Prioritization of Economically Important Cattle Diseases Using Participatory Epidemiology Tools in Lalibela, Sekota, and Ziquala Districts of Amhara Region, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia’s livestock resource is one of the largest globally. It is estimated at around 59.5 million cattle, about 30.5 million sheep, and 30.2 million goats. The sector is irreplaceable in the means of livelihood of the population as a source of meat, milk, drought power, and income. Yet, the country is unable to exploit the sector entirely because of highly prevalent infectious diseases and lack of appropriate disease control policy. These constraints are worse in districts of Lalibela, Sekota, and Ziquala, where this specific study was carried out. Despite the availability of scanty animal health services in these areas, information on animal health, especially cattle, was never a significant focus of research. This study was conducted with the objectives of identifying and prioritizing primary cattle disease with the aid of participatory epidemiology tools. Focus group discussions (FGD) and questionnaires were used in prioritizing the top economically important cattle diseases of the selected areas. Accordingly, the result of FGD indicated that ectoparasites, CBPP, FMD, blackleg, bloody diarrhea, and pasteurellosis were the major diseases affecting cattle production in the area. These areas can be representative of most of the countries where a mixed farming system is practiced. Therefore, this result can be used as a basis for broader planning of prevention and control strategies for these kinds of diseases. However, a laboratory-supported extensive investigation of these diseases is highly recommended to validate findings of such types of prioritization of diseases.

Assessment of Farmers Knowledge and Attitude on Vaccination of Livestock and its Implications in Ejere District of West Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

“…In developing country particularly, Ethiopia is the home of huge numbers of livestock as well infectious and noninfectious diseases. Therefore, the veterinary vaccine is used primarily to promote animal health by preventing disease outbreaks that can have a devastating effect on animal production, as well as on human and animal health [6,19].…”

“…Despite having this massive amount of resource, the Ethiopia is unable to exploit the sector entirely because of highly prevalent infectious diseases and lack of appropriate disease control policy [6]. Diseases have many negative impacts on the production and productivity of farm animals including imposing significant economic losses due to mortality, morbidity, loss of weight, poor growth rate, and poor fertility, and reduced animal draft power [7].…”

Critical Systematic Review of Zoonoses and Transboundary Animal Diseases’ Prioritization in Africa

“…Indeed, in this study, there was a wide variation of disease list lengths (number of listed diseases) between countries whatever the prioritization method used. Prioritization processes were held during a workshop (or focus group discussion and surveys) following a preparation period lasting several months and deeply relying on local partners’ engagement and implication of technical and financial partners [ 3 , 10 , 35 , 36 ]. Criteria identification and/or weighing or disease classification based on previously identified criteria were performed by the selected participants.…”

“…Livestock keepers in Africa are rural poor pastoralists, and with regard to priority diseases, it has been found that the perception of the poor themselves varied widely from expert opinion and para-veterinarians and community animal health workers that share the day-to-day life of farmers [ 75 ]. Thus, at the local level despite not being diseases properly speaking, ectoparasite infestations were top ranked, followed by known diseases or syndromes such as contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), foot and mouth disease (FMD), blackleg, bloody diarrhea, and pasteurellosis [ 35 ]. Similarly, at national/regional levels, the top constraints that emerged from a prioritization process including three approaches (literature review, expert workshops, and para-veterinarian practitioner surveys) were endo/ectoparasites, FMD, brucellosis, peste des petits ruminants, Newcastle disease, avian influenza, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, mastitis, reproductive disorders, and nutrition constraints [ 36 ].…”