Prevalence of Skin Diseases in Small Ruminants and Associated Risk Factors in Gamogofa Zone, South-West Ethiopia - Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2017 to March 2018 in Gamo Gofa Zone, Demba Gofa District in SNNPR, to determine the prevalence of skin diseases in sheep and goats and to identify dominant risk factors associated with skin disease at the study area. A total of 383 small ruminants (189 sheep and 194 goats) were examined and 22.54% (86/383) were affected by skin disease. When examining animals in a different agroecological zone, the highest prevalence was observed in Sawla (28.9%), which represents lowland, followed by Zelele (19.53%), which represents Midland and Tsangaderara (18.9%), which represents highland. However, There was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in the occurrence rates of skin diseases among the three selected sites. The prevalence of skin disease in sheep and goats was 23.04% and 21.88% respectively. In the current study, bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal infection was observed. Sheep and goat pox was the predominant disease in the study area, which accounted for 11.23% (43/383), followed by parasitic infestation 4.7% (18/383). Furthermore, the least prevalence was seen in fungal infection (dermatophytosis, 2.7%). Out of 211 females and 172 males examined, 11.8% (25/211) females and 8.5% (18/172) males were infected hence, there was no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) in the prevalence rates of skin diseases among sex. Prevalence observed among the body condition score were 15.41% (59/383) in poor body condition, 4.4% (17/383) in medium body condition and 2.614% (10/383) in good body condition that associated with statistically significant difference (p<0.05) with the occurrence of skin disease. The study revealed that the high prevalence of skin disease on small ruminant in the study area was due to associated risk factors that facilitate favorable environment for etiological agents. Attention should be given to the control and prevention of skin disease and further study in the area should be conducted in order to determine the economic losses caused by small ruminant’s skin disease.