NAIROBI, Kenya, October 7 – The Government has started rolling out a system to identify and track livestock across the country, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said.

Kindiki said the system will give each animal an identity linked to its owner and allow it to be tracked from birth to slaughter.

The system is expected to help the Government monitor animal health, fight livestock theft and improve traceability in the livestock value chain.

Kenya has about 22 million cattle, with 8.9 million livestock already vaccinated under an ongoing campaign to control animal diseases.

Kindiki said disease control and better tracking of animals will help Kenya improve the quality of its livestock and expand access to international markets.

The Government is also working to lower the cost of livestock production.

For instance, the price of sexed semen used for artificial insemination of dairy cows has been reduced from Sh8,000 to Sh1,400 per dose, while efforts are underway to reduce the cost of animal feed.

Kindiki said the Government wants to build on these gains by improving animal health, productivity and access to markets.

The tracking system could also help address livestock theft by making it easier to identify animals and confirm their owners.

The Government plans to continue vaccinating livestock while expanding the identification and tracking system across the country.