Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2017 to March 2018 to determine the prevalence of ovine fasciolosis in the Community Based Horro Sheep Breeding site at Horro district, Horro Guduru Wollega zone, Ethiopia. Coprological examination was performed on a total of 390 sheep at the study area. Age, sex, body condition score and peasant association were taken into consideration as rik factors. An overall prevalence of fasciolosis 45.4% 95% CI (40.41 50.36 was found on the basis of coprological examinations. The prevalence of fasciolosis findings according to PAs were (41.5%) in Laku Ingu and (48.2%) in Gitilo Dole. Statistical analysis of the prevalence among study site (PAs) showed insignificant difference P=0.102 (P>0.05), but significant difference (P<0.05) was observed between animal age groups (P=0.032, with a prevalence of 37.2% in young and 49.8% in adult) and body condition scores (P=0.001, with a prevalence of 57.9%, 43.5% and 29.9% in sheep with poor, medium and good body condition score, respectively. There was insignificance difference (P>0.05) in sex group of study animals in which the prevalence was 47.6% in female and 38.8% in male. Therefore further studies on the epidemiology, seasonal dynamic of the disease, the snail intermediate host and impacts of the infection in animal production with implementations of strategic intervention is necessary.
Highlights
Ethiopia is believed to have the largest livestock population in Africa with estimated population of 59.5 million cattle, 30.70 million sheep, 30.20 million goats, 2.16 million horses, 8.44 million donkeys, 0.41 million mules, and 1.21 million camels
The prevalence of ovine fasciolosis recorded in both study sites (PAs) were 68 (41.5%) and 109 (48.2%) in Laku Ingu and Gitilo Dole, respectively
The coprological examination revealed that the prevalence of ovine fasciolosis was highest in sheep with poor body condition (57.9%) followed by medium body conditioned animals (43.5%) and good body conditioned (29.9%)
Summary
Ethiopia is believed to have the largest livestock population in Africa with estimated population of 59.5 million cattle, 30.70 million sheep, 30.20 million goats, 2.16 million horses, 8.44 million donkeys, 0.41 million mules, and 1.21 million camels. In Ethiopia, sheep is the second most important species with diverse breeds and ecotypes distributed from cool alpine climate of the mountains to the arid pastoral areas of the lowlands [2]. Small ruminants provide about 46% of the national meat consumption and 58% of the value of hide and skin production. They have many advantages over large ruminants for most smallholder farmers, including among others: less feed costs, easy management and appropriate size at slaughter [3]
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