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

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.

EFFECT OF HERD HEALTH PROGRAMME ON PERFORMANCE IN SOME ZEBU CATTLE HERDS IN BAUCHI STATE

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