Objective: This study was conducted to generate data on the prevalence, species composition, and factors associated with small ruminant nematode infection in the South Omo zone, in South-western Ethiopia. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study through fecal nematode parasite examination was conducted. Simple floatation test and coproculture, followed by Baermann technique, were used for nematode egg and third-stage larvae (L3) separation and identification. The McMaster method was used to calculate the egg per gram of feces (EPG). Results: From a total of 242 sheep and goats examined, 72.34% were infested with single or mixed nematode parasites. District, “Kebele”, species, body condition score, and age were significantly ( p < 0.05) associated with nematode infestation. Simple logistic regression analysis indicated that nematode infestation in Bena-Tsemay district (78.33%) was significantly ( p < 0.05) higher by a factor of 0.54 (OR 95% CI: 0.30–0.96) than Hamer district (66.39%). Among the species, caprine (79.43%) was significantly ( p < 0.05) infested than ovine (62.37%) by a factor of 0.45 (OR 95% CI: 0.25–0.81). Moreover, infestation on poor (79.12%) and medium (70.96%) body conditioned animals was higher by a factor of 2.94 (OR 95% CI: 1.41–6.26) and 1.76 (OR 95% CI: 0.88–3.53) than on good body conditioned animals (63.79%). Likewise, infestation in age groups of 1–3 years (78.66%) and >3 years (84.40%) was significantly ( p < 0.05) higher by a factor of 4.83 (OR 95% CI: 2.31–10.46) and 8.23 (OR 95% CI: 3.98–17.75) than younger age groups (41.37%), respectively. A moderate parasitic burden was observed on 52.90% of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN)-infested animals with significantly ( p < 0.05) higher EPG in females than males. Furthermore, mixed infestation of Trichostrongylus axei and Eimeria (6.19%), Haemonchus contortus and Eimeria (5.78%), and Trichostrongylus vitrines and Eimeria (5.78%) were dominantly identified. On the contrary, T. axei (15.70%), Eimeria ( 8.67%), H. contortus ( 7.43%), and Trichostrongylus colubriformis (7.02%) were dominant single infestations. Conclusion: The current study revealed the highest prevalence of GIN in the study area, which needs strategic control, needs to enhance community awareness toward GIN control and prevention, and to implement further investigation into anthelminthic efficacy to solve the problem.
Trypanosomosis control in Ethiopia is largely rely on use of available trypanocidal drugs although there are other options such as vector control and use of trypanotolerant hosts. A cross-sectional survey aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practices of trypanocidal drug utilization and constraints of trypanosome infection conducted in tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia. The questionnaire based survey was conducted from November 2018 to May 2019. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the field data obtained from 184 cattle owners. Sixty (60) of the cattle owners were from suppression area and 124 from tsetse non-suppression area. Accordingly, draft oxen and milking cows respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas were classes of animals which were given priority in trypanocidal drug treatment. About 79.03% and 81.7% of cattle owners respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas witnessedthat they treat their sick animals by themselves; indicating that veterinarians and other animal health experts have very little role in medication of sick animals. Diminazine aceturate (DA) was the main trypanocidal drug preferred by cattle owners in tsetse suppression area while both DA and Isometamidium chloride (ISM) were used in non-suppression areas. About 83.1% of the respondents from tsetse suppression areas and 86.7% from non-suppression area reported treatment failures following the use of trypanocidal drugs. Moreover, about 79.61% and 86.53% of respondents respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas observed that drugs obtained from private drug stores were less effective compared to drugs obtained from governmental veterinary clinics. Furthermore, the respondents disclosed that DA was the most horrible trypanocidal drug in showing treatment failures despite high preference by cattle owners. It was also noted that treatment frequency was higherin tsetse suppression areas than non-suppression areas regardless of vector suppression campaign. In conclusion, higher dependency of cattle owners on trypanocidal drugs, limited trypanocidal drug availability in the veterinary pharmaceutical market, frequent trypanocidal drug usage and injection by unskilled herdsmen and owners report on trypanocidal drug treatment failures may point out the issue of trypanocidal drug resistance in the area. Therefore, awareness creation to livestock owners on the effect of misuse of trypanocidal drugs and safe trypanocidal drug usage policy should be put into effect to uphold the effectiveness of currently available trypanocidal drugs. Keywords: Trypanosomosis; Trypanocidal Drugs; Tsetse suppression; South Omo Zone; Ethiopia
