 

the city. A cunning old man this daktari. 

But then I forgive him, I mean with the few 

veterinary officers in the country, I totally 

understand why his services were urgently 

required in Laikipia for the better part of the 

day. Anyway, that is none of your concern 

right? I’m here to write about the feedlot 

system of finishing beef animals, and as Dr. 

Gakuo ushers me into his expansive facility, 

I instantly acknowledge it has been worth 

the wait. 

Beef Deficit 

It might be a shocking revelation to most 

people, the fact that Kenya has a beef 

deficit of 18% despite owning an estimated 

17.5 million cattle, a significantly higher 

number in comparison to neighboring 

countries. The problem? People are not 

producing for the market. This could be 

blamed on the unavailability of sufficient 

market information, lack of resources, poor 

marketing strategies, and lack of quality 

animals or just downright laziness by cattle 

keepers. Whatever the cause, this is a trend 

that Dr. Gakuo Mwangi seeks to reverse. He 

co-owns this feedlot facility, which currently 

has 400 cattle, and which supplies several 

institutions in the country with beef. You 

might be wondering, and rightfully so, what 

on earth is a feedlot and why I’m making 

such a big deal out of it. 

Feedlot 

A feedlot, also known as feed yard is a type 

of animal feeding operation which is used 

in intensive animal farming for finishing 

livestock, especially beef cattle prior to 

slaughter. The cattle are normally transferred 

to a feedlot after obtaining a given entrylevel 

weight. Once in the feedlot they are fed 

on a specialized animal feed which usually 

consists of corn, corn byproducts, milo, 

barley and other grains as well as roughages. 

“The feeds given to the animals must have 

all nutritional components, and after 90 

days optimum in the feedlot, an animal 

is usually ready for slaughter,” quips Dr. 

Gakuo. It is basically a type of zero-grazing, 

which is why feedlots are often referred to 

concentrated animal feeding operations. 

The motivation behind the feedlot 

system is that the feedlot diets are high in 

protein, to encourage growth of muscle mass 

and the deposition of some fat (known as 

marbling in butchered meat). The marbling 

is desirable to consumers, as it contributes to 

flavor and tenderness. This meets the market 

value specifications hence boosting the beef 

trade. The feedlot system comes with its fair 

share of merits, from the ease of monitoring 

animals closely for diseases, the fact that 

it doesn’t require very big piece of land to 

install, the quality of products that come 

with it, to its independence from weather 

fluctuations. The implications of these facts 

are nothing less than revolutionary for beef 

production prospects in Kenya and the 

region. It is however not devoid of a few 

headaches here and there. 

Animal feeds in Kenya 

Dr. Gakuo asserts that getting feeds is 

among the key challenges since Kenya does 

not produce animal feeds or grains which 

make starting a feedlot capital intensive. 

Coupled with a constant need to buy cattle, 

maintaining a feedlot may not be an entirely 

a walk in the past. “This is not a one-time 

event. Once you venture into it feedlots you 

need to be consistent because there will be a 

market waiting for a consistent supply,” he 

adds, denoting two very essential factors in 

maintaining a successful feedlot. One, a farmer 

must have a ready market guarantee before 

venturing into the feedlot system. Secondly, he 

must be consistent thereafter. It’s imperative to 

note that the benefits that come with a wellmanaged 

feedlot far outweighs the challenges 

and the resources it requires to set up. 

One of the key concerns as entails 

feedlots is the need to define the inputoutput 

relationships of feeding beef cattle 

under commercial conditions. This involves 

characterizing the response of various breeds 

to the system. From Gakuo I learn that the 

Charolis breed, the Hereford and the Boran 

are among the best beef cattle breeds when it 

comes to good response to a feedlot system. 

The East African Zebu on the other hand is not 

so suitable, perhaps because of its slow pace of 

maturity. Thankfully the most dominant breed 

in the region is the Boran. My little expedition 

in Nyeri County ends, but I leave convinced 

enough to try desperately to convince you here 

as well that feedlots is the way to go if our beef 

industry is to be revived and if we really are 

committed to taking our rightful position in 

the global beef market platform. And the good 

thing is, you don’t have to start large scale. A 

piecemeal but a consistent effort in this venture 

could just transform your life. 

