UMPCU offers animal health diagnostic services

by | Oct 11, 2019 | General, Livestock Production and Productivity Improvement

UMPCU established animal diagnostic laboratories to improve animal health for its livestock farmers in the cooperative societies and farmers from surrounding areas.

Diagnostic tests are essential tools for confirming the health status of animals and identifying pathogens. They enable the early detection, management, and control of animal diseases including zoonosis and facilitate the safe trade in animals and animal products.

Veterinary laboratories significantly enhance proper diagnosis and control of animal diseases, which are central to livestock disease management as they are focal points for disease surveillance, diagnostics, and reporting.

THE LABORATORIES

There are two animal disease diagnostics laboratories whose mandate is to provide subsidized and readily available laboratory diagnostic services to livestock farmers within the surrounding areas:

  1. In livestock resource center 3, located at Nabitanga Dairy Cooperative society in Nabitanga town, Ntutsi sub-county, Ssembabule District. It offers services to livestock farmers within the districts of Kiruhura, Ssembabule, Gomba, Mubende, Masaka, Bukomansimbi and other neighboring areas.
  • The lab is located in livestock resource centre 1 on Plot 62 Buswagiro, Butalangu town council, Nakaseke District. Livestock farmers in Nakaseke, Luwero, Gulu, Nakasongola, Mubende, Kyankwanzi, Luwero, Masindi and other neighboring districts can access these services.

The programme which is in collaboration with Zoetis A.L.P.H.A initiative offers a number of services listed below:

  1. Laboratory diagnosis of common livestock diseases such as
  2. Tick-borne diseases such as babesiosis, theileriosis (East coast fever/locally known as amashiu or amakebe in certain areas), Anaplamsosis (Kashaku)
  3. Gastrointestinal helminths such as cestodes, trematodes, and nematodes
  4. Anemia
  5. Diarrhea diseases in calves
  6. Mastitis
  7. Tuberculosis
  8. Trypanosomosis
  9. Postmortem sample analysis
  10. Pregnancy diagnosis using a digital scanner
  11. Technical backstopping
  12. Vaccinations
  13. Training

UMPCU aims to see that farmers can utilize these services more to ensure better animal health.