New project launched to tackle mastitis in smallholder dairy farms in Kenya

A new three-year project has been launched to reduce mastitis cases in dairy cattle and curb antibiotic use in smallholder dairy farms in Nyeri County, Kenya.

Funded by International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions, the project is led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), in collaboration with the Kenya Directorate of Veterinary Services, the Kenya Women Veterinary Association, Strathmore University and the University of Nairobi.

Mastitis, an inflammation of the udder, remains one of the most prevalent and economically damaging diseases affecting dairy production in Kenya.

Among smallholder farmers—who contribute most of the country’s milk supply—mastitis poses a persistent challenge to animal health, milk quality, and farm profitability, and increases the risk of antibiotic resistance due to the overuse of antibiotics.

The condition is caused by bacterial pathogens or, occasionally, physical injury.

It manifests with clinical symptoms including swelling, heat, pain, or altered milk composition, while subclinical cases lack overt signs and so often go undetected until a milk yield or quality significantly declines.

The project will start by investigating the social, economic and behavioural factors that prevent effective mastitis control and influence how antibiotics are used by farmers and animal health workers.

The project will also estimate the true cost of mastitis to individual farmers and dairy co-operatives, helping drive informed decisions, prioritize control measures and motivate behaviour change for better herd health.

Photo: A dairy farmer cleans her cow’s udder in preparation for milking in Siaya County, Kenya (FIPS/Raymond Jumah)

Curated by Tezira Lore, Communication Officer, ILRI