Effect of Newcastle Disease Vaccination on Survival of Indigenous Chicken and Association With Child Nutrition and Growth in Siaya County, Kenya

Abstract

Newcastle disease (ND) is a significant factor in chicken deaths worldwide and more so in smallholder flocks resulting in reduced household incomes, food security, and increased risk of malnutrition among rural communities in developing economies. Reducing mortality associated with ND through vaccination can lead to increase in egg and chicken numbers. This study determines: the effect of ND vaccination on survival and poultry production among local breeds in Siaya county; nutritional and socioeconomic factors associated with child growth and development for chicken owning small holder households; and estimates the impact of ND vaccination of indigenous chicken on the child growth and nutrition. Data were obtained from households in a rural region in Siaya county, Kenya over an 18-month period (December 2016 to September 2018) that were participating in a human and animal population-based syndromic survey study. A randomized control trial was used to compare households in the intervention group (whose chicken were vaccinated against ND) and those in the control group (did not receive ND vaccination). Households were eligible for the study if they owned indigenous chicken, had a child below five years of age or had a pregnant woman. All households that consented were recruited and randomly selected for either control or intervention. Chicken flocks in the intervention category received ND AVIVAX I-2 thermostable vaccine quarterly. All households got parasitic control. Each month, information on the number of domestic chickens and any reported gains or losses were gathered for the study period. Anthropometric assessments of children, dietary intake and household socioeconomic data were completed at recruitment and at every 3 months for the period of the study. A total of 537 households (n=254 across the intervention, n=283 within the control) were recruited with 471 households (n=222 intervention, n=249 control) having children below 3 years of age at enrolment. Monthly data over the study period

showed households in the intervention owned more chickens (mean of 13.06±0.29) compared to those in the control (12.06±0.20) (p=0.0026). Children in households receiving treatment demonstrated general gains in Z results for both Z-score for height versus age (HAZ) and Z-score for weight-for-length/height (WHZ) by 0.158 and 0.075 respectively compared to control households, favouring both boys and girls. Households where the flock received vaccination combined parasiticide treatment, increased flock size by a mean of one bird per home with a subsequent increase in eating foods high in protein and micronutrients, and a relative decrease in intake of grains abundant in carbohydrates but poor in protein therefore providing new proof that changing one’s diet improves height for age and weight for height, important indicators of childhood stunting and wasting. The findings suggest that maximizing productivity of indigenous chickens through integrated disease control can significantly improve livelihoods and nutrition in children lowering the likelihood of stunting and wasting in children. The outcomes show proof of positive gains in directing interventions to livestock assets managed by women in rural communities, potentially providing a pathway for women empowerment and prevention of malnutrition among children and women in these settings.