Prevalence of Salmonella Infection in Intensive Poultry Farms in Hawassa and Isolation of Salmonella species from sick and dead chickens

A bacteriological study of Salmonella Gallinarum/Pullorum was conducted in intensively managed chickens in Hawassa, Ethiopia between November 2008 and May 2009. The objectives of the study were to estimate the bacteriological prevalence of S. Gallinarum/Pullorum in apparently healthy chickens and to assess the proportional morbidity/mortality from S. Gallinarum/Pullorum in sick/dead chickens. Cloacal swabs were collected from a total of 380 randomly selected chickens from 3 poultry farms to estimate the prevalence, whereas necropsy samples of liver, spleen and ceca were collected from 31 sick/dead chickens to estimate the proportional morbidity/mortality. The prevalence of Salmonella infection (S. Gallinaum/Pullorum) was 0.8% (3/380), while isolation was possible from 16.1% (5/31) sick/dead chickens. Only S. Gallinarum was isolated from cloacal swabs. Of the 6 isolates obtained from necropsy samples 1 was S. Pullorum and the rest 5 S. Gallinarum; and, 3 were from liver, 2 from cecum and 1 from spleen. It is concluded that salmonellosis is prevalent and fowl typhoid and pullorum disease have significant role in morbidity and mortality of intensively managed chickens in Hawassa. This result may indicate the challenge that the poultry industry of the country may face from S. Gallinarum/Pullorum in the future in its intensification. Concerted efforts, therefore, should be made at national and local levels to control the diseases. Keywords ∙ Ethiopia ∙ Hawassa ∙ Isolation ∙ Prevalence ∙ Salmonella Gallinarum- Pulloru

Response of Teff ((Eragrostis tef (zucc.) Trotter) to nitrogen and phosphorus applications on different landscapes in eastern Amhara

The dynamic nature of soil fertility status across different landscapes attracted research attention in Ethiopia and the globe. Teff [Eragrotis tef] is a major staple cereal crop in Ethiopia but yields are low due to inadequate nutrient supply and other constraints. A field study was conducted in 2020 and 2021 in the Habru district of Amhara Region to determine teff yield response to fertilizer-N and -P at hillslope, midslope, and footslope positions with slopes of >15%, 5–15%, and 0–5%, respectively. N and P fertilizer rates were factorially combined in randomized complete block design with three replications in each farmer’s field. A linear mixed modeling framework was used to determine effects on grain yield due to N rate, P rate, slope, study sites, and years. Model fit was examined using Akaike’s Information Criterion and Bayesian Information Criterion. Economic analysis was done with a quadratic response function to determine the economics of fertilizer. Yield response to fertilizer-P was affected by slope but the response to fertilizer-N was not affected. Teff yield increase with fertilizer-N application up to 92 kg ha-1 the economic optimum rate based on the yield response function for nitrogen fertilizer was 85.4 kg ha-1 to obtain maximum profit (86878.8 birr ha-1). Similarly, the optimum phosphorus fertilizer rate at the hill slope was 39.7 kg ha-1 to obtain a maximum profit of (96847.8 birr ha-1). But there was not a profitable response at the midslope and foot slope positions. Therefore, for Habru district and similar agroecologies85.4 kg ha-1 N and 39.7 kg ha-1 P in hillslopes and only 85.4 N kg ha-1 for midslopes and foot slopes are expected to give the most profitable returns to fertilizer applied for tef production

Infection, colonization and shedding of Campylobacter and Salmonella in animals and their contribution to human disease: A review

Livestock meat and offal contribute significantly to human nutrition as sources of high‐quality protein and micronutrients. Livestock products are increasingly in demand, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income settings where economies are growing and meat is increasingly seen as an affordable and desirable food item. Demand is also driving intensification of livestock keeping and processing. An unintended consequence of intensification is increased exposure to zoonotic agents, and a contemporary emerging problem is infection with Campylobacter and Salmonella spp. from livestock (avian and mammalian), which can lead to disease, malabsorption and undernutrition through acute and chronic diarrhoea. This can occur at the farm, in households or through the food chain. Direct infection occurs when handling livestock and through bacteria shed into the environment, on food preparation surfaces or around the house and surroundings. This manuscript critically reviews Campylobacter and Salmonella infections in animals, examines the factors affecting colonization and faecal shedding of bacteria of these two genera as well as risk factors for human acquisition of the infection from infected animals or environment and analyses priority areas for preventive actions with a focus on resource‐poor settings

Effects of anthelmintics and supplementation on productivity of Menz and Menz-Awassi crossbred sheep with sub-clinical helminthosis

A total of 108 weaned Menz (n=39), 50% Awassi X Menz (n=38) and 75% Awassi X Menz (n=31) sheep genotypes of two sexes were randomly allocated into two nutrition levels (supplemented and non-supplemented) and two anthelmintic treatments (treated and untreated) to investigate their differential response to natural sub-clinical helminthosis on-station at Debre Berhan, Ethiopia. Data were collected on feed intake, live weight (LWT), eggs per gram of faeces (EPG), packed cell volume (PCV), fleece weight (FWT), slaughter weight (SLWT), carcass weight (CWT), dressing percentage (DP), and adult worm burden counts (WB) with worm identification. Anthelmintic treatment reduced EPG and WB and this was consistent with the higher PCV (31.6 vs. 27.4%; p<0.0001) for treated than for non-treated sheeThis, in turn, was reflected on higher (p<0.05) LWT, SLWT, and CWT in treated than for non-treated sheeEPG of Strongyle and egg prevalence of Fasciola and Trichuris as well as WB of F. hepatica and Trichostrongylus colubriformis for treated sheep was significantly lower (p<0.05) than for non-treated sheeSupplementation had no significant effect on TPG and WB counts. However, supplemented lambs enormously improved (p<0.0001) ADG, SLWT, CWT, and DBreed difference (p<0.0001) was observed in dry matter intake (DMI); the intake of 75% Awassi X Menz sheep being highest compared with 50% Awassi X Menz and indigenous Menz sheeMenz rind its 50% cross with Awassi were able to maintain their PCV and had higher DP in spite of their relatively higher parasite load than the 75% AwassixMenz genotype. Significant interactions were treatment by nutrition for LWT and SLWT, breed by treatment for PCV, LWT and ADG, and breed by nutrition for LWT and total DMI. Supplementation and strategic anthelmintic treatment could be used to maintain high-grade sheep genotypes under sub-clinical parasitism in the highlands of Ethiopia

