Effects of environmental factors and deworming management on the clinical manifestations of Gogo sheep: A case of semiarid area in Central Tanzania

Germinus Bahati  Tungu; Edwin Peter Chang'a; Angaza Amosi Gimbi; George Cesilius Kifaro; Godfrey Lucas Chasama

doi:10.31893/avr.2024014

Keywords:

Gogo sheep

semiarid

seasons

clinical manifestation

agro-pastoralists

Abstract

The Gogo sheep ecotype, which is indigenous to the semiarid areas of Tanzania, is an important livestock resource for agro-pastoralist farmers in the Central Zone of Tanzania. They have been adapted to the commonly owned rangelands and harsh seasonal environmental conditions of semiarid areas. Several factors have been reported to affect their productivity. Internal parasites, especially helminths, have been reported to be critical in causing low sheep productivity. The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of environmental factors in terms of season and deworming management on Gogo sheep in the semiarid area of the Dodoma region. Dewormed and undewormed Gogo sheep were studied to evaluate the resulting relationships with clinical manifestations and seasons via a chi-square test. The analysis was performed on the basis of the fecal egg count (FEC) via the egg per gram (epg) method and anemia status via the packed cell volume (PCV). The relationships between clinical manifestations (epg and PCV) were analyzed via correlations with paired attributes. The survival rate of lambs in relation to season, birth type, and sex was also studied. Notably, lamb deworming management, season, and the natural immunity of Gogo sheep govern the level of sheep clinical manifestations. In conclusion, deworming Gogo sheep via a properly planned deworming regime improved the survival and welfare of the sheep in the agro-pastoralist flocks. Good management of twin lambs and those born in the wet season is recommended.
References
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Tungu, G. B., Chang’a, E. P., Gimbi, A. A., Kifaro, G. C., & Chasama, G. L. (2025). Effects of environmental factors and deworming management on the clinical manifestations of Gogo sheep: A case of semiarid area in Central Tanzania. Applied Veterinary Research, 3(4), 2024014. https://doi.org/10.31893/avr.2024014

[1] Almeida, A. M., Campos, A., Francisco, R., Van Harten, S., Cardoso, L. A., & Coelho, A. V. (2010). Proteomic investigation of the effects of weight loss in the gastrocnemius muscle of wild and New Zealand white rabbits via 2D-electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF MS. Journal of Animal Genetics, 41, 260-272. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2052.2009.01994.x

[2] Bishop, S. C. (2012). Possibilities to breed for resistance to nematode parasite infections in small ruminants in tropical production systems. Journal of Animal Science, 6(5), 741–747. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1751731111000681

[3] Bishop, S. C., & Morris, C. A. (2007). Genetics of disease resistance in sheep and goats. Small Ruminant Research, 70, 48–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2007.01.006

[4] Brian, S. B., Koepke, J., Elkin, S., & Onno, W. V. (2000). Procedure for determining packed cell volume by the microhematocrit method; Approved Standard. NCCLS. http://clsi.org/h7a3_sample.pdf

[5] DAGRIS. (2009). Domestic Animal Genetic Resources Information System (DAGRIS). International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). http://dagris.ilri.cgiar.org/default.asp

[6] FAO. (2006). World agriculture: Towards 2015/2030. Summary report. Rome, Italy. http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/Y3557E00.HTM

[7] Getachew, T., Haile, A., Tibbo, M., Sharma, A. K., Sölkner, J., & Wurzinger, M. (2010). Herd management and breeding practices of sheep owners in a mixed crop-livestock and a pastoral system of Ethiopia. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 5(8), 685-691.

[8] Hefnawy, A. E., Youssef, S., & Shousha, S. (2010). Some immune-hormonal changes in experimentally pregnant toxemic goats. Veterinary Medicine International, 2010, 768438. https://doi.org/10.4061/2010/768438

[9] Horsetalk, N. (2013). Doing a faecal egg count. Parasite Series, 147. http://www.horsetalk.co.nz

[10] Junkuszew, A., Milerski, M., Boja, W., Szczepaniak, K., Scouarnec, J. L., Tomczuk, K., Dudko, P., Studzińska, M. B., Demkowska-Kutrzepa, M., & Bracik, K. (2014). Effect of various anti-parasitic treatments on lamb growth and mortality. Small Ruminant Research, 123(2-3), 306–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2014.11.019

[11] Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: Methods and techniques (2nd ed.). New Age International (P) Limited. http://www.newagepublishers.com

[12] McManus, C., do Prado Paim, T., de Melo, C. B., Brasil, B. S., & Paiva, S. R. (2014). Selection methods for resistance to and tolerance of helminths in livestock. Parasite, 21, 56. https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2014055

[13] Sejian, V., Maurya, V. P., Kumar, K., & Naqvi, S. M. (2012). Effect of multiple stresses (thermal, nutritional, and walking stress) on the reproductive performance of Malpura ewes. Veterinary Medicine International, 2012, 471760. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/471760

[14] Thornton, P. K. (2010). Livestock production: Recent trends, future prospects. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 365(1554), 2853–2867. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0134

[15] Timiza, W. (2011). Climate variability and satellite-observed vegetation responses in Tanzania (Master’s thesis). Lund University. https://www.mysciencework.com/climate-variability-and-satellite

[16] Vanimisetti, H. B., Andrew, S. L., Zajac, A. M., & Notter, D. R. (2004). Inheritance of fecal egg count and packed cell volume and their relationship with production traits in sheep infected with Haemonchus contortus. Journal of Animal Science, 82(6), 1602–1611. https://doi.org/10.2527/2004.8261602x

[17] Zonabend, E., Mirkena, T., Audho, J., Ojango, J., Strandberg, E., Näsholm, A., Malmfors, B., Okeyo, A. M., & Philipsson, J. (2014). Breeding objectives for Red Maasai and Dorper sheep in Kenya—A participatory approach. In Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (pp. 17-22). American Society of Animal Science.

Abstract

References

How to cite