OBSERVATIONS ON HEALTH AND STRESS IN WORKBULLS UNDER INDIGENOUS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN KADUNA AND KATSINA STATES OF NIGERIA
OBSERVATIONS ON HEALTH AND STRESS IN WORKBULLS UNDER INDIGENOUS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN KADUNA AND KATSINA STATES OF NIGERIA
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Date
1998-09
Authors
MOHAMMED, Abdullahi Kolo
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Abstract
A total of 2,887 workbulls comprising Bunaji, Bokoloji and Rahaji breeds, aged 2.5-9 years,
belonging to 240 farmers in Soba and (iivva Local Government Areas of Kadnna State and
Malumfashi and Dutsin-Ma LGAs of Katsina State, were investigated for the prevalence of
traumatic and non-traumatic disease conditions.
Bunaji breed constituted 91% (2627), while Bokoloji and Rahaji breeds represented 8.7% (251)
and 0.3% (9)of the cases investigated, respectively. Important health problems observed were
traumatic conditions (45.0%), helminthiases (24.4%), ecto-parasitism (22.2%), dermatophilosis
(kirchi) (10.4%), anaplasmosis (4.2%) and babesiosis (4.0%). Other conditions included footand-
mouth disease (1.8%), abscesses (1.1 %), foot-rot and orchitis (0.2% each). Workbulls were
13.6 times more likely to have traumatic conditions than non-workbulls in the areas studied.
Significantly high relative risks (P<0.05) were obtained for the months of March through July.
In another study, 36 of the Bunaji breed belonging to 18 tanners, derived from the same
population were used to investigate the hematological and scrum biochemical changes before and
immediately after ridging activity.
Significant (P<0.01) elevations in hematological parameters (RBC, PCV, Hb, WBC and
neutrophils) were observed immediately alter strenuous ridging activity. Neutrophilia with
marked lymphocytopenia and eosinopenia were demonstrated, indicating stress. While decrease
in erythrocyte indices MCV, MCH and MCHC were insignificant (P>0.05). There were also
significant (P<0.0l) elevations in chloride, BUN, creatinine and total protein. However, the
increase in sodium and albumin were insignificant while bicarbonate and potassium levels
decreased immediately after work.
Most farmers were observed to use each workbull for about four planting seasons before
replacement. Commonly used ridgers in the area were Emcort(R) (45%), loeally fabricated ones
(45%), and Kasco(R) (10%). The ridgers' mean weight was 35.40 + 4.50 kg while the bulls
ridging speed on a plain rain-fed soil was 0.90 ± 0.1 1 m/s. The area ridged was 0.23 ha/hour
(1 ha/4.35 hours) and the bulls worked an average of 6.16 ± 1.67 hours/day during the period
of active land preparation for planting (May-July). The mean live-weight of the bulls at the start
of the study was 381.80 ± 60.01 kg and 372.39 ± 38.72 kg at the end of the study.
During the rainy season, workbulls maintained their weights by grazing 5-6 hours/day on natural
grassland. While those weighing over 250 kg were supplemented with 3.5 - 6.5 kg agro-industrial
by-products 3 times daily in the late dry season, prior to maintaining and preparing them for farm
work during the early rains period
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF M.Sc. DEGREE IN VETERINARY SURGERY
AND MEDICINE
SEPTEMBER, 1998
Keywords
OBSERVATIONS,, WORKBULLS,, INDIGENOUS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM,, KATSINA STATES OF NIGERIA