Veterinary Science & Technology

Assessment on Major Health Constraints of Livestock Development in Eastern Zone of Tigray: The Case of “Gantaafeshum Woreda” Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Berihu Haftu, Aleme Asresie and Mulata Haylom

A study was conducted to identify major health constraints of livestock, giving emphasis to cattle, sheep, goats and poultry in GantaAfeshum district, Eastern Zone of Tigray from March 2013 to June 2013. Questionnaire survey and case observational study methods were carried out for data collection. In the questionnaire survey, 120 livestock owners were interviewed and respondents indicated that the major farming system practiced in the area were mixed crop livestock production. Respondents view towards the major constraints of livestock production in the locality indicated that lack of adequate veterinary services were considered to be the dominant production challenges in the area. On the health aspect, they also confirmed that the most important diseases affecting cattle’s were FMD (17.7%), Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (15.5%), Ectoparasitic/tick infection (14.9%), Anthrax and GIT Parasitism (each with equal response of 11.5%). In sheep and goats GIT-Parasitism (16.1%), pneumonic-pasteurelosis (15.9%), coenuruses (15.8%) and Ectoparasite infection (15.4%) were regarded as the most important diseases. Furthermore, Newcastle disease (79.1%) followed by foul pox (11.6 %) and Coccidiosis (6.7%) were considered as the most important diseases in poultry. Case observational studies were also conducted at the district veterinary clinics (Bizet and Adigrat) and a total of 465 diseased animals were tentatively diagnosed based on history and clinical signs. Among the diseases which were diagnosed, Ectoparasitism (35.55%), endoparasitic problems (25.4%), Mastitis (8.6 %), Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (7%), and FMD (6.64%) were the most frequently observed diseases (cases) in cattle. In sheep and goats, Pneumonic Pasteurelosis (28.85%), endoparasitic problems (22.8%), Ectoparasitism (16.78%), FMD (7.4%), Bloat (4.7%) and sheep and Goat pox (4.7%) were commonly encountered diseases. In Poultry, Newcastle Disease (60%), foul pox (18.3%) and Coccidiosis (11.7%) were found to be commonly encountered health problems. Overall results indicated that shortage of animal feeds, poor management practices, lack of adequate veterinary services and livestock health problems (diseases) were the major constraints existing for livestock development in the area and hence there is a need to expand the veterinary services in terms of quality and quantity in order to tackle the problems associated with livestock health and to boost the awareness of the livestock producers of the community.