Impact of major diseases and vectors in smallholder cattle production systems in different agro-ecological zones and farming systems in Uganda

摘要

Astudyoftheimpactofmajordiseasesandvectorsamongsmallholdercattlefarmerswasdoneinthreeagro-ecologicalzonesinUganda.Studiesweredonein:Sorotidistrictrepresentingasemi-humidagro-pastoralsystem,Kayungadistrictrepresentingahumidmixedcrop-livestocksystemandKiruhuradistrictrepresentingasemi-aridpastoralsystem.SorotiandKayungadistrictswerefoundtobehavingmixedcrop-livestockproductionsystemspractisingcommunalandtetheringgrazingofindigenouscattle.MeanwhileinKiruhuradistrictafarmingsystemwasmainlylivestockproductionsystem,practisingcommunalandpaddockinggrazingsystemsofindigenousandimproveddairycattle.nbsp;nbsp;Economiccostsofdiseases,includingpotentiallossesofincomefrommilkanduseoftheanimalsfortractionnbsp;andvectorspercattleheadwashigherinSoroti(Ug.Shs42,700nbsp;valuedat1US$=Ug.Shs1,800)thanKayunga(UgShs15,900)andKiruhura(UgShs22,800).Thisrepresentedthelostproductionpotentialofcattle.InKiruhura,EastCoastFever(ECF),starvationandtickcontrolcausedbiglossesintheformofcontrolcostsandmortality.nbsp;Tickcontrolcontributed91.1%oftotaldiseasecontrolcosts.Hencecheapermethodstocontrolticksshouldbeexploredandpromoted.Starvationwascausing65%oftotalmortalitylosses.Effortsshouldthereforebemadetode-stockherds.InKayunga,75.4%oflosseswerecausedbyticksandTickBorneDiseases(TTBDs)andtheremainingbytrypanosomosis,helminthosisandLumpySkinDisease(LSD).Losseswereintheformofdiseasecontrolcostsandmortality.EffortsmustbemadetocontrolTTBDs.TBDswerecausing68.1%oftotalmortalitylosses.WhileinSoroti,trypanosomosis,anaplasmosis,helminthosisandLSDwerecausingmajorlossesinformofmortality,milkandtractionlosses.EffortstocontroldiseasesandvectorswerelessinSoroti,leadingtohighlossesobserved