Effect of deltamethrin on Argas persicus within selected sites in Machakos and Kitui Counties, Semi-arid Eastern Kenya

摘要

SoftticksareaconstrainttoindigenouschickenproductivityindryareasofKenya.Theysuckbloodfrombirdsandasaresultkillthebirds.Theyalsolowereggproductivityanddelayattainmentofmarketweights.ApilotstudytoevaluatetheeffectivenessofdeltamethrinapplicationonchickenhousesasacontrolstrategyagainstthisparasitewasconductedbetweenApril2010andFebruary2011.Theefficacyoftwodeltamethrinformulations,decatixandectominwastestedandcomparedamongselectedmembersoffourfarmergroupsinMwingiandKatangi.Intotal,4purposivelyselectedfarmergroups(2eachforKatangiandMwingi)withmembershiprangingfrom9-10memberswereused.Twoofthegroupswerepurelywomengroupswhiletheothertwohadmixedmembership.Theselectedgroupswerefirstsensitizedontheobjectivesofthestudybeforethepre-controlsofttickpopulationsinselected39members#8217;homesteadsofmemberswereestablished.Theflocksizeinthehomesteadsrangedbetween10and40chickens.Softtickpopulationonchickenhousesinthestudyareawashighwithameanpopulationofbetween35-54softticks.HomesteadsinKatangihadcomparativelyahighersofttickpopulationsthanthoseinMwingi.Bothdecatixandectominsprayingonchickenhousesreducedsoftpopulationbyover90%inbothsites.Despitethesignificantreductioninsofttickcounts,eliminationofthispestwasnotpossible.Althoughthefindingsofthisstudyshowthatsyntheticpyrethroidsareeffectiveincontrollingsoftticks,morestudiesondeltamethrinapplicationonbirdsneedtobeconductedbeforerecommendingtoinstitutionalizethecontrolofsofttickswithinthealreadyexistingickcontrolframeworkwithinthecountry.