Retained Placenta

Retained Placenta

Dr. iCows’ Diary

22/10/2018

Dear Dr. iCow,

Hey. My animal gave birth 2 days ago and up to now, it hasn’t released da afterbirth. What could be the problem

iCow Smart Farmer, Carol, Nyeri County, Kenya

Dear Carol,

Retained placenta is failure to expel fetal membranes after calf delivery, which should happen 30 minutes to 8 hours after delivery.

This may be caused by; – dystocia, difficult calving, still birth or abortion, nutritional deficiency, e.g. low calcium and selenium, deficiency of vitamins A and E.

The retained afterbirths can be removed manually by a vet doctor, on the third day. 

Note: Manual removal of placenta can cause uterine trauma and delay return to normal reproductive status.

Untreated cow expel the retained fetal membranes in 2 to 11 days. It is advisable to observe the cow closely.

It is important to supplement your cow during dry period, two months before calving, with dry cow mineral supplement.

Mineral supplements contain the right macro mineral and trace elements in the correct amounts and proportions, e.g. calcium, phosphorus, sodium, selenium, magnesium, iodine, cobalt & zinc, which are important for metabolic health and growth, immune system, prevention of mastitis, retained afterbirths, metritis and preparation of production/lactation.

It is advisable to supplement your cows with mineral supplements for milking cows immediately after calving, e.g. Vitaphos, Maclik Super, Unga High Phosphorous.

Please tell friends & farmers to dial *285# to register and join iCow. Visit iCow menu for much more by dialing*285# including registering your livestock with us under No. 4 Precision farming.

Thank you.

Your friend and advisor, Dr. iCow

Can I serve a one year old heifer?

Can I serve a one year old heifer?

Dr. iCows’ Diary

22/10/2018

Dear Dr. iCow,

My young cow is now one year old. Can I serve her with a bull now?

Yours, iCow Smart Farmer, Cyrus, Kiambu County, Kenya

Dear Cyrus,

Depending on the breed of the heifer, most of them show the first signs of heat when they are between 9 and 22 months of age. It is best to wait until the heifer is at least 15 months of age before breeding her.

This allows a heifer to grow more, increase her pelvic area, gain enough condition allow her sustain self throughout gestation.


Your Friesian heifer must have gotten a very good start as she is showing signs of heat now. This is recommendable. Well done! It is advisable for her to reach to reach 350 kg (about 60% to 65% of the average mature weight of the cow herd), at first service at 13 – 14 months of age.

It is advisable to use artificial insemination and chose a bull with good, [as in low], calving-ease numbers to breed her. She would then calve at 23 – 24 months of age.

Friesian heifers calving at this age achieve the highest level of performance in milk yield, fertility and survival in their first 5 years. Fertility for maiden heifers is higher, and if she has an adequate body size, she can be given first service at 13 to 14 months of age.

 Thank you.

Your friend and advisor, Dr. iCow

Coughing and diarrhea

Coughing and diarrhea

Dr. iCow’s Diary

24/10/2018

Dear Dr. iCow,

I rear Kienyenji, but they have coughs and diarrhea. What are the remedies?

Your iCow Smart Farmer, Makhangu, Trans Nzoia County, Kenya

Dear Ms. Makhangu,

The possible causes of cough and diarrhea observed in your Kienyenji chicken are mixed viral and bacterial infections, coccidiosis and or worms.

Other non-infectious causes are; taking feed with too much proteins, and stress due to environment or when the birds are establishing their pecking order.

To be certain of the condition affecting the birds it is advisable to call a vet doctor to examine and treat them.

It is important to feed the chicken with the appropriate diet for their age and stage of growth development.

It is recommended to deworm your chicken when they are 19 weeks of age, repeat the deworming after every 3 months thereafter.

You may consider using Piperazine, a water soluble powder. Please observe strict sanitation, hygiene and keep a clean environment to guarantee you a healthy, growing and productive flock. 

Thank you.

Your friend and advisor, Dr. iCow

When to de-worm a cow that has just calved

When is it safe to de-worm a cow that has just calved

Dr. iCows’ Diary

20/10/2018

Dear Dr. iCow,

My cow recently gave birth. When can I safely resume worming her?

Yours

iCow Smart Farmer, Wesley, Nandi

Dear Wesley,

A cow, after calving can be dewormed in the second week from the date of calving. The stress of calving triggers the release of inhibited worms’ larvae from the walls of the digestive system.

Deworming can be done any time of the day, morning or evening. Preferably drench in the morning after milking.

Proper restrain of the animal during drenching is advised so as to avoid struggling and unnecessary injuries. There is no need to deny or withdraw drinking water from the cow.

The most important thing when giving the de-wormer is to pay particular attention to the right dosage recommended by the manufacturer as indicated on the label.

It is advisable to deworm your livestock 4 times in a year at the start and end of long and short rains. Please observe withdraw period for milk and meat for human consumption. 

Thank you. 

Your friend and advisor , Dr. iCow

Where can I get Gumboro Vaccines?

Where can I get Gumboro Vaccines?

Dr. iCow’s Diary

20/10/2018

Dear Dr. iCow,

Please advise me on where I can get the Gumboro vaccine for my poultry.

Thank You,

iCow Smart Farmer, Grace, Siaya

Dear Grace,

You can buy Gumboro vaccine from leading and registered agro-vets in a township near your area.

Gumboro vaccine is given to chicks @ 10 days and 18 days of age, and is given in drinking water.

Newcastle vaccine is given @ 21days, 8 weeks, and 18 weeks of age and after every 3 months, given in drinking water or via eye drops.

