Assessment of the Efficacy of Commonly used drugs in the Title Control of Coccidiosis and Ectoparasitism of Domestic

Rabbits in Smallholder Production Systems in Prof. Peter Karuri Gathumbi PI

Dr. Paul Onyango Okumu Co-researchers Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and

Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of , P.O. BOX 29053-00625Kangemi, E-mail: [email protected]

Mr. Stephen Mailu Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Dairy Research Institute; P.O. Box 25-20117 KENYA Email: [email protected] Mobile tel: +254 (725) 777334

Dr. Robert Maina Waruiru Department of veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053 00625 Nairobi, Kenya Email: [email protected],ke

To enhance the capacity for control of coccidiosis and Purpose ectoprasitism of domestic rabbits in small holder production systems in central Kenya by determining the best treatment options and building the capacity of stakeholders to adopt effective disease control practices

Domestic rabbit is a key livestock that is increasingly being Project summary raised by small scale farmers in Kenya. However, disease outbreaks, such as; coccidiosis and ectoparasitism, present a major challenge to small holder rabbit farmers. There are no specific drugs for rabbit diseases in the local 1 The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)

market and producers rely on other alternatives, mainly those drugs registered for poultry use. However, there is limited information available, on the efficacy of these alternatives against coccidiosis and ectoparasitism of rabbits. Controlled laboratory and field comparative experiments will be undertaken to evaluate and validate the efficacy of the available alternatives, bench marking with Diclazuril and Selamectin, which are the two main drugs used to control coccidiosis and ectoparasitism of rabbits in other countries. The project will improve rabbit health and production, by providing best treatment and control options for coccidiosis and ectoparasitism of rabbits. The project will train 2 MSc. Graduate students with an opportunity to provide internship opportunity to at least four undergraduate students. Country and specific location(s) Kenya: and counties in central Kenya

Participating institutions 1. University of Nairobi 2. Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) 3. Rabbit Development Stakeholders Forum 4. Kenya Methodist University Start date 1st July, 2015

End date 30th July, 2017

Budget 59,878

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Peter Karuri Gathumbi (PhD) Department of Veterinary Pathology Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053 - 00625 Kangemi, Nairobi. Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; Tel.: Office +25420897228; Mobile +254 722641048; Skype name: peter.gathumbi

Peter Karuri Gathumbi is a Veterinary Pathologist at University of Nairobi (Kenya) whose role includes teaching, research, outreach, and diagnosis among other duties. As an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathology Microbiology and Parasitology, he specializes in diagnosis of animal diseases using gross pathology, histopathology and immunohistochemistry. He also conducts research to assess efficacy and safety of medicinal plants and is involved in conservation of medicinal plants and within his research initiatives he has established a botanical garden of medicinal plants at the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences. He has supervised four PhD, seventeen MSc. students (two within rabbit value chain) and published peer reviewed publications, two book chapters and presented several papers in national and international conferences. After his undergraduate studies, he worked as a veterinary public health officer in the Department of Veterinary Services for one and half years and then joined University of Nairobi. He holds a BVM from University of Nairobi, a Postgraduate diploma and MSc in veterinary pathology from SLU Sweden and PhD from University of Nairobi. Prof. Gathumbi is a principal investigator and a collaborator in several research projects, the recent one being on strategies to promote rabbit value chain in Kenya. He has published several articles on rabbit health and production and several others on veterinary pathology and ethnomedicine. He heads the Biennial Scientific Conferences Organizing Committee of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and is serving his second term as chairman of the department.

Selected Publications

Okumu, P.O., Gathumbi, P.K., Karanja, D.N., Bebora, L.C., Mande, J.D., Serem, J.K., Wanyoike, M.M., Gachuiri, C., Mwanza, R.N., Mailu, S.K. (2015). Survey of health status of domestic rabbits in selected organized farms in Kenya. Inter J Vet Sci, 4(1): 15-21. Okumu, P.O., Gathumbi, P.K., Karanja, D.N., Mande, J.D., Wanyoike, M.M., Gachuiri, C.K., Kiarie, N., Mwanza, R.N., Borter, D.K. (2014). Prevalence, pathology and risk factors for

3 The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)

coccidiosis in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in selected regions in Kenya, Veterinary Quarterly, DOI:10.1080/01652176.2014.978044. Mailu S.K., Wanyoike, M.M., Serem, J.K., Mwanza, R.N., Borter, D.K., Gachuiri, C.K., Gathumbi, P.K., Kiarie, N., Lwoyero, J. (2012). Should we design extended or straightforward questions for small stock when records are unavailable? Online at http://mpra.ub.uni- muenchen.de/37804/ MPRA Paper No. 37804, posted 13. April 2012 12:34 UTC Hungu, C.W., Gathumbi, P.K., Maingi, N., Ng’ang’a, C. J. (2013): Production characteristics and constraints of rabbit farming in Central, Nairobi and Rift-valley provinces in Kenya. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 25, Article #3. http:// www.lrrd.org/lrrd25/1/hung25003.htm Serem, J.K., Wanyoike, M.M., Gachuiri, C.K., Mailu, S.K., Gathumbi, P.K., Mwanza, R.N., Kiarie, N., Borter, D.K. (2013). Characterization of Rabbit Production Systems in Kenya. Journal of Agricultural Science and Applications 2: 155-159 Doi: 10 14511/jasa.2013. 020304 @American V- Kings Scientific publishing

Selected Funded Projects

 2010-todate: Strategies to promote the rabbit value chain in Kenya. Funded by the National Council for Science (now known as National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation) Grant Value USD 110,000. Co-investigator  2007-todate: Evaluation and commercialization of medicinal plants extracts for improved livelihoods: A case study of ECF (2007 – to date) (Kenya Agricultural Productivity Project (KAPP) funded by GOK/World bank- USD 110,000. Principal investigator  2001-2004: Evaluation of efficacy and safety of medicinal plant extracts for activity on Theileria parva, (2001-2004) – Rockefeller Foundation ACA grant - 33,995 US$ Principal investigator  2004-2005: Characterization of efficacy and safety of medicinal plant extracts used to treat East coast fever (Theileria parva infections) in cattle’’. IFAR small grant (2004) on professional development programme. USD 10,000 US$. Principal investigator  2001-2003: Evaluation of medicinal plants for their trypanocidal effects and anthelmintic activities. (Agricultural Research Fund (ARF) – USD 20,000. Principal investigator  2002-2003: Evaluation of extracts from selected medicinal plants in Kenya for anthelmintic activity. ACA Rockefeller Foundation- USD 33,000. Co-investigator.

4 The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)