Assessment of Participatory Awareness on Major Constraints of Livesck Productions and Market Accessibility in Kumbi District East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

Study Design Sampling Procedure Purposive and Simple Random

Sampling methods have been done to select the peasant association, households, respectively. Initially five PAs namely: urgo, Kara balci, sela, jajo and Burqa nagaha were purposely selected based on accessibility transport, agro- ecological differences. From each PA 20 households were randomly selected which then made a total of 100 households to include in the study. All livestock owned by the sampled households were considered as study animals. There were, Cattle 506678 Sheep 240238 Goat 391444 Poultry 4488 Equine 29152, camels 231857 and Bee hive 4540.

Questionnaire Survey

A detailed and organized questionnaire format was designed and an attempt was made to generate base line information related to livestock production and with particular emphasis on major livestock health problems; livestock diseases considered as important by farmers and measures taken by farmers against livestock diseases. About 0.2% of the estimated whole population of household heads of the Woreda that amount 100 respondents were involved in the interview. The questionnaire was framed in such a way that farmers could give information that are recent and easy to recall, and it was filled directly by interviewing randomly selected farmers from different villages of the five peasant associations.

Participatory Approach

Twenty key respondents were selected by the development agent in each of the five PAs and informal group discussion has been held for one hour to generate relevant information for the farmers. Points considered during the discussion were disease occurrence and trend for the last few years and constraints of livestock production.

Clinical Observational Study

Clinical cases appearing in the kumbi woreda veterinary clinics from December 2015 to April 2016 were examined to address the major clinical diseases of livestock in the study area.

Cattle

The result of the present study disclosed the existence of major animal health problems on market oriented livestock development of cattle with an overall diagnosed based on questioner survey, Checklist group discussion, retrospective and clinical observation.58.5% of infectious diseases, and 14.5% of parasitic and 27% of miscellaneous diseases were recorded at the study area.

Infectious diseases

The current survey revealed that among the infectious disease Anthrax (16.98%), Blackleg (15.7%), Mastitis (10.6%), Pasteurellosis (8.9%) and Lumpy skin disease (5.3%) were encountered that frequently occurred in the area. The result shows that there is difference in frequency of respondent proportions on infectious diseases of cattle. This difference may be due to degree of severity, mortality and morbidity rates and loses of economy as prioritized by farmers.

Anthrax and Black leg are categorized as soil borne diseases in the study are a occurred frequt the diseases were major health problems of cattle, sheep and equines. Several studies reported that Anthrax and Black leg were claimed to be the leading cattle heal problem in kumbi woreda [7]. Black leg was reported to be the most important infectious disease with prevalence rate of 20% in then orther nor part of Ethiopia Legesse [8] and Tesfahiwot [9] also mentioned that it was common infectious disease of cattle in Ada liben Woreda. These two diseases were endemic as major health problems in the study area .The reason is probably due to the area is characterized by short heavy rainfall, flood and drought which predispose for the agent to be epidemic. Epidemics tend to occur in association with marked climatic or ecological change, such as heavy rainfall, flooding, or drought Aiello.

Mastitis: based on questionnaire survey, participatory approaches with key respondents, veterinary stuffs and retrospective study mastitis was found major health problem of smollholder dairy farmers in the study area. Solomon [10] reported that mastitis was major dairy cow health problem with high prevalence rates (16.2%) in Asella, eastern Ethiopia. Over whelming cases of mastitis were sub clinical and clinical mastitis in both breeds [11]. In the area dairy cows were distributed to the farmers by government but the managements could not know well understood so that dairy cows easilyaffectedby mastitis.

Lumpy skin disease: The result indicated that lumpy skin disease was found as the frequently appeared infectious viral disease in the study area in cattle. The disease frequently occurs from November to December. This result agrees with Regassa [12] in Nekemte, Western Ethiopia that occur during November and December. The author also discussed the epizootic characteristis of this disease has close association with climatic condition mainly prolonged and heavy rains which favor an increase in the population of biting insects and topography. Traditionally the disease occurs in Southern and Eastern Africa but, in recent years, has extended North West through the continent in to sub-Saharan west, Africa. In the area clinical cases were observed during the study period.