A cross-sectional and longitudinal observational study with the objectives to identify calf management and husbandry practices and to investigate the major causes of calf morbidity and mortality and its associated risk factors was conducted in South Omo Zone from 2015 to 2016. A total of 85 calf owners were interviewed and 255 calves of those farmers were longitudinally followed for six months from the very first day of their birth. Accordingly, retained placenta 17/85 (20%), narrow pelvic outlet 17/85 (17.6%) and prolonged labour 8/85 (9.4%) were ranked as maternal-related calving problems whereas, ‘navel ill’ 34/85 (40.0%), dead birth 9/85 (10.6%), oversized calve 16/85 (18.8%) and abnormal presentation 9/85 (10.6%) were identified as calf-related problems. The traditional healers 31/85 (36.47%) and veterinarians 24/85 (28.23%) were dominant calving assistants in the study areas. Moreover, bloody diarrhea 24/85 (28.2%), ectoparasites 10/85 (11.8%), pneumonia 7/85 (8.2%) and constipation 3/85 (3.5%) were categorized as the major health problems that frequently affected the calves. From the calves longitudinally followed, 85 calves (33.3%) were encountered different health problems which resulted in calf morbidity and mortality. Identified health problems were not significantly associated (p>0.05) with study sites, sex and breed of calves. According to multiple logistic regression analysis, six variables (calf housing system, dam vaccination history, colostrum feeding frequency, calf house clearing frequency, parity of the dam and calf delivery problem) were significantly associated (p<0.05) with calf morbidity. However, none of the variables was significantly associated with calf mortality. Through six months follow-up, 4.41% crude calf mortality rate was recorded. Sudden death with unknown cause, bloody diarrhea, pneumonia, “evil eye” and physical damages were responsible for 36.36, 18.18, 18.18, 9.09 and 18.18% case fatality and responsible for 1.60, 0.80, 0.80, 0.40 and 0.80% crude mortality respectively. The crude mortality varies among sex; 3.13 and 6.67% respectively in male and female calves. Similarly, it was relatively higher in calves under one week of age (5.73%) and decreasing as the calf’s age increased. It can be concluded that improving herd management and husbandry practices which negatively affecting calf health could minimize calf morbidity and mortality. Moreover, improving the whole herd health system and awareness creation to calve owners to improve the dynamism of their future replacement calve is very important in this area.
The study was conducted in two districts of South Omo zone namely, Benatsemay and Debub ri districts. The study was implemented through a multidisciplinary team of livestock researchers, which comprising of socio-economist, veterinarians, animal breeders and development workers. The objectives of the survey were: to describe the nature of the livestock farming system and production practices; analyze and priories the major constraints that hinder the development of livestock production; identify the opportunities and constraints of livestock production in the study area; collect the socio-economic characteristics and to use the information as a baseline data for future intervention. Data were collected by semi-structured interview, focus group discussion and secondary data was collected from different sources. Livestock has a multifunction in the study areas and helping as a source of draft power, income generation, and milk and meat production. Although there are accesses to vast fertile land for feed and forage development, huge livestock number and presence of enough family labour force in the areas, there are several constraints in livestock husbandry such as shortage of grazing land/feed, disease, market problem, water problem, lack of technological supply. However, little attention has been given to identify and characterize these livestock production constraints in the districts. It is with this understanding that the present study was initiated and conducted..
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