Mumui, Lairangi and Rei Inhabitants in Meru County have decided to dress their donkeys in trousers to prevent them from dreadful flies whose morsels inflict naked wounds, which finally kills the animals.
Villagers are frightened that the flies which overran the locale two weeks back will scatter to their goats and cows which serve as a major source of livelihood in the locale.
Mumui chief Silas Kinyua said that nearly 10 donkeys have perished after being bitten by the dreadful flies. The flies are thin and have a sharp mouth.
“When they started becoming a nuisance to the animals, we thought they were normal flies we are used to after the rains. But after the animal is bitten by the fly, it starts developing wounds on the legs. The donkey grows weak and dies. Its bites are lethal,” Mr Kinyua, whose donkey has also been affected, told Nation.
Kinyua added that the regional veterinary officer urged farmers to employ a pesticide by the brand Ectopol and recommended injections if the medication declined.
“People have been trying all remedies without success, forcing them to dress the donkeys in trousers to prevent the bites. We are afraid that the cows may also be overwhelmed,” the chief posed.
Laibuni Marimba, an inhabitant, confessed that tried applying oil and using other methods to chase the flies but it failed to work.
“The fly is sucking blood and causing stress in the donkeys, making them die. The bite becomes a wound within a very short time,” Marimba said.
Meru County Livestock Chief Officer David Mugambi said that they are scrutinizing the problem.
“It is common for flies to increase after the rains. They can be a nuisance to livestock. Mites can also cause wounds on the skin of animals,” Dr Mugambi said.