Abstract
A study was conducted at Kafta Humera and Tanqua Abergelle Districts from April to June, 2011 to assess the prevalence of subclinical mastitis in lactating small ruminants and identify bacterial causative agents. A total of 390 lactating animals comprising 255 goats and 135 sheep were randomly selected from population and screened for evidence of subclinical mastitis. The overall prevalence of subclinical mastitis was found to be 18.03% (46/255) and 28.14% (38/135) in goats and sheep, respectively. California mastitis test (CMT) positive milk samples were subjected to bacteriological examination and the following bacteria were isolated; coagulase negative Staphylococcus (44.7%), Staphylococcus aureus (27.7%), Escherchia coli (17.0%) and streptococci (10.63%). Risk factors; species (p = 0.021), study site (p < 0.001), sheep breed (p = 0.018) and goat breed (p = 0.009) showed statistically significant association with the occurrence of subclinical mastitis in small dairy ruminants. However, there was no statistically significant association between risk factors such as Age (p = 0.779), parity (p = 0.201) and stage of lactation (p = 0.952). Therefore, it can be concluded that mastitis is a significant disease in small ruminants that affects their productivity and measures need to be taken to control the disease.
Highlights
Small ruminant rearing provide vast range of products and services such as immediate cash income, meat, milk, skin, manure, risk spreading/ management and social functions (Adane and Girma, 2008) for poor farmers in many parts of Ethiopia
Small ruminant mastitis is an important disease that affects the productivity of the sector
The occurrence of clinical and subclinical mastitis in the different breeds of sheep has been investigated in various parts of the world (Al-Majali et al, 2003)
Summary
Small ruminant (sheep and goats) rearing provide vast range of products and services such as immediate cash income, meat, milk, skin, manure, risk spreading/ management and social functions (Adane and Girma, 2008) for poor farmers in many parts of Ethiopia. Small ruminants with their higher reproductive capacity and growth rates are ideally suited to production by resource-poor smallholders (Tibbo, 2006). Among others infectious diseases are the major constraints to small ruminant production in Ethiopia (Getahun, 2008; Gizaw et al, 2010). Among these diseases mastitis is one of the important diseases affecting the productivity of small ruminants
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