The prevalence and seasonality of ruminant animal diseases in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Abstract

A ten-year (1996-2005) record of treatment report on diagnosed ruminant diseases in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State was evaluated to determine the prevalence and seasonality of the major ruminant diseases in the southwestern part of Nigeria. A total of 6880 ruminants comprising 114 cattle, 3312 sheep and 3454 goats were treated. Trypanomosis, Pneumonia, and Malnutrition showed seasonal fluctuation while Helminthiasis, Ectoparasitism, Gastro-Enteritis, Kata and Dystocia were distributed throughout the year. Helminthasis (3126 cases) had a seasonal occurrence of 31.99%, 31.54%, 11.89% and 29.01% for the hot-dry , hot-humid rainy, hot humid non-rainy and cool-humid rainy seasons respectively. During the hot-dry season, Trypanosomosis (19.29%) and malnutrition (3.51%) in cattle, Helminthiasis (14.31% and 11.87%) in sheep and goats respectively were the major problems. Ectoparasition (6.76% and 7.53%) and Kata (5.86% and 5.79%) in the sheep and goats respectively were the major problems during the hot-humid rainy season. Helminthiasis (3.51%) Gastro-Enteritis (3.51%) and Toxaemia/Septicaemia (3.51%) in cattle, Helminthiasis (4.23% and 5.91%), Ectoparasitism (2.60% and 1.74%) and Kata (3.02% and 2.72%) in sheep and goats respectively were the major problems during the hot-humid non-rainy season. Pneumonia (5.265) and Helminthasis (3.51%) in cattle, Helminthasis (13.90% and 11.60%), Kata (4.90% and 7.53%), Ectoparasitism (3.51% and 5.21%) and Pneumonia (2.42% and 1.80%) in sheep and goats respectively were the major diseases that occurred in the cool humid rainy season. The relevance of this report to effective control of measures for the ruminant enterprise in southwestern Nigeria is also highlighted.