UPDATE: The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBs)has moved to suspend the sale of an animal product believed to have poisoned the cows of Emurua-Dikir MP Johanna Ngeno.
"Following safety concerns raised on Rumate animal feed supplement, notice is hereby given to the public on the suspension of sale and distribution of the product to pave way for investigations.
"Dealers with stock of the product are required to notify KEBS and DVS with immediate effect. Further, farmers who may have purchased are advised not to give the feed supplement to their livestock until the investigations are concluded," read a notice by KEBs on June 19, 2020.
Emurua-Dikir MP Johanna Ngeno is counting losses amounting to Ksh2.5 Million after his herd of 24 Holstein Friesian cows died upon feeding on a poisonous mineral product.
The incident is reported to have occurred on Saturday, June 13, after the cows fed on an imported mineral product, according to Fredrick Mutai, the manager at Olekisiara Farm.
"The cows began shivering, foaming in the mouth and running wild before dropping dead one after the other five minutes after consuming the mineral salt.
"We immediately called a veterinary doctor who came and injected the animals in an effort to save them, but there was little he could do," he told journalists.
Confirming the farm manager's words was another worker at the farm, Luke Evans who stated that they used the product as directed after purchasing it from a supplier in Nakuru town.
"The product supplier told us the ration for each cow is 200 grams per day mixed with other general animal feeds. That is exactly what we did. There is no doubt that the product is to blame for the death of the cows," he added.
The farm manager explained that cows which did not feed on the mineral product were not affected.
Expressing his disappointment over the loss, the MP stated that the Kenya Bureau of Standard (KEBS) should tighten their checks on farm produce so as to protect farmers.
"It's very devastating for a farmer to lose even a single cow due to the failure by KEBS to block the importation of poisonous cattle feeds and other products," Ngeno stated.
The issue of whether the product had passed the expiration date was ruled out as the batch bought by the MP indicated an expiry date of January 28, 2022.
