The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang'a District, Kenya

A prospective observational study was conducted among smallholder dairy farmers in Murang'a District, Kenya, to estimate the incidence of Theileria parva infections, as well as calf morbidity and mortality caused by the infection. The study was conducted between March 1995 and August 1996, in five c...

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Main Authors: Gitau, G.K., Perry, Brian D., McDermott, John J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 1999
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/33112
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author Gitau, G.K.
Perry, Brian D.
McDermott, John J.
author_browse Gitau, G.K.
McDermott, John J.
Perry, Brian D.
author_facet Gitau, G.K.
Perry, Brian D.
McDermott, John J.
author_sort Gitau, G.K.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description A prospective observational study was conducted among smallholder dairy farmers in Murang'a District, Kenya, to estimate the incidence of Theileria parva infections, as well as calf morbidity and mortality caused by the infection. The study was conducted between March 1995 and August 1996, in five cohorts of female calves from birth to six months of age from different agro-ecological zones (AEZs) and grazing-system strata shown previously to have varying prevalences of T. parva infection. A total of 188 smallholder dairy farms with 225 female calves were selected purposively by five AEZ-grazing strata. All recruited calves were visited within the first two weeks of life and thereafter at biweekly intervals up to the age of six months. The mean number of cattle in these smallholder farms was 2.6. Both exotic and indigenous breeds of cattle and their crosses were present, with the former predominating. The incidence (27-54 percent) of sero-conversion to T. parva in an ELISA test was significantly different (p<0.05) accross the five AEZ-grazing strata and increased with lower elevation and unrestricted grazing. Calf morbidity and mortality were also variable across the AEZ-grazing strata. East Coast fever (ECF) was the highest-incidence cause calf morbidity and mortality (relative to other diseases). There are great differences in the epidemiology of ECF within a small area and this implies that there is need to carefully consider different ECF control strategies in different AEZ-grazing strata.
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spelling CGSpace331122024-05-01T08:16:14Z The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang'a District, Kenya Gitau, G.K. Perry, Brian D. McDermott, John J. theileria parva small farms mortality morbidity dairy industry dairy cattle calves A prospective observational study was conducted among smallholder dairy farmers in Murang'a District, Kenya, to estimate the incidence of Theileria parva infections, as well as calf morbidity and mortality caused by the infection. The study was conducted between March 1995 and August 1996, in five cohorts of female calves from birth to six months of age from different agro-ecological zones (AEZs) and grazing-system strata shown previously to have varying prevalences of T. parva infection. A total of 188 smallholder dairy farms with 225 female calves were selected purposively by five AEZ-grazing strata. All recruited calves were visited within the first two weeks of life and thereafter at biweekly intervals up to the age of six months. The mean number of cattle in these smallholder farms was 2.6. Both exotic and indigenous breeds of cattle and their crosses were present, with the former predominating. The incidence (27-54 percent) of sero-conversion to T. parva in an ELISA test was significantly different (p<0.05) accross the five AEZ-grazing strata and increased with lower elevation and unrestricted grazing. Calf morbidity and mortality were also variable across the AEZ-grazing strata. East Coast fever (ECF) was the highest-incidence cause calf morbidity and mortality (relative to other diseases). There are great differences in the epidemiology of ECF within a small area and this implies that there is need to carefully consider different ECF control strategies in different AEZ-grazing strata. 1999-03 2013-07-03T05:26:04Z 2013-07-03T05:26:04Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/33112 en Limited Access Elsevier Preventive Veterinary Medicine;39: 65-79
spellingShingle theileria parva
small farms
mortality
morbidity
dairy industry
dairy cattle
calves
Gitau, G.K.
Perry, Brian D.
McDermott, John J.
The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang'a District, Kenya
title The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang'a District, Kenya
title_full The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang'a District, Kenya
title_fullStr The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang'a District, Kenya
title_full_unstemmed The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang'a District, Kenya
title_short The incidence, calf morbidity and mortality due to Theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in Murang'a District, Kenya
title_sort incidence calf morbidity and mortality due to theileria parva infections in smallholder dairy farms in murang a district kenya
topic theileria parva
small farms
mortality
morbidity
dairy industry
dairy cattle
calves
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/33112
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