The Kirinyaga County Government has intensified efforts to modernize livestock management through a large-scale digital registration exercise and a mass vaccination campaign targeting over 80,000 cattle.
The initiative, led by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Veterinary and Fisheries, combines muzzle-based digital identification with vaccination against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). The programme aims to establish a reliable and tamper-proof livestock database to enhance disease surveillance, improve veterinary service delivery and support data-driven planning.
Now in its second week, the registration exercise has already covered more than 11,000 cattle. Veterinary teams have been deployed across villages, offering door-to-door services to farmers in a move designed to boost accessibility and participation.
Under the system, each animal is identified using its unique muzzle pattern—comparable to a human fingerprint—providing a secure alternative to traditional methods such as ear tagging and branding, which are often prone to tampering or loss.
Governor Anne Waiguru said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to transform the dairy sector into a key driver of economic growth and household income.
She noted that the county has been implementing targeted interventions to improve dairy productivity, including artificial insemination services for more than 150 households to promote the uptake of improved breeds.
“With improved breeds comes the need for better nutrition. We are scaling up access to quality animal feeds and fodder to sustain higher milk production,” she said.
According to the governor, average milk yields in the county have increased from 2.5 litres to 7.8 litres per cow per day, with a target of surpassing 12 litres through continued investments in genetics, nutrition and animal health.
The county has also strengthened dairy cooperatives by supplying equipment such as milk coolers, pasteurisers, yoghurt processing machines and backup generators to enhance value addition and boost farmers’ earnings.
Speaking during an inspection of the exercise in Kiaritha, County Executive Committee Member for Agriculture, Livestock, Veterinary and Fisheries, John Gachara said the county is working closely with the national government to eliminate FMD.
“We are undertaking our annual vaccination programme with the goal of making Kirinyaga an FMD-free zone,” he said.
Dr Gachara added that integrating digital registration with vaccination will significantly improve livestock management by enabling accurate tracking of animals and their health records.
“Once an animal is identified through the muzzle system, we can capture critical data including ownership, production and medical history. This supports timely interventions and better planning of veterinary services,” he said.
He further noted that the vaccination programme has been heavily subsidised, with the government covering Sh150 per animal to make the service affordable and encourage uptake.
Director of Livestock Catherine Mulonzi said the digitised approach marks a major shift toward modern livestock management, improving efficiency in service delivery and resource allocation.
She explained that combining registration with vaccination enables real-time data collection, allowing the county to make informed decisions on disease control, vaccine distribution and deployment of veterinary personnel.
Dr Mulonzi said the new system will also enhance traceability, curb cattle theft and address the limitations of traditional identification methods, which are often costly, prone to fraud or potentially harmful to animals.
She urged farmers to ignore misinformation linking the programme to taxation and instead take advantage of the initiative to improve farm management.
Farmers across the county have welcomed the programme, citing reduced costs, improved convenience and better access to veterinary services.
Margaret Wambui, a dairy farmer in Kutus, said the door-to-door approach has eliminated the need to transport animals to vaccination centres.
“All my 12 cows were vaccinated at home, saving me time and money. Previously, transporting animals exposed them to injuries and infections,” she said.
She added that the subsidy has reduced vaccination costs from Sh200 to Sh50 per cow, providing significant relief to farmers.
At Uzuri Dairy Farm in Inoi Ward, farm manager Kelvin Karani Mutugi said the programme has substantially lowered operational costs for large-scale farmers.
“Vaccinating my 146 cows would have cost over Sh30,000, but it is now much more affordable. All our animals have also been digitally registered, making it easier to access veterinary services,” he said.
He urged farmers yet to participate to do so, warning that failure to vaccinate livestock could lead to significant losses in the event of disease outbreaks.
