By Herbert Musoke
Dr Daniel Ssemwogerere, a veterinary doctor with Champrisa International says that many farmers take houseflies for granted, not knowing that they are one of the greatest spreading agents of diseases among livestock and poultry farms.
“African swine fever has affected many farms and killed a huge number of pigs across Uganda even on farms with good physical and bio-security measures. According to the research we have carried out as doctors, the disease is transmitted by houseflies that move from dead bodies of the infected animals to the feeds in the farms,” he explains.
In the same way, poultry farmers have suffered a great loss from coccidiosis which is caused by flies that move from dirty places to poultry houses.
“Also, flies cause diarrhoea among chickens and pigs. This costs a farmer because he/she will spend a lot on drugs thus minimizing the profitability at the farm,” he says.
Among dairy cows, Ssemwogerere says flies reduce milk production as animals spend much of their energy chasing flies.
In animals like rabbits, he explains that dog flies cause flystrike (also known as myasisi), which is a serious condition in rabbits caused by flies laying eggs on the rabbits’ bodies.
“The eggs hatch into maggots that feed on the rabbits’ skin. The maggots can get through the bottom, tail, belly and back. This affects the skin and meat quality,” he states.
