Journal of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
(ISSN: 2659 – 0743)
Volume 2, No. 1, 2020
Pages 201-209
Epidemiology of Foot and Mouth Disease in the Northern Zone of Kaduna State
Baba, U.1, Kwaga, J. K. P.1, Kabir, J.1, Yusuf, O.2, Kazeem, H. M.1 and Umar S. A.1
1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Nigeria.
2Department of Agricultural Economics ABU Zaria.
ABSTRACT
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a viral trans-boundary animal disease (TAD) of cloven hoofed animals characterized by high morbidity and mortality of young animals. The study was aimed at estimating bovine FMD prevalence in the northern zone of Kaduna State and to determine risk factors associated with the disease. A Cross sectional study was carried out in four randomly selected local government areas (LGAs) of the zone namely; Ikara, Sabon Gari, Soba and Zaria LGAs where sera were collected from 50 cattle in each of the LGAs totaling 200 samples. The sera were subjected to NSP- blocking ELISA (Priocheck(R)) to estimate the disease prevalence in the study area. Pre-tested questionnaire was administered to pastoralist within the study area to obtain animal disease information with emphasis on FMD. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics using SPSS 16.0. The overall FMD prevalence obtained was 85.5% (171/200). The positivity was higher among males (89.7%) compared to females (84.5%), higher in white Fulani [Bunaji] (89.1%) compared to Bokolooji, in younger animals (87.5%) compared to adults (84.6%) and higher in Soba LGA (92%), followed by Sabon Gari (92%), Zaria (86%) and Ikara (74%). There was a statistically significant difference (P< 0.05) between young and adult cattle in term of the disease occurrence, but no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) based on the sex, breed, and location of the cattle to the disease prevalence. Foot and mouth disease was rated as the most important cattle disease by 65% of the respondents followed by CBPP (27.5%) and helminthiases (7.5%). All the respondents knew FMD and can identify signs of the disease. Local names of FMD were reported as Jode, Boru and Laee. Coping strategies adopted by herdsmen during FMD outbreaks were isolation and treatment with herbal and conventional drugs. In conclusion, findings of this study confirmed FMD is endemic in the study area, sex, breed and location of the cattle had no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) in the occurrence of the disease. Pastoralist had sound knowledge of the disease. Recommendations from this work are need for national FMD control program and sensitization of cattle owners on the disease preventive measures.
Keywords: Epidemiology, Foot and mouth disease, Kaduna state, Pastoralist