Agribank has advised farmers to protect their animals from the adverse effects of the intense current rains. Parasites such as ticks, mosquitoes, flies and moths are prevalent during the rainy season and irritate animals and can transmit diseases such as lumpy skin disease, rift valley fever and bluetongue. Technical director on livestock and rangeland at Agribank, Erastus Ngaruka, therefore said animals should be vaccinated against these diseases at the onset of the rainy season. He said animals must also be treated for internal parasites such as roundworms and liver flukes, which cause most deaths in animals especially sheep during this time. Ngaruka said the most effective medication against internal parasites, is deworming. He advised that damp conditions in kraals also expose animals to hoof infections which should be cleaned and disinfected. Ngaruka said farmers should develop responsive management plans to ensure that the livestock's health and nutritional statuses are not compromised.