Fowl pox vaccine is given @ 3 weeks and 6 weeks of age, and is given by wing jab.

Fowl typhoid vaccine is given @8 weeks of age and is given by intramuscular injection.

Please follow the recommended chicken vaccination program. Dial *285# for more on chicken vaccination.

Preventive vaccination against these epidemic diseases is the most successful control method. Observe strict sanitation, hygiene and keep a clean environment. 

Thank you.

Your friend and advisor, Dr. iCow.

How many eggs do Kienyeji hens lay?

How many eggs do Kienyeji hens lay?

Dr. iCows’ Diary

Dear Dr. iCow,

What are the maximum eggs that Kienyenji chick lay?

Yours Sincerely, iCow Smart Farmer, Martin, Muranga

Dear Martin,

Hens start laying from about 18 to 20 weeks of age, at this age 5% start laying, and 10%   start laying @21 weeks of age. At 26 weeks to 30 weeks of age laying of eggs is high and gets to a maximum. They continue laying eggs till they are 72 to 78 weeks of age.

During the first year laying eggs a Kienyenji hen may reach a peak of about 250 to 280 eggs. This number decrease with age. A hen can lay eggs as long as her productive lifetime allows. With age they tend to slow down. Kienyenji laying hens like to sit on their eggs, an instinctive behavior called broodiness.

If you are out to sell eggs, there is loss of production during this period of 21 days. Broodiness can be discouraged by; changing the environment of laying boxes, e.g. increasing the amount of light and frequent collection of eggs. Avoid dipping the broody hen in cold water. Follow vaccination program to protect your birds from epidemic chicken diseases.

The health of the birds and their egg laying depend on strict farm sanitation, hygiene, good feeding with free access to clean soft drinking water, good care and management.

Thank you.

Your friend and advisor, Dr. iCow

Maize leafhoppers

(Cicadulina spp.)

Credits:Biovision-Infonet

Leafhopper brown– vector of maize streak virus
(c) A. A. Seif, icipe
Leafhoppers brown – vectors of maize streak virus
(c) A.A. Seif, icipe
Streaked foliage damage caused by maize leafhopper (Cicadulina mbila)
(c) Agricultural Research Council of South Africa (Courtesy of EcoPort)

The adults are about 3 mm long, slender and cream to pale yellow green in colour. These leafhoppers have two small black spots between the eyes and brown marks behind the eyes extending along the body. They have brown lines along the wings. They usually hop away when disturbed. The direct damage cause by maize leafhoppers by sucking plants is insignificant, but the indirect damage is high because they transmit the maize streak virus, a major disease of maize. Cicadulina mbila is the most important vector.

Control of the maize leafhoppers is difficult since they are very active, remain infectious for a long time and are very quick in transmitting the virus.

What to do:

  • Plant maize well away from grassland or previously irrigated cereals; in particular, avoid planting downwind of such areas. The numbers of leafhoppers generally increase in irrigated cereals and grasslands – or in wild grasses during rainy seasons. Leafhoppers disperse away from these areas when dry.
  • Plant early – and if possible planting in an area should be carried out at the same time. Staggered planting of crops will favour multiplication of leafhoppers and increase the risk of virus transmission to later plantings.
  • Keep the fields free from weeds, in particular grasses.
  • Leave a barrier of 10 m of bare ground between maize fields and previously infested crops. This is reported to reduce virus incidence, by restraining movement of leafhoppers.
  • Remove residues of cereal crops since they serve as infection sources.
  • Use resistant varieties where available.
  • They are attracted to bright green surfaces, so can be caught in sticky green traps (see picture).

Southern rust

(Puccinia polysora)

Credits:Biovision-Infonet

Maize leaf showing pustules caused by polysora rust (Puccinia polysora).
(c) CIMMYT, 2006

Symptoms resemble those of common rust, particularly in the uredial stage (urediospores). The cinnamon-brown pustules tend to be smaller and more circular in outline than those of common rust. Pustules of telial stage (teliospores) are chocolate brown to black and circular to elongate. They are distinguished from common rust by retention of the epidermis of the leaf over the pustule for a long time. No alternate host has been reported for Southern rust.

What to do:

  • Use resistant varieties / hybrids, if available.

Common rust

(Puccinia sorghi)

Credits:Biovision-Infonet

Necrotic rust lesions of common rust on sweet corn caused by Puccinia sorghi
(c) Courtesy EcoPort : David C. Nowell

It is recognised by the appearance of circular to elongate pustules scattered over both surfaces of the leaf. Pustules are powdery and cinnamon-brown in colour. They contain masses of spores (uredospores). Pustules can appear on any above-ground part of the plant, but they are most abundant on the leaves. With time the pustules split exposing the spores, which are spread by wind and initiate new infection. As maize matures, colour of spores in pustules change from reddish to black due to formation of teliospores (resting spores). The disease is spread by air transport.What to do:

  • Use of resistant varieties if available.
  • Deep plough crop residue.
  • Destroy the weed Oxalis sp. (an alternate host).

Grey leaf spot

(Cercospora zeae-maydis

Credits: Biovision-Infonet

Grey leaf spot on maize
(c) A.A. Seif, icipe

Symptoms are similar to Southern leaf blight but the spots are much narrower. They are initially light brownish in colour, and with age they bleach to ashen grey surrounded by narrow light-brownish border. When wet, spore mass is formed on the spots with a light shade. This disease is favoured by prolonged periods of high relative humidity. It can cause yield losses of 30 to over 50%.

What to do:

  • Use resistant varieties if available.
  • Practise field sanitation. It helps in reducing the inoculum (infection) source.