Safeguarding Your Livestock from Mosquitoes and Associated Diseases: Practical Prevention Tips

Unlike the male mosquitoe feeds on plant juices and nectar, which the female mosquito feed on blood and can be very careful to livestock. Adult mosquitoes are the carriers of many diseases of man and other animals. They are, therefore, known as insect vectors of disease. The diseases of man which are carried by mosquitoes are malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, encephalitis and certain forms of filariasis. However, for animals, they also spread diseases like equine encephalitis and bird malaria.

The larva (eggs) of mosquito grows fast, and within a period of 2 days to about 2 weeks it may reach a maximum size of about 10mm. The adult mosquito lives for about 2 to 3 week. With a life history that has as short duration as this, most types of mosquitoes can go through several generation in a year. Mosquitoes are a great plague to livestock. They transmits a tiny parasitic protozoans called Plasmodia (singular - Plasmodium) into the blood of the animal, mainly by a female Anopheles mosquito. The malaria parasites enter the stomach of the animal, and finally form cysts in its wall. This is mostly common is chickens. Even if the disease is controlled, a late intervention can lead to a wide spread on infestions disease in the rest.

In the case of malaria in animals, antibiotics drugs like Quinine, Paludrine and Mapacrine are used. These can destroy the malarial parasites in the blood. For chickens, you can go to local pharmacy and ask for "White Capsule" or drugs that can destroy or prevent the growth of bacteria and cure infections.

The spread of the diseases can be further prevented by isolating the infested livestock and protecting the rest from being bitten by mosquitoes. However, the best way to control the diseases of mosquito is to destroy the mosquitoes in all their different developmental stages, and to make all the potential breeding places inhabitable. Hence, a knowledge of the life history and habits of a mosquito is essential.

Mosquitoes can be killed by spraying the adults and larvae with special insecticides and larvicides. Potential breeding places like dirty drains, swamps, ditches and pools should be drained frequently. Similarly, empty tin cans, coconut shells and other vesicles should not be left around because they may collect rain water. They should be burned or buried.

When it is difficult to drain certain areas containing stagnant water, e.g lakes and marshes, the water surface should be sprayed with oil such as kerosene. This oil film will make it impossible for the larvae to breathe, as air will be cut off. Besides, some oil may enter their spiracles and breathing organs, so blocking them. In certain cases, the oil is mixed with insecticide which makes it more effective in killing the larvae and pupae. Another way of getting rid of mosquitoes larvae (eggs) and pupae is by introducing certain fish, e.g guppy, and prawns into ponds and swamps which cannot be drained. These animals feed on the larvae and pupae.

Tall bushes and grasses near houses should be cut down as adult mosquitoes like to hide in them. This will deprive the mosquitoes of a resting place. Livestock farmers should prevent their livestock from being bitten by mosquitoes, especially poultry birds. They should spray their rooms frequently with insecticides or burn mosquito coils in the late evening. UV lights (ultraviolet) can also be used to wane off mosquitoes.