Cattle In Uganda Research Articles

Trypanosome Diseases of Domestic Animals in Uganda: I. Trypanosoma Pecorum

As might be expected from the tropical nature of the country, Uganda suffers much from protozoal diseases, and as the wealth of the natives consists principally in cattle, goats, and sheep─the wealth of the natives consists principally in cattle, goats, and sheep─the King and chiefs having huge herds─there is much loss. To give an idea of the enormous mortality which must take place among the herds of cattle in Uganda, Sir Apolo Kagwa, K. C. M. G., the Prime Minister, may be quoted. He informed the Commission that during 1908 he had 1396 cows, which had 2021 calves, and of these calves 709 died─35 per cent. Further, of cows, bulls, and full-grown bullocks, there had died 351. This makes a total of 1060 deaths in one year. The number of the whole herd is not given, but may be put down at 4000. This means a yearly death-roll of about 25 per cent. During the same year the Government Transport Department in Entebbe lost 156 oxen between June and November.

Trypanosome diseases of domestic animals in Uganda. I. Trypanosoma pecorum

As might be expected from the tropical nature of the country, Uganda suffers much from protozoal diseases, and as the wealth of the natives consists principally in cattle, goats, and sheep─the wealth of the natives consists principally in cattle, goats, and sheep─the King and chiefs having huge herds─there is much loss. To give an idea of the enormous mortality which must take place among the herds of cattle in Uganda, Sir Apolo Kagwa, K. C. M. G., the Prime Minister, may be quoted. He informed the Commission that during 1908 he had 1396 cows, which had 2021 calves, and of these calves 709 died─35 per cent. Further, of cows, bulls, and full-grown bullocks, there had died 351. This makes a total of 1060 deaths in one year. The number of the whole herd is not given, but may be put down at 4000. This means a yearly death-roll of about 25 per cent. During the same year the Government Transport Department in Entebbe lost 156 oxen between June and November.

Amakebe: A Disease of Calves in Uganda

Amakebe is the most important disease of cattle in Uganda. It attacks the calves soon after they are born, and destroys more than half of them. Among the native cattle the loss is reported to be as much as 75 per cent., but, with careful nursing and hand-feeding, this mortality may be reduced to between 20 and 30 per cent. This is an enormous toll to pay, and renders the breeding of cattle in Uganda for dairy purposes, or, indeed, for any purpose, very up-hill work. Little up to the present has been written as to the nature and causation of Amakebe. It has been described as a trypanosome disease, but this evidently on insufficient knowledge.

Amakebe: A disease of calves in Uganda

Amakebe is the most important disease of cattle in Uganda. It attacks the calves soon after they are born, and destroys more than half of them. Among the native cattle the loss is reported to be as much as 75 per cent., but, with careful nursing and hand-feeding, this mortality may be reduced to between 20 and 30 per cent. This is an enormous toll to pay, and renders the breeding of cattle in Uganda for dairy purposes, or, indeed, for any purpose, very up-hill work. Little up to the present has been written as to the nature and causation of Amakebe. It has been described as a trypanosome disease, but this evidently on insufficient knowledge.

Glossina palpalis as a carrier of trypanosoma vivax in Uganda

One of the important trypanosome diseases of cattle in uganda is that caused by Trypanosoma vivax (Ziemann). This species of trypanosome appears to be widely distributed in Central Africa. It has been reported from Senegal, the Sudan and Erthrea in the North, to Rhodesiain the South. It is fairly easily recognised on account of its extreme activity during life, its characteristic shape in stained specimens, and the fact that it only affects cattle, goats, and sheep ; while monleys, dogs, rabbits, guinea-pigs, rats and mice are refractory. Its carriers have usually been reported as tabanus and stomoxys. This short note is written to place on record that fact, that in Uganda the tsetse flies, Glossina palpalis , which are found in large numbers on the Lake-shore, are infected, not only by Trypanosoma gambiense , the cause of sleeping sickness, but also by Trypanosoma vivax . The first experiment which showed that these tsetse flies are infected with the latter trypanosome was the following:-