It’s now 8pm, when I finally leave Dr. 

Gakuo’s facility. How did I get so carried 

away? Well, I guess a positive and progressive 

discussion does that to you. Being the good 

doctor he is, he gives me a lift up to Karatina, 

still a town in Nyeri County, from where I will 

get an express vehicle to Nairobi. As he carefully 

navigates the road, we once again venture into a 

discussion, not primarily on feedlots, but once 

again I appreciate the significance of spending 

some time with the elders. He is one hotbed of 

wisdom I tell you. Being the sneaky journalist 

I am, I ask one more question; ‘So all said and 

done, what does it take for anyone to start a 

feedlot system?’ and he lets an experienced 

chuckle before giving the response he knows 

too well is more than satisfactory. “The same 

thing it takes to start anything Tobias, passion. 

It’s all about the passion.” 

Kenya has a beef deficit of 18% 

despite owning an estimated 

17.5 million cattle, a significantly 

higher number in comparison 

to neighboring countries. 

Dr. James 

Gakuo 

Mwangi 




March - April 2016 Livestock East Africa 

29


Emerging Livestock 

By Tobias Belle, bellehtobias@gmail.com, Photos; Tobias Belle. 

Why We All 

Need A Rabbit 

R 

abbit meat has a very high nutritional value, 

it’s low in cholesterol, low in fat, has a higher 

protein value than other meat and is easily 

digestible. Another bonus to it is that it 

boosts immunity and is definitely tastier 

than beef. So far it’s the best white meat…” 

This was the response I got from one Lydia 

Komen, the head of the Ngong Rabbit 

Breeding and Training Centre when I dared 

ask what makes rabbit meat tick louder than 

the rest. And she succeeded in her spirited 

bid to make me hungry, for soon as I was 

done with the interview, I had to drop by a 

nearby restaurant, somewhere in Elpaso, to 

have a taste of the rabbit meat for myself. 

And boy oh boy, it lived up to its reputation. 

Elpaso a Place of Rabbits 

Okay, Elpaso is not a place in Mexico, so 

just politely ignore the name’s proximity to 

the ‘famous’ Mexican drug lord ‘El Chapo’ 

and move on okay?It is a humble shopping 

center before you get to Ngong town, 

Kajiado County. And for all you holy folks 

who know nothing about drugs,El Chapo 

is this notorious drug lord who successfully 

dug his way out of a maximum security 

prison in Mexico, only to be recaptured in 

the process of trying to organize a movie 

about himself. Sad, right?If only he ventured 

into rabbit farming instead…Anyway, let’s 

get back to talking rabbits, shall we? 

So where were we with the rabbits? Oh 

yes, the rabbit meat delicacy. There’s one 

major challenge that faces us all rabbit meat 

lovers in the region, and that is, it’s in a 

painfully short supply. This prompts me to 

talk about the process of rabbit keeping in 

Kenya, and why we need to venture more 

in it, and not just to satisfy my appetite for 

the meat, but for the wide opportunities that 

commercial rabbit keeping presents. 

Rabbits are very fast growing animals, 

and gain maturity fast and can become 

suitable for slaughtering purpose within 4-5 

months. Basically the gestation period for a 

rabbit is 30 days, but can range between 28 

to 31 days depending on the breed, which 

increases the stock in a very short time span. 

Starting rabbit farming requires relatively 

little capital and investment, and is a venture 

that can significantly flourish once someone 

hits the road and has a ready demand to 

supply. Rabbit keeping in Kenya is mainly 

done for meat production since there’s no 

market for the skin and the fur yet, which 

sadly, is equally very valuable. So what more 

do you need to know about rabbit keeping? 

Rabbit Breeding 

There are several types of rabbit breeds 

in the region, but presently available in 

Kenya include the New Zealand white, the 

Californian white, the Dutch breed, the 

Flemish giant, the Checkered giant, the 

Chinchilla breed and the ILRI grey, which 

was bred by the International Livestock 

Research Institute. These breeds are available 

at the Ngong Rabbit Breeding and Training 

Center, and can be purchased by anyone 

willing to venture into rabbit farming. The 

center sells young rabbits to farmers at Ksh. 