Septicemia pasteurellosis (hemorrhagic septicemia or bar bone): Was observed in cattle as the main infectious disease in the study area. This might be animals movement is common for searching of feed, water and to be sold for market during drought period. In addition to rear predisposing factors such as stress, excessive cold (due to high altitude ranges) that can favors the bacteria to multiply and then evade the lower respiratory tract from which infection is triggered. Radostits, et al. [6] also indicated that the disease is common when animals are exposed to wet, chilly weather or exhausted by heavy work.

Parasitic Disease

Regarding to the result many parasitic diseases were observed as common health problem of livestock. Among the parasitic diseases GI helimenthiasis was found frequently causing mainly loss of body condition, emaciation and weak in draught power of cattle. The high occurrence of parasitic diseases in the study area could be due to low deworming practices and the increasing of irrigation lands in the Woreda at which reproduction and development of the parasites and their in termediate hostis favored.

Feseha reported that gastro intestinal helimenthiasis commonest disease-affecting cattle in other crop-livestock production system areas of Ethiopia. Other reports (Belayneh, 2002 and Tesfahiwot [7, 9] also showed that GI helimenthiasis in water shed and Adaliben woreda were major animal health problems of cattle respectively. Fasciolosis common end parasite that affect productivities and growth rate of cattle in the study area. This could be associated to large water wholes and marshy areas available in the grazing area and less deworming. This finding is in agreement with other results with incidence rates as high as33.8% and 47 % that were reported by Regassa from northwestern Ethiopia and Ameni [13] from northeastern Ethiopia respectively.

The study also revealed that with ratio of 3.45% mange mites were ectoparsites of cattle that affects skin mostly encountered in the study area. This result was relatively low compared that of Assegied [14] who recorded a prevalence rate of 7.4%, and relatively high compare that of Chalachew [15] whore ported prevalence of 1.86%. This difference might be due to the study design, management, climate condition and season. An animal that is affected by mange mites shows with clinical signs like rubbing, itching, emaciated body condition and loss of hair in the field area observed.

The observational study also showed the presence of low tick infestation in the area. This was may be due to the microclimate (high land) helps for lowering tick infestation in the study area. High land districts have lesser tick population relative to low land in addition; tick infestation is highest in area by a complex interaction of factors such as climate, host susceptibility and grazing habits.

Miscellaneous Disease

In this survey reproductive problems were important health problems one of cattle as mentioned by respondents. This may be due to UN controlled breeding, infectious agents, production and management systems. Kassahun [11] 6.3% and Yesuneh [16] 2.23 % abortion prevalence rates were recorded indifferent parts of Ethiopia. In addition a prevalence rate of 7.5% [17] and 7.8% [18] dystocia was recorded in Holleta. The high occurrence of dystocia may vary due to the fact that it is influenced by factors such as age and parity dam, as well as breed of the sire.

The present study showed that small ruminants were affected by parasitic disease (50.3%), infectious disease (46.2%) and miscellaneous disease (3.5%).

Parasitic Diseases

Parasitic diseases in small ruminants were found high which was responded by the farmers during interview and field supervision. Among the parasitic diseases, endoparastic comprises more than half of the reported cases. This could be attributed to over grazing of infested pasture and low use of anthelminthic. This result is in consistent with previous findings in Ethiopia high land sheep [19, 20]. Similar result has also been described by Belay [21] in western part of Ethiopia (15%).

The result shows that circling disease (coenuruses cerebrals) was among the major health problems of sheep in the Atsbi wombertaworeda. Its occurrence may be related with presence of infected final host (dog)in the area and low prevention and control strategies.

Fasciolosis was also the major health problems of sheep mentioned during the survey protocol procedures in the study area. This result agrees with Tembley [22] that described Fasciolosis as a very important disease of sheep in the high lands of Ethiopia .Its importance in the present study area may been plained by wide range land marshy area and water holes in which wet up the dry season and good opportunity for the survival of the intermediate host, water snails and consequently gives high chance for the development of the fasciola parasite.

