Diesel vaccine proves winner to tick bites in Mzimba south as climate change takes toll on animals

For over two years now, some small scale animal farmers at Mtavu in Eswazini Extension Planning Area(EPA) in Mzimba have been using diesel as part of their vaccine for dipping animals to protect them from the climatic change ravaging activities  of tick bites.

As part of their strategy to prevent the spread of ticks as the EPA just as other areas experience higher temperatures and greater humidity due to heavy rains, parasites and pathogens that spend part of their life cycle outside the host also develop highly.

For fear of this, Mtavu people surrounded by Muluzi , Sanganyika and  Thumbi mountains, in a desperate attempt to mitigate the ravaging impact of climate change  has taken a hard stance on the prevention of tick bites with the use of diesel as a vaccine playing a big part role in guarding East Coast Fever disease.

Many famers of Esau, Chimimba, Paulosi, Lonje and Chimayi villages, noticed that  loss of weight and hair  on  their animals due to  tick bites, resulting to death,  brought starvation to the area.

It was  not easy to vaccinate such a big number of chickens with almost every household keeping over 50 of them  for commercial purposes .

Mtavu which stretches 37km away from its closest veterinary officers at Chikangawa and 70 kilometers away from Mzimba main office apart from chickens keeps vets like cattle, goats, chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep among others. Some keep fish.

But according to Group Village Headman (GVH) Leonard Kayoyosya Lonje, the veterinary officers rarely visits the area as they do so possibly one or twice a year due to erratic funding.

He said this becomes a burden on the part of the small scale farmers to invite animal health officers at their cost as a result it was a challenge to protect their animals.

To cut costs, farmers came up with the initiative of vaccinating chickens, cattle and pigs with diesel.

In 2020, some famers took a lead in in testing diesel as part of a complex strategy to prevent tick attacks and soon reported surprisingly positive results.

Apparently, diesel proved to match more with ecto-parasites (Dip) which before government changed policy of procuring  drugs and vaccinating for free to  a o commercialized one where farmers procured vaccine or dip on their own but invited an animal health officer to administer it on their vets.

Chief Lonje said farmers came up with diesel vaccine as an austerity measure to costs of buying the drug and complexity of inviting the vet officer  who he said  due to reasons beyond their human capital resources, they failed to turn up.

The headmaster of Mtavu Primary school , Jonathan Chilasa, who is also leading famer for chickens, confirmed  in an interview  last week that most farmers in the area including himself  have lost chickens due to diseases caused by ticks.

“Diesel is sensitive to ticks, you apply, instantly you get a positive result,” said Chilasa, adding that he doesn’t know whether they were taking a risk or not as their target was to rescue the animals.

“People had over 1000 chickens including cattle, goats and pigs but most of them died. Explained Chilasa, adding that with veterinary officers difficult to reach their areas  on time   due to erratic funding a lot was lost hence diesel  came to use and it worked hence they continued to use.

But Animal Health Officer (AHO) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Michael Luwe of Mzuzu ADD in an interview has said that  while he appreciates  that there is high infestation of ticks is common challenge during rainy season in areas where there are nonfunctional Dip tanks , it is advisable farmers to buy ecto-parasites(Dip) which they can be spraying – pour on their animals.

He added that his office  has been promoting  use of vaccines to prevent tick-borne diseases.

But Dr. Luwe said it is news to him to hear people use paraffin or diesel which can be toxic  to animals.

Said Dr. Luwe: “ By law farmers are not allowed to handle injectable  drugs or vaccines. But Luwe said farmers can use Tephrosia vogelli  (Mtetezga) to treat animals from ticks because they have medicinal properties.

Said Luwe, studies have shown that Mtetezga is an effective natural pesticides. However, Luwe warned that irrational usage of this ethno veterinary medicinal plant could result to pollution to water bodies there by killing fish.

Inkosi Emmanuel Mlangeni of Kulima Kutsogola, a social agri- environmental enterprise specialized in crop, livestock herbal and tree production said he has never heard farmers using diesel to kill parasites or treat wounds .

He said tick grease is used to repel ticks and nuisance bites.

Mlangeni said if the area has Neem trees, let farmers pound neem leaves, soak in water, spray on animal body and their kraal. He added that they can apply as preventive measure.

On their part, Mmbelwa Council’s Chief Agriculture Officer,  Misheck Chawala in an interview said it is unfortunate that farmers at Mtavu  uses diesel.

He said his office was not aware of the development.

But Chawala said while his sector has human capital resource challenge, he encouraged farmers to patronize their offices to get advice and other services.

“Government is doing all it can in ensuring that its officers are given resources to visit farmers for advise to enhance agriculture but sometimes human resource is a problem but we are trying our best by recruiting officers to cut challenges.” Said Chawala,

He also said his sector  will revamp  non-functional dip tanks for farmers to use and ease challenges affecting animal health.

The Malawi Equity Health network(MEHN) Executive Director, George Jobe in an interview said veterinary practice and business are regulated by Pharmacy and Medicine Regulatory Authority(PMRA) which also oversees  regulation of medicines and pharmaceuticals practices for human beings  as well.

Jobe noted that Veterinary is tackled by PMRA in order to safeguard humans who eat animal products.

He said dip tanks and treatment of animals are critical areas in the health sectors on the health of people. .

“ If some of the veterinary services are not provided by government, the consequences  are challenges in citizens’  health. Dip tanks need to be revitalized and opened as a matter of urgency.”

Jobe said , adding that  that veterinary officers  must be present to provide services to livestock farmers. There should be adequate awareness to the general public that use of some substances to treat livestock is a health hazard and must be stopped forthwith.

CAPTION: Chilasa in jacket and GVH Lonje use diesel as dip for chicken and Chief Agriculture officer for MMbelwa council Chawala

PICTURE CREDIT: SEBASTIAN NYIRENDA