Abstract
A study was conducted to identify major health constraints of livestock, giving emphasis to cattle, sheep, goats and poultry in GantaAfeshum district, Eastern Zone of Tigray from March 2013 to June 2013. Questionnaire survey and case observational study methods were carried out for data collection. In the questionnaire survey, 120 livestock owners were interviewed and respondents indicated that the major farming system practiced in the area were mixed crop livestock production. Respondents view towards the major constraints of livestock production in the locality indicated that lack of adequate veterinary services were considered to be the dominant production challenges in the area. On the health aspect, they also confirmed that the most important diseases affecting cattle’s were FMD (17.7%), Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (15.5%), Ectoparasitic/tick infection (14.9%), Anthrax and GIT Parasitism (each with equal response of 11.5%). In sheep and goats GIT-Parasitism (16.1%), pneumonic-pasteurelosis (15.9%), coenuruses (15.8%) and Ectoparasite infection (15.4%) were regarded as the most important diseases. Furthermore, Newcastle disease (79.1%) followed by foul pox (11.6 %) and Coccidiosis (6.7%) were considered as the most important diseases in poultry. Case observational studies were also conducted at the district veterinary clinics (Bizet and Adigrat) and a total of 465 diseased animals were tentatively diagnosed based on history and clinical signs. Among the diseases which were diagnosed, Ectoparasitism (35.55%), endoparasitic problems (25.4%), Mastitis (8.6 %), Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (7%), and FMD (6.64%) were the most frequently observed diseases (cases) in cattle. In sheep and goats, Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (28.85%), endoparasitic problems (22.8%), Ectoparasitism (16.78%), FMD (7.4%), Bloat (4.7%) and sheep and Goat pox (4.7%) were commonly encountered diseases. In Poultry, Newcastle Disease (60%), foul pox (18.3%) and Coccidiosis (11.7%) were found to be commonly encountered health problems. Overall results indicated that shortage of animal feeds, poor management practices, lack of adequate veterinary services and livestock health problems (diseases) were the major constraints existing for livestock development in the area and hence there is a need to expand the veterinary services in terms of quality and quantity in order to tackle the problems associated with livestock health and to boost the awareness of the livestock producers of the community.
Highlights
Animal production has been considered as the main component of agricultural development in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa
Despite the large number of livestock in the region the sector is characterized by low productivity and, income derived from this sector of agriculture could not impart significant role in the development of the region’s economy [3]
Knowing the type and extent of the common and major health problems is very important so that Veterinarians, researchers and other responsible governmental and non-governmental bodies can assist in the development of herd health strategies and the selections of possible interventions that will assist in poverty alleviation, by improving the productivity of the animals as it is already set by the regional governments plan
Summary
Knowing the type and extent of the common and major health problems is very important so that Veterinarians, researchers and other responsible governmental and non-governmental bodies can assist in the development of herd health strategies and the selections of possible interventions that will assist in poverty alleviation, by improving the productivity of the animals as it is already set by the regional governments plan. This particular study is carried with the following objectives
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