Infectious Disease

Sheep/goat poxviruses in the present study were found frequently occurring viral infectious diseases in the area. Similar study reported by Haffize [23] in central Ethiopia indicated that prevalence rates ofsheeppoxandgoatpoxwe re1.55%and1.62%, respectively. Factors predisposing for poxvirus infection include climate, housing and shortage of feed during the long dry season. The occurrence was higher in young animals than in the adults. As sheep and goat pox are endemic to Ethiopia, adults had lower prevalence probably due to acquired immunity by previous infection and vaccination. Sheep poxvirus occurs in all breeds, sexes and ages of sheep but lambs suffer with higher disease incidence and more sever lesions [24], Ethiopia is consider as having a low sporadic occurrence of the disease [25]. Butinthe1999 about 25 outbreaks in sheep and goat pox were Reported to MOA with a reporting rate of only 42.4% [26], live, attenuated vaccines of sheep and goat pox are produced at the national institute (NVI), Debreziet Ethiopia, to control the disease.

The present study showed pasteurellosis which is locally called ‘mieta /areye’ is the most serious economically important bacterial infectious disease of small ruminants in the Woreda. This result is in agreement with findings of Aschalew [27] who studied on Ovine pneumonic pasteurellosis in northshoa. He described that the higher incidence of the disease were from December to January could be due to the adverse effects of the inclement weather, which was coldest during this months. Pasteurellosis being commensally of the upper respiratory tract selectively prolife rate and colonize the lower part of the respiratory tract. This occurs during times of ill-defined factors of which inclement weather is one example [6]. Similarly the high occurrence of the diseases in the word away bet stress.

Equine Disease

In the study area one of the major animal health problems of equines is African horse sickness. AHS is highly fatal viral infectious disease of horses, mules and donkeys [6]. Its frequent occurrence may be due to the present of insect vector in the area. In areas where out breaks occur the morbidity rate is related to the number of insect vectors present. The other reason may be due to low vaccination cover age in all villages/animals in the area.

In donkeys, parasitic disease is the most frequently encountered health problems in this study area. Among the parasitic cases, GI helimenthiasis is the predominant case, which is occurring, significantly in higher rate in young donkey. This finding is in agreement with that of Yoseph [28] in Wonchi area. Mostly this may be due to stress, which leads to lower immuno competence. Young donkeys are subject to stress when they are being training to carry loads by their owners and hence they become susceptible to parasitic infestation. This study, also correlated with result of Tesfahiwot [9].

The study indicated that back sore is the leading most important health problems of equines in the study area and representing more than63.5%of traumatic wound in equines. Significance nearly similar Finding was reported by Awake [29], northern Gonder, for prevalence of 48%, another report by Tesfahiwot [9] in Ada liben area for prevalence of 50%. This result little bite differs because equines use extensively for transportation and loading of salt from remote area (Afar) to market, poor harnessing which cause abrasion and small to large wounds.

Lameness and hyena bite were also identified in the study that was frequently account significant proportion of traumatic health problems. These diseases related to the housing systems, ragged, swampy and open fencing systems, which predisposing donkeys for hyena bites and unsuitable topography and improper loading style of donkeys which exposed on keys remarkably to lameness.

Colic which was found one of miscellaneous cases had a considerable incidence rate which could beat tribute to the heavy infestation rate of houses with the red worms, restricted access to water, poor teeth status, access offer men table feed staff, torsion of intestine and others [6].

Poultry Disease

The study also revealed that Newcastle Disease (NCD) was identified as more popular and economically significant infectious viral disease of chickens in the study. It was also reported by Dessie and Jobre [30] that NCD was the single major health constraint, which cause heavy mortality and morbidity to village chicken and affects productivity of the system in the country. Its frequency in the woredamay because of absence of control and prevention methods to reduceits economic impact [31, 32].