Mulei Isaac R, Mbuthia Paul G, Waruiru Robert M, Nyaga Phillip N, Mutoloki Stephen, Evensen Øystein
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 369, Oslo 0102, Norway.
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology & Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 29053-00625, Nairobi, Kenya.
Vet Med Int. 2021 Feb 18;2021:8896604. doi: 10.1155/2021/8896604. eCollection 2021.
In this study, fish farmers' management practices, occurrence, and knowledge of fish diseases in Nyeri County, Kenya, were evaluated. Fish farming management practices for small-scale farmers in Kenya have numerous challenges which have led to disease occurrence and reduced production. Moreover, the impact and association of these challenges to farmers' knowledge of fish diseases and their burden has not been fully studied. A semistructured questionnaire was used to capture farmers' biodata, fish species farmed, and farmers' management practices such as handling of nets, pond fertilization, and disposal of fish waste. Farmers' knowledge of fish diseases was based on their ability to identify independent and dependent variable indicators. Independent variables included clinical signs, decreased feeding, bulging eyes, floating on water, abdominal swelling, bulging eyes, abnormal skin color, reduced growth, and abnormal swimming with fish death as were the dependent variable. A total of 208 farmers were interviewed and included those of tilapia (134), mixed tilapia and catfish (40), catfish (22), rainbow trout, and five dams under cooperative management. Tilapia was the most kept fish species (66.8%) followed by polyculture of tilapia and catfish (20%) and rainbow trout (2%). Most respondents were male (78.5%) over 51 years of age (50%). Fifty percent of the respondents had secondary school education. There was a significant association between deaths and sharing of nets in Kieni East subcounty (=0.0049, chi-square), while on-farm fish waste disposing appeared to cause higher deaths compared to burning of the waste although not statistically significant (=0.13). Few respondents observed decreased feed uptake (<20%) and poor growth. Fifty-seven percent of farmers reported mortalities. Fish poor growth, floating in water, and management practices in subcounties had significant effect on fish deaths. The farmers had knowledge of signs of diseased fish, but there was paucity of knowing the specific causes of disease. Farmers need to be empowered on best aquaculture husbandry to avoid disease transmission and specific fish disease signs to enhance proper reporting of disease for subsequent mitigation measures.
在本研究中，对肯尼亚涅里县养鱼户的管理做法、鱼病的发生情况及相关知识进行了评估。肯尼亚小规模养殖户的养鱼管理做法面临诸多挑战，这些挑战导致了疾病的发生并降低了产量。此外，这些挑战对养殖户鱼病知识及其负担的影响和关联尚未得到充分研究。采用半结构化问卷收集养殖户的生物数据、养殖的鱼类品种以及养殖户的管理做法，如网具处理、池塘施肥和鱼粪处理。养殖户对鱼病的了解基于他们识别自变量和因变量指标的能力。自变量包括临床症状、摄食量减少、眼睛突出、漂浮在水面、腹部肿胀、眼睛突出、皮肤颜色异常、生长减缓以及异常游泳并伴有鱼死亡，这些均为因变量。共采访了208名养殖户，包括养殖罗非鱼的（134名）、罗非鱼和鲶鱼混养的（40名）、鲶鱼的（22名）、虹鳟鱼的，以及由合作社管理的五个鱼塘的养殖户。罗非鱼是养殖最多的鱼类品种（66.8%），其次是罗非鱼和鲶鱼混养（20%）以及虹鳟鱼（2%）。大多数受访者为男性（78.5%），年龄在51岁以上（50%）。50%的受访者接受过中学教育。在基耶尼东分区，死亡与网具共享之间存在显著关联（P = 0.0049，卡方检验），而与焚烧鱼粪相比，在农场处理鱼粪似乎导致更高的死亡率，尽管无统计学意义（P = 0.13）。很少有受访者观察到摄食量减少（<20%）和生长不良。57%的养殖户报告有死亡情况。各县鱼类生长不良、漂浮在水面以及管理做法对鱼死亡有显著影响。养殖户了解患病鱼的症状，但缺乏对疾病具体病因的认识。需要增强养殖户最佳水产养殖管理能力，以避免疾病传播，并了解特定鱼病症状，以便更好地报告疾病情况，从而采取后续缓解措施。
