EFFECT OF HERD HEALTH PROGRAMME ON PERFORMANCE IN SOME ZEBU CATTLE HERDS IN BAUCHI STATE
EFFECT OF HERD HEALTH PROGRAMME ON PERFORMANCE IN SOME ZEBU CATTLE HERDS IN BAUCHI STATE
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Date
1998-08
Authors
KUDI, AYUBA CALEB
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Abstract
A herd health and production programme was designed for 16 zebu
cattle herds in Bauchi State. Planned monthly visits were made to each
herd; additional visits were made only on the request of the herd owners. At
the beginning of the study, each animal was identified, herd structure
determined for each herd full physical examination conducted for each
animal in the herd. During each monthly visit, blood and faecal samples
were taken and examined for haemoparasites and gastrointestinal parasites
respectively and presence of tick infestation recorded. Herds were
vaccinated at the beginning of the study and yearly, against rinderpest,
contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) and black quarter. All herds
were also screened for tuberculosis using the single cervical comparative
test and for brucellosis using the serum agglutination test, at the beginning
and at the end of the study. Rectal examination was done on each visit to
check for pregnancy and / or ovarian activity. Advice on management and
intenventions were given to each herd owner. Also some medicinal plants
used by the Fulani herds men were collected during the visits to the herds,
identified and screened in-vitro for antiviral and antibacterial activity. Data
collected were subjected to Chi-square test, Cow-Months, Ratio-to-Moving
Average method, Life-Table method, Seasonal Index and simple
percentages.
The herds had 2 management systems; extensive and semi-intensive
systems. The semi-intensive herds grazed natural pasture with little
supplementation while the extensive grazed only natural pasture. Seven
herds were managed by illiterate staff. There was on the average one bull
to 2 'cows in most herds and attempt to introduce control mating and culling
of mature bulls to the desired cow:bull ratio were rejected by most of the
herd owners.
The result showed that the prevalence of tuberculosis and brucellosis
decreased in some herds or were eliminated in most herds. Parasitic
diseases were found to be prevalent during the rainy season (June to
September). Infection and infestation decreased yearly in all the herds.
Other diseases encountered were CBPP, dermatophilosis, foot-and-mouth
disease, pneumonia, coccidiosis, gastroenteritis, poisoning and septicemia.
Calf mortality and morbidity rates were high in all herds in the first year but
greatly reduced in the second and third years of the study. Also, survival of
calves within the first 12 months of life increased in the second and third
years of the study from 44.7% to 54.6% for the second and 62.5% for the
third year respectively. This was found to be due to the interventions
instituted.. Monthly mortality rates showed that most deaths occurred during
the rainy season and during the period of feed scarcity. Of all the cattle
culled, tuberculosis and brucellosis accounted for 11.9%, chronic
dermatophilosis 64.9%, old age 16.2%, malnutrition 5.4% and reproductive
failures 1.6%. Cause associated case-fatality rates for adult cattle showed
that of all the cases of; poisoning (mainly plant poisoning) 18.8% died, Footand-
mouth disease 14.3% died, coccidiosis 12.5% died and CBPP 11.1%
died while of all the cases of infection in calves, 50% died due septicemia,
23% died due to calf scour, 28% died due to gastroenteritis, 35.3% died due
to coccidiosis and died 27.4% due to pneumonia.
Age at first calving for cows was between 4 and 5 years after birth. The total
number of animals pregnant and the outcome of pregnancy showed that
more cows calved and the frequencies of abortion and stillbirths decreased
as the study progressed till the third year. The calving interval in all herds
was found to be more than a year and varies from herd to herd depending
on the management. Of the 13 crude extract of medicinal plants tried, six (6)
namely Khanya senegalensis, Dichrostachys glomerata, Boswelia dalzelli,
Xylopia aethiopica, Butryspernum parkii and Hyptis pectinata were found to
have broad spectrum antiviral and antibacterial activity.
The study was able to show that a herd health and production programme
is practicable in Nigeria and could be undertaken to improve productivity.
This study also identified the constraints to developing a herd health and
production programme which included unco-operative attitudes of the
farmers, poor management practices, inadequate feeds, diseases, lack of
records and input factors. These constraints could be overcome if the
farmers are educated on the effect of subclinical diseases on production
and the role of herd health and production programme in improving
productivity.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE
DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
IN VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH & PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
DEPARTMENT OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH & PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.
AUGUST, 1998
Keywords
HERD HEALTH,, PROGRAMME,, PERFORMANCE,, ZEBU CATTLE,, HERDS,, BAUCHI STATE