Abstract
Aims:This study aimed to assess the level of awareness of rural poultry farmers on vaccination and to detect Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibody in local birds (LB) and eggs in Kwara State, Nigeria.Materials and Methods:Data on farmers’ attitude, knowledge, practices, and experiences on ND mortality were obtained through an interview using a structured cross-sectional checklist. NDV antibodies were detected in sera and egg yolks of local chickens (LC) and guinea fowls (GF) using hemagglutination inhibition test.Results:A total of 83 interviewees, 287 sera and 121 egg yolk extracts, were examined. The study revealed that 98.8% (82/83) of the interviewee had never vaccinated their flock before. 90% of the interviewee had reported high mortality in birds within 1-6 months old, while the major clinical signs were cold (40.4%) and torticollis (30.8%). Evidences of LB exposure to wild-type NDV were confirmed by the detection of NDV antibodies in 20.8% and 0% of LC and GF, respectively. The mortality differences experiencedin <1 and 1-6 months old LB could be explained by the presence of maternally-derived NDV antibody (49.6%) in egg yolk.Conclusion:The study showed that LB suffers from NDV as a result of LB keepers’ ignorance and neglect by the government. This has limited local investment and subsequent contribution to gross domestic product. This study suggests that the key factors to the prevention of ND remain awareness creation about poultry vaccination, production of affordable vaccines, and availability/accessibility to veterinarian (or trained personnel).
Highlights
Newcastle disease (ND) remains one of the most popular ravaging viral diseases limiting poultry production in Africa
Unawareness of poultry vaccinations was the main explanation given (74.7%, n=62) by ignorant poultry keepers (Table-1) while financial incapability was the key reason alluded by those who knew about poultry vaccination (n=9) (Figure-3)
This study revealed that 45.8% of interviewee asserted that people around them would not approve them spending money on the vaccination of their chickens, the study suggests that the key factors to the prevention of ND through vaccination remain awareness creation about poultry vaccination, affordable vaccine, and availability/accessibility to veterinarian (Table-1)
Summary
Newcastle disease (ND) remains one of the most popular ravaging viral diseases limiting poultry production in Africa. It is caused by an RNA virus (ND virus [NDV]) of avian paramyxovirus designated as type 1 paramyxovirus which is a serotype under the genus Avulavirus of the family Paramyxoviridae [1]. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated
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