Compliance with appropriate flock health program is vital for preventing introduction and minimizing impact of diseases in goat farms. Unfortunately, most goat farms in Uganda, especially in the Albertine Graben Zone ...Compliance with appropriate flock health program is vital for preventing introduction and minimizing impact of diseases in goat farms. Unfortunately, most goat farms in Uganda, especially in the Albertine Graben Zone lack flock health program. The associated frequent outbreaks slow down effort aimed at commercializing goat production. In this study, we documented flock dynamics, identified and prioritized pressing challenges experienced by goat farms during the year 2022 and generated appropriate flock health program and packaged it for dissemination to farmers. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, semi-structured questionnaire, data were collected and analyzed with MS Excel 2013. The data included: location and socio-demographics of household, farming system, flock dynamics, housing, feeding system, health management, challenges encountered by goat farm and suggested solutions. Results: Beginning January 2022 to December 2022, the number of goats reared in all the 45 sample farms increased from 2128 to 2220 goats. Results showed that 884 kids were produced and 88 breeding goats were introduced into the farms. Three hundred ninety-nine goats died due to mainly diseases and 435 goats got withdrawn through nondeath. The average farm level and overall mortality rate were 21 goats per 1000 goatmonths and 15 goats per 1000 goatmonths respectively. The most pressing challenges encountered by sample farms were death of goats especially due to diseases, poor access to veterinary extension services, high cost of inputs and feed scarcity. Solutions suggested by sample farms were improved access to veterinary services, improved housing, enhanced vaccination of goats against diseases, and enhanced grazing land management and feed conservation, all of which were incorporated into the flock health program. Conclusion and Recommendations: An appropriate flock health program was generated based on flock dynamics and production constraints which reveal high mortality and limited access to veterinary services respectively. Actors are recommended to promote adoption and adherence to the flock health program so as to increase goat production and access to wider market.展开更多
Goats are globally very important domestic small ruminants being kept for meat, milk, skin, byproducts and several socio-cultural purposes. Goat farmers in the Lake Albert Crescent Zone (LACZ) of Uganda identified dry...Goats are globally very important domestic small ruminants being kept for meat, milk, skin, byproducts and several socio-cultural purposes. Goat farmers in the Lake Albert Crescent Zone (LACZ) of Uganda identified dry-season feed scarcity, poor breeds, diseases, informal marketing and theft as major constraints which underscore the scarcity of information on improved management technologies and the need for targeted decisions. At BuZARDI goat farm, a semi-intensive farm that is also experiencing similar challenges, we documented management practices and collected production related data for 2 years. We computed flock dynamics and mortality rates purposely to influence decisions aimed at increasing the farm’s productivity. Data were collected using pens and books, validated and analyzed using MS office 2013 and SPSS version 22. The flock size increased from 37 goats in July 2020 to 175 goats in June 2022. One hundred twenty-five goats were introduced into the farm as breeding stock, 89 kids were born on the farm and 61 goats died due to various causes. The average number of goats in the farm per month was 109.2 (SEM = 13.7), female 79.8 (SEM = 10.8) and male 29.4, (SEM = 9.9). Average population of goats at risk of death was 95 and the Mortality rate was 27 goats per 1000 goat months. The disaggregated mortality rate of 5 goats per 1000 goat months and 39 goats per 1000 goat months were obtained for the period FY 2020-2021 and FY2021-2022 respectively. The main contributors to the mortality of goats were worm infestation (33%), fracture and injuries arising from stampedes (18%), Ticks and tick borne diseases (18%), respiratory tract infections (11%) and malnutrition (10%). We recommend strict adherence to the flock health program;improved parasite management, separation & improved care for kids, vaccinations, safer feeding, and evidence based disease management, adoption of digital data collection tools and development of an appropriate app for more accurate determination of mortality rates.展开更多
文摘Compliance with appropriate flock health program is vital for preventing introduction and minimizing impact of diseases in goat farms. Unfortunately, most goat farms in Uganda, especially in the Albertine Graben Zone lack flock health program. The associated frequent outbreaks slow down effort aimed at commercializing goat production. In this study, we documented flock dynamics, identified and prioritized pressing challenges experienced by goat farms during the year 2022 and generated appropriate flock health program and packaged it for dissemination to farmers. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, semi-structured questionnaire, data were collected and analyzed with MS Excel 2013. The data included: location and socio-demographics of household, farming system, flock dynamics, housing, feeding system, health management, challenges encountered by goat farm and suggested solutions. Results: Beginning January 2022 to December 2022, the number of goats reared in all the 45 sample farms increased from 2128 to 2220 goats. Results showed that 884 kids were produced and 88 breeding goats were introduced into the farms. Three hundred ninety-nine goats died due to mainly diseases and 435 goats got withdrawn through nondeath. The average farm level and overall mortality rate were 21 goats per 1000 goatmonths and 15 goats per 1000 goatmonths respectively. The most pressing challenges encountered by sample farms were death of goats especially due to diseases, poor access to veterinary extension services, high cost of inputs and feed scarcity. Solutions suggested by sample farms were improved access to veterinary services, improved housing, enhanced vaccination of goats against diseases, and enhanced grazing land management and feed conservation, all of which were incorporated into the flock health program. Conclusion and Recommendations: An appropriate flock health program was generated based on flock dynamics and production constraints which reveal high mortality and limited access to veterinary services respectively. Actors are recommended to promote adoption and adherence to the flock health program so as to increase goat production and access to wider market.
文摘Goats are globally very important domestic small ruminants being kept for meat, milk, skin, byproducts and several socio-cultural purposes. Goat farmers in the Lake Albert Crescent Zone (LACZ) of Uganda identified dry-season feed scarcity, poor breeds, diseases, informal marketing and theft as major constraints which underscore the scarcity of information on improved management technologies and the need for targeted decisions. At BuZARDI goat farm, a semi-intensive farm that is also experiencing similar challenges, we documented management practices and collected production related data for 2 years. We computed flock dynamics and mortality rates purposely to influence decisions aimed at increasing the farm’s productivity. Data were collected using pens and books, validated and analyzed using MS office 2013 and SPSS version 22. The flock size increased from 37 goats in July 2020 to 175 goats in June 2022. One hundred twenty-five goats were introduced into the farm as breeding stock, 89 kids were born on the farm and 61 goats died due to various causes. The average number of goats in the farm per month was 109.2 (SEM = 13.7), female 79.8 (SEM = 10.8) and male 29.4, (SEM = 9.9). Average population of goats at risk of death was 95 and the Mortality rate was 27 goats per 1000 goat months. The disaggregated mortality rate of 5 goats per 1000 goat months and 39 goats per 1000 goat months were obtained for the period FY 2020-2021 and FY2021-2022 respectively. The main contributors to the mortality of goats were worm infestation (33%), fracture and injuries arising from stampedes (18%), Ticks and tick borne diseases (18%), respiratory tract infections (11%) and malnutrition (10%). We recommend strict adherence to the flock health program;improved parasite management, separation & improved care for kids, vaccinations, safer feeding, and evidence based disease management, adoption of digital data collection tools and development of an appropriate app for more accurate determination of mortality rates.
