Abstract
Due to the threat of anthelmintic resistance, livestock farmers worldwide are encouraged to selectively apply treatments against gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs). Targeted selective treatment (TST) of individual animals would be especially useful for smallholder farmers in low-income economies, where cost-effective and sustainable intervention strategies will improve livestock productivity and food security. Supporting research has focused mainly on refining technical indicators for treatment, and much less on factors influencing uptake and effectiveness. We used a mixed method approach, whereby qualitative and quantitative approaches are combined, to develop, implement and validate a TST system for GINs in small ruminants, most commonly goats, among smallholder farmers in the Makgadikgadi Pans region of Botswana, and to seek better understanding of system performance within a cultural context. After the first six months of the study, 42 out of 47 enrolled farmers were followed up; 52% had monitored their animals using the taught inspection criteria and 26% applied TST during this phase. Uptake level showed little correlation with farmer characteristics, such as literacy and size of farm. Herd health significantly improved in those herds where anthelmintic treatment was applied: anaemia, as assessed using the five-point FAMACHA© scale, was 0.44–0.69 points better (95% confidence interval) and body condition score was 0.18–0.36 points better (95% C.I., five-point scale) in treated compared with untreated herds. Only targeting individuals in greatest need led to similar health improvements compared to treating the entire herd, leading to dose savings ranging from 36% to 97%. This study demonstrates that TST against nematodes can be implemented effectively by resource-poor farmers using a community-led approach. The use of mixed methods provides a promising system to integrate technical and social aspects of TST programmes for maximum uptake and effect.
Highlights
Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) affect health and production in livestock worldwide by reducing the productive value of ani-mals through declines in milk production, growth rate, fertility, and increased susceptibility to other diseases (Cobon and O’Sullivan, 1992; Perry and Randolph, 1999; Thumbi et al, 2013)
The mixed methods approach demonstrated in this study complements traditional parasitological investigations and allowed us to evaluate Targeted selective treatment (TST) in terms of the social and contextual reasons for participation as well as its technical performance
The results of both the qualitative and quantitative portions of this study demonstrate that it is valuable and feasible to implement community-led TST programs for nematodes in small ruminants in a resource-poor farming context, while acknowledging the specific challenges faced by both farmers and researchers
Summary
Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) affect health and production in livestock worldwide by reducing the productive value of ani-mals through declines in milk production, growth rate, fertility, and increased susceptibility to other diseases (Cobon and O’Sullivan, 1992; Perry and Randolph, 1999; Thumbi et al, 2013). In South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, helminth infection is ranked as the animal health constraint with the highest impact on resource-poor livestock keepers (Perry et al, 2002). J.G. Walker et al / Veterinary Parasitology 214 (2015) 80–88 parasite challenge (Malan et al, 2001), so it is possible to avoid losses to the whole flock or herd by only treating the subset that are clinically affected by heavy parasite infection (Van Wyk, 2008; Molento et al, 2009; Leask et al, 2013). Parasites that are not exposed to the drug (i.e. in refugia) will maintain non-resistant alleles in the population, diluting the genetic contribution of any anthelmintic resistant worms which survive in the treated animals (Van Wyk, 2001). Uptake of the selective treatment approach is limited by the reluctance of farmers to risk sacrificing short term productivity in the interests of long term sustainability (Charlier et al, 2014)
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