Acceptability and feasibility of proposed control and prevention strategies for bovine tuberculosis among Ethiopian dairy farmers and associated professionals

Abstract

A series of Focus Group Discussions were held with farmers, veterinarians and human health workers in two sites in Ethiopia, as part of the Ethiopia Control of Bovine Tuberculosis Strategies Project's efforts to devise and test the acceptability and feasibility of various control strategies for Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB). Group members were asked to give their responses to a range of strategies collected from global efforts to control the disease in cattle and humans in the context of intensification of the dairy industry, as well as those suggested by researchers within the project. Key findings from the study include the observation that a number of strategies utilised routinely to control bTB elsewhere in the world, including 'Test and Slaughter' and 'Test and Segregation' are likely to be impractical in low-resource settings where infrastructure may be unreliable and space both between and on individual farms is limited. It also became clear that farmers called upon to implement biosecurity measures should be supplied with locally-specific information and instructions in order to effectively control and prevent the spread of disease. Additionally, this research supports the need for investment in animal health system strengthening in Ethiopia and other similar settings, in order to enable animal health workers, including veterinarians, to devote time to disease surveillance and farmer sensitisation. Similarly, investment in milk pasteurisation processes and public education on these processes should be prioritised in order to increase their acceptability and feasibility among both producers and consumers.

Milk and meat consumption patterns and the potential risk of zoonotic disease transmission among urban and peri-urban dairy farmers in Ethiopia

“…This may be due to people accumulating knowledge of the health risks surrounding raw meat consumption over the life course and/or a general shift in diet as people age. In focus group discussions carried out as part of the ETHICOBOTS project, dairy farmers in the Oromia towns around Addis Ababa reported that some older people no longer consume any meat because it is believed to speed up the aging process [ 30 ]. With the assumption that the study areas represent urban and peri-urban centres in Ethiopia, the result indicates that being vegetarian in Ethiopia is not a common habit (0.6%).…”

“…Therefore, sourcing meat through home and communal slaughter could be potential risk factors for zoonotic disease transmission. In fact, focus group discussions with Ethiopian farmers have revealed that slaughter is a common mechanism for dealing with chronically sick animals [ 30 ]. Home slaughter is more readily practiced on small ruminants.…”

Milk and Meat Consumption Patterns and the Potential Risk of Zoonotic Disease Transmission among Urban and Peri-urban Dairy Farmers in Ethiopia

“…This may be due to people accumulating knowledge of the health risks surrounding raw meat consumption over the life course and/or a general shift in diet as people age. In Focus Group Discussions carried out as part of the ETHICOBOTS project, dairy farmers in the Oromia towns around Addis Ababa reported that some older people no longer consume any meat because it is believed to speed up the aging process [29]. With the assumption that the study areas represent urban and peri-urban centers in Ethiopia, the result indicates that being vegetarian in Ethiopia is not a common habit (0.6%).…”

“…Therefore, sourcing meat through home and communal slaughter could be potential risk factors for zoonotic disease transmission. In fact, focus group discussions with Ethiopian farmers have revealed that slaughter is a common mechanism for dealing with chronically sick animals [29]. Home slaughter is more readilly practiced on smallruminants.…”

Associação Da Imagem Corporal Com O Estado Nutricional De Estudantes De Nutrição Em Uma Instituição Pública

“…A escassez de usinas de pasteurização, de investimento político para o processamento, de apoio governamental quanto à regulamentação do comércio do gado e sistema de certificação e de conhecimento público sobre a segurança e qualidade do leite também são problemas encontrados. Além disso, a presença de infraestrutura inadequada nas fazendas, espaço insuficiente e outros recursos impossibilita a realização de determinadas medidas de controle e prevenção da doença, como Teste e Segregação e Teste e Abate (HODGE et al, 2020).…”