Abstract
BackgroundTranshumance, a main ancestral animal production strategy of the West African Countries (WAC), can favour the spread of vectors and vector‐borne diseases within and/or across countries. Transhumance has been implicated in such spread as well as that of related tick‐borne diseases (TBD).Methods and principal findingsUsing a questionnaire survey and statistical modelling, this study explores the perception of herders about ticks and TBD in cattle, their practices in tick control and the social groups involved in cattle farming in eastern Burkina Faso (46 random herds) and in the northern Benin (44 random herds). Results show that most of the herders (79%) are from the Fulani social group. The principal and secondary activities of herders are respectively cattle farming and agriculture. The mean age of pastoralists is between 40 and 50 years depending on the province of origin and 60% of the surveyed herds practice internal or transboundary transhumance. Herders have a clear knowledge of different genus of ticks except the genus Rhipicephalus. Their knowledge of TBD is very limited. These results also reveal that herders in Benin use less acaricides treatment calendar compared with those in Burkina Faso. Transhumant pastoralists (i.e. transhumant cattle farmers) plan more acaricide treatment and have more cows with lost teats (i.e. tick damage) than the sedentary ones. In addition, amitraz appears to be the main acaricide compound used by herders for tick control (68%) but its use is inappropriate and its source is frequently the unregulated market.Conclusions and significanceAll of these findings can induce acaricide resistance especially as the inefficacy of amitraz against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus has already been reported in previous studies. Such results would help to elaborate suitable strategies of control and prevention of ticks and TBD in Burkina Faso and Benin.
Highlights
Transhumance is a livestock production and management system, which refers to an ancestral practice of moving herds seasonally and according to specific paths, repeatedly every year (Abiola, 2005)
Considering the direct and indirect losses of livestock due to ticks in West Africa (Sutherst, 1987) and the practice of transhumance, which has become a way of life for some farmers (Cabot, 2017), it is necessary to understand the role of transhumance in the spread of ticks and associated pathogens in order to propose some improvements for an integrated pest management
The aim of this study is to investigate on the perception of herders about ticks and tick-b orne diseases (TBD) in cattle, their practices in tick control and the social groups involved in cattle farming in Burkina Faso and Benin
Summary
Transhumance is a livestock production and management system, which refers to an ancestral practice of moving herds seasonally and according to specific paths, repeatedly every year (Abiola, 2005). Considering the direct and indirect losses of livestock due to ticks in West Africa (Sutherst, 1987) and the practice of transhumance, which has become a way of life for some farmers (Cabot, 2017), it is necessary to understand the role of transhumance in the spread of ticks and associated pathogens in order to propose some improvements for an integrated pest management. This type of information is very rare. The survey was carried out in dry season, just before herders start moving for transhumance from Burkina Faso to Benin
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