750 each once they reach between 6 to 8 

weeks. The center also offers training to 

farmers on rabbit keeping. 

Lydia Komen, who leads the Ngong 

Rabbit Breeding and Training Center, says 

farmers should always ensure that there 

are no cases of in-breeding as this can 

result into cases of weak and vulnerable 

offsprings. So yes, do not allow your rabbits 

to commit incest! Very moral animals these 

rabbits, don’t you think? This is prevented 

by separating the young bucks from does 

immediately after weaning them.Young 

rabbits are normally weaned at between six 

to ten weeks, soon after which the doe can 

be mated again. 

Housing and Hygiene 

Rabbits are usually kept in hutches, or cages 

of various sizes and designs, depending on 

the scale of production. Naturally, rabbits are 

animals that are friendly, meek and but very 

allergic to anything unclean. This basically 

underlines the most important aspect of 

rabbit keeping; hygiene. Vincent Maritim, 

a Livestock Production officer who also 

works at the center, asserts that a rabbit unit 

must always be kept clean and preserved to 

avoid any instance of disease occurrence. 

Diseases are extremely rare among rabbits, 

but instances of respiratory diseases such as 

Coccidiosis are usually mainly attributed to 

poor hygiene or weather conditions. 

“A rabbit unit should always be constructed 

according to where you are, and measures 

must be taken to ensure there’s not too high 

or too low temperatures. A good ventilation 

system is also key…,” quips Maritim. 

Rabbits are undeniably among the cleanest 

animals on earth, and therefore we humans 

have absolutely no right to subject them to 

unhygienic environments. There is scanty 

information on rabbit disease diagnosis, 

which makes prevention the best and the 

cheapest alternative. Luckily, this prevention 

simply entails hygienic observation. 

Feeding 

Well before we can feed on the rabbits, we 

must have the decency to feed them first. I 

mean, it’s only fair that way. Sufficient and 

suitable feeding is instrumental in ensuring 

optimal productivity and health of rabbits. 

For commercial purposes, rabbits can be 

fed on rabbit pellets, or a combination of 

the pellets and some hay. A mature rabbit 

consumes around 150g per day on pellets, 

and a much lesser quantity if they are fed on 

hay and other vegetation as well. A sufficient 

amount of clean and fresh water is also 

required to punctuate a proper nutritious 

rabbit feed. 

There’s one specifically important aspect 

to adhere to when feeding rabbits. Lydia 

Komen advises, “It is very important to 

follow the feed measurement in order to 

prevent bloating, which can eventually kill 

the rabbits.” This is due to the fact that 

rabbits are non-ruminants and therefore 

have a single stomach. 

Untapped Potential 

In comparison to other livestock sectors, 

rabbit keeping has received minimal 

attention and efforts in Kenya as well as the 

East African region. This is by no means to 

underscore the significance of the efforts 

being made by centers such as the Ngong 

Breeding center to reach farmers and 

avail to them rabbits. Matter of fact this 

is commendable, and a move in the right 

direction, especially considering the fact 

Ms Komen at the 

Ngong Rabbit 

Breeding & 

Training Centre 

that there are also multiplication centers in 

various parts of the country. These include 

one at Witu in Lamu County, another one 

at Marimba in Meru, and a third one at 

Kimose, Baringo County. 

These collaborative efforts could be 

especially far-reaching if every stakeholder 

opened their eyes to the untapped potential 

that commercial rabbit keeping holds. The 

fact that the venture capital needed to start 

commercial rabbit keeping is significantly 

low should be a catalyst towards this 

practice. What’s more, rabbits can be kept 

anywhere, irrespective of the climate or 

weather conditions as long as the housing is 

well done. 

Lydia Komen says that apart from the 

meat, rabbit droppings can effectively be 

used as biogas. The biogas production from 

rabbits is one venture that saw her get 

awarded last year during the Public Servant 

of the Year awards, alongside her efforts in 

uplifting the breeding center. “Actually the 

heat from rabbit droppings is much stronger 

than that of cow dung,” adds Komen. 

