Under the Kenyan Sun with Hooves

By the Vet Student Team

 

The first week in Kenya flew by! There was a lot of time spent talking and learning about the livestock here. Most of our time has been spent between the local donkey and dairy groups in the region, but we have had the opportunity to dabble with the poultry and newly formed small ruminant projects. There are so many different projects going on that it has been nice to get a chance to participate in all aspects of the “boots on the ground”work going on here.

The 4 vet musketeers after the first walk-in clinic

Everyone has been very welcoming, sharing endless mugs of tea, and laughs. We held seminars to share information on cattle and donkey welfare, but to also understand the issues affecting farmers in the region. The dairy team held sessions for two new groups in Kiirua and Ruiri, where we went over six essentials to maximize milk production. Over the next year these groups will continue to meet with Farmers Helping Farmers (FHF) staff covering topics such as nutrition, making silage, cow comfort, and breeding in more detail. At the end of year, we hope farmers will feel better equipped to tackle dairy production in Kenya. 

The donkey seminars consisted of “punda” (donkey) owners who had the opportunity to learn “pressure & release” halter training, a new type of knot to tie their donkeys, as well as an introduction to innovative harness and cart designs focused on donkey welfare.

Happy donkey grazing

To wrap up the week we participated in a whirlwind cattle health clinic in Mbaaria where nearly 500 cattle were vaccinated, dewormed, and treated by the FHF vet team and veterinarians and paravets from Meru County. Ng'ombe (cows in swahili) received anthrax, BVDV, and Lumpy Skin Disease vaccines, while many dogs were dewormed and vaccinated against rabies. The farmers were especially enthusiastic about the anthrax vaccines, as there had been cases in the area not 3 weeks prior. The health clinic included farmers from the surrounding area, some of whom walked with their cows over 5km to attend! We had the opportunity to see some incredibly interesting cases, including East Coast Fever,m Habronemiasis, and Anaplasmosis, as well as participate in their diagnosis and treatment. It was a day of laughter, hard work, and organized chaos under the hot Kenyan sun. 

The organized chaos of the first walk-in clinic

There has been a lot to see outside of seminars and clinic days. There are people transporting goats and furniture on Boda Boda’s, which are Kenyan motorcycle taxis. Baboons on the side of the road, hoping you will toss them a snack. Crops and water being hauled by donkeys and oxen, and mangoes around every corner. Perhaps the most exciting thing we have seen so far are the elephants on the way to and from the office. We are sure that Kenya will continue to surprise us and cannot wait to see what the next two weeks bring!

Sharing the road with two oxen pulling a cart

Improving Welfare for Working Donkeys in Meru County, Kenya

    By Dr. Martha Mellish

     Equus asinus—the donkey—known locally as punda in Kiswahili and ntigiri in Kimeru, does a lot of work for families in Meru County, Kenya. Despite their importance, working donkeys often labour with harnesses that compress the airway, leading to coughing, breathing difficulty, and reluctance to work.

    The Working Donkey Project in Meru County, supported by the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Center and Farmers Helping Farmers is now in its third year and focuses on improving donkey welfare through practical, community-driven solutions. In 2024, our concerns about airway compression with the current harnessing were confirmed through direct visualization of donkey airways, guiding the development of a prototype cart and harness system designed to reduce pressure on the neck and improve breathing.

    In 2025, the project expanded to include community conversations, seminars, and demonstrations. Five donkey carts have been constructed in partnership with a local welder with the goal of a demonstration of a potentially more welfare friendly cart and harness.

        However, challenges remain. We continue to have difficulty identifying a harness design that is both welfare-friendly and adaptable to local materials and repair skills. In addition, frequent flat tires on the carts have highlighted the need for easy repair kits.

    This year, our team returned to interview the same donkey owners surveyed last January, gathering feedback on welfare perceptions, cart performance, and design improvements. Alongside this work, we provided basic donkey health clinics, including deworming and vaccinations.

By openly addressing challenges and working collaboratively with donkey owners, this project continues to evolve toward sustainable improvements for working donkeys—and the communities that rely on them.