One major challenge when it comes to 

rabbit keeping is the lack of proper market 

strategies that would ensure farmers have a 

ready market, especially since rabbits mature 

very fast. But on the other hand, in the few 

instances where there is a ready market, the 

producers get overwhelmed with too high 

a demand. What does this mean? Farmers 

should possibly form clusters and jointly 

do mass commercial production in order to 

supply the market. However, rabbit keeping 

doesn’t have to be commercial. They can be 

kept for subsistence purposes too in small 

scale for consumption. Either way one thing 

remains constant, whether a producer or a 

consumer, we all need a rabbit. At least just a 

piece, or a bite. Or biogas! 

Starting rabbit farming requires 

relatively little capital and 

investment, and is a venture that 

can significantly flourish once 

someone hits the road and has a 

ready demand to supply. 





Herder’s Kitchen 

Herder’s Kitchen 

By Aamera Jiwaji 

Madagascar’s 

Kitoza 

In Madagascar, the kitoza is one tasty 

traditional meat product which is widely 

appreciated by both locals and foreigners. 

H 

olidaymakers enjoy having fun, and for 

many, the holidays mean copious meals 

and a lot of drinking beyond cultural and 

religious norms. In Madagascar, the kitoza 

is one tasty traditional meat product 

which is widely appreciated by both locals 

and foreigners. 

It is made of beef or pork strips, 20 to 

50 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide, prepared 

from fillet or thin slices. Strips of beef or 

pork are cut from various pieces of meat, 

added with ingredients and preservatives, 

macerated (1 to 5 hours) and hung above 

the fire for smoking (45 minutes to 2 

hours). 

The meat strips are salted then sundried 

and/or smoked and are sold in 

butcheries and markets. Smoked kitoza is 

a tasty product, well accepted by Malagasy 

people of different social classes and even 

visiting tourists. Despite being very simple 

(though time-consuming) to make, it is 

delicious. If you want to dry the beef in 

the sun, start in the morning so as to have 

the maximum amount of sunlight. Kitoza 

is served at breakfast with a cornmeal 

porridge similar to ugali, or at dinner with 

rice and a main dish. 

What you need 

• lean beef (round steak, chuck roast, 

or flank steak), cut to a thickness of 

1/4 to 1/2 inch (the thinner, the 

better) 

What you do 

• Make sure all work surfaces and 

tools are very clean. Remove any fat 

or membranes from the meat. 

• Cut the meat into strips, one to 

two inches wide and four to six 

inches long. (The meat will be easier 

to cut if it is slightly frozen.) 

• If it is a warm sunny day: 

String the beef strips onto a clean 

cord, making sure the beef strips to 

not touch one another. (You might 

use a very large sewing needle.) 

• Hang the threaded beef in a sunny 

location. Indoors in front of a sunny 

window is ideal. Make sure there is 

plenty of air circulation. 

• After several hours the meat should 

be completely dry, and dark in 

color, but still pliable. If sun drying 

is not possible: Place the meat on 

lightly-oiled metal racks, making 

sure the meat strips do not overlap 

or touch one another. 

• Place in an oven heated to 130 

degree (F). (A smoker or dehydrator 

can also be used.) Leave the oven 

door open a crack. Turn strips 

after three or four hours. Oven 

dry for several hours, checking for 

doneness as described above. 

• Remove from oven and allow to 

cool in a well ventilated area. (The 

oven method can be used to finish 

partially sun-dried meat.) 

• Place the kitoza in a clean, dry, 

airtight jar or container until ready 

to serve. (For best results and safety, 

store in the refrigerator and serve 

within a day or two.) 

• To serve: Briefly heat the kitoza over 

a very low fire on an outdoor grill 

or in a skillet, do not allow it to burn. 

Serve hot, with a cornmeal porridge 

(i.e., ugali, thinned with water), or 

rice. Can also be served as an 

appetizer. 




33

Join Livestock East Africa in celebrating.. 

WE WERE 

BOUGHT AND 

SOLD ON THE 

STREETS AND 

ENDED UP 

HOMELESS. 

on 1st June 2016 

Animals aren’t objects to acquire. 

ADOPT. DON’T SHOP.

on14th October 2016

Mar-Apr

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