Effects of strategic helminthosis control on age at first lambing and lambing interval of communally grazed Menz ewes in Ethiopia

A three-year longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate effects of strategic anthelmintic treatment regimes on age at first lambing (AFL), weight at first lambing (WFL) and lambing interval (LI) of 356 communally grazed ewes and 675 lambs owned by 10 smallholder farmers in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The ewes were stratified by weight and randomly allocated to three treatment groups as untreated control (TG1), twice-dosed per year (TG2) for both nematodes and trematodes in mid-January and mid-June and four-time-dosed per year (TG3) in June for nematodes, in August–September for nematodes and adult Fasciola, in November–December and January–February for immature flukes. The fixed effect of anthelmintic treatments, parity, season and year of lambing on AFL and LI was evaluated. Mean ± standard error (SE) of lambing interval was 292 ± 3 days. Both anthelmintic treatments (TG2 and TG3) shortened (P 0.05). Birth and lambing seasons of the ewe lamb had significant (P < 0.05) effect on AFL. On the other hand, lambing season of the ewe had significant (P < 0.05) effect on WFL. Ewe lambs born in the long rains lambed more than 50 days earlier than the ewe lambs born in short rainy and dry seasons. Lambing occurred year-round with two peaks in August–September and December–January, each 5 months after the two rainy seasons. Anthelmintic treatment at the beginning of the two rainy seasons should improve reproductive performance of Menz ewe lambs in similar agro-ecology in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Serum enzyme levels and influencing factors in three indigenous Ethiopian sheep breeds

Serum enzymes were studied in 377 apparently healthy sheep from three indigenous sheep breeds of Ethiopia. The effect of breed, age, sex and season on alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (AcP) levels was assessed. The mean serum enzymes levels of the indigenous Menz, Tukur and Wello sheep breeds ranged from 17.2-17.7 IU l-1, AST/GOT from 50.4-56.6 IU l-1, ALP from 93.2-103.9 IU l-1, and AcP from 2.47-2.56 IU l-1, were within the normal range for sheep elsewhere. Season had significant influence on all serum enzymes except for the AcP in Menz breed. Sex had significant effect on AST/GOT for Menz and on ALP for all sheep breeds, with consistently higher values in males than in females. Age was significant only on ALP in the Menz and Tukur breeds. The serum enzyme levels of these indigenous sheep breeds can be used as normal reference values for Ethiopian sheep breeds adapted to similar agro-ecology and production system

Effect of strategic helminthosis control on mortality of communally grazed Menz lambs of smallholders in the cool central Ethiopian highlands

M. Tibbo and A. Haile are ILRI authorsA 3-year longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate the effects of strategic anthelmintic dosing on communally grazed village sheep in Gera Keya district in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Ewes were stratified by weight and randomly allocated to three treatment groups: untreated control (TG1), twice-dosed per year (TG2; for both nematodes and trematodes in mid-January and mid-June) and four-time-dosed per year (TG3; in June for nematodes, in August–September for nematodes and adult Fasciola, in November–December and January–February for immature liver flukes). The fixed effect of treatment, lamb sex, dam parity, season and year of birth on mortality from birth to 90, 180, 270 and 365 days was analyzed. Least square means of lamb mortality from birth to 90, 180, 270 and 365 days were 11.3, 16.8, 18.0 and 19.5%, respectively. Anthelmintic treatment had significant effect (P < 0.05) on mortality of lambs at all ages: lambs in TG3 had consistently higher mortality than lambs in TG2. The lambs in TG3 were worse in terms of survival from birth to 180 days even when compared with the control group (TG1). Mortality rate in male lambs was twice as high compared to their female contemporaries at all ages (P < 0.001). Season of birth had significant (P < 0.01) effect on lamb mortality at all ages. Lambs born during rainy season had the lowest mortality in the first 6 months (0–90 and 0–180 days) of age than those born during short rainy or dry seasons. Instead of frequent mass drenching, discriminatory drenching on a case-by-case basis should be considered to improve lamb survival

Longitudinal modeling of fasting blood sugar with diabetes: A case study of Adama Hospital Medical College, Ethiopia

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in fasting blood sugar (FBS) over time and its determinants in diabetic patients. Methods A longitudinal data analysis retrospective‐based study was considered with a sample of 312 patients, and the linear mixed effect model was applied. Results Based on the linear mixed model, the 3‐month change in time decreases the average FBS level by 0.0111. An increase of one unit of body mass index (BMI) increases the FBS level by 0.0434. Similarly, an increase in blood pressure (DBP) per unit increased the average log FBS level by 0.0005. Secondary and higher education levels lower log FBS levels by 99.41% and 99.45%, respectively, compared with noneducated individuals. Conclusion The study showed that hypertension history, type of diet, age, status of education, type of drug, body mass index, diastolic blood pressure, and time were statistically significant factors. Implications According to the study, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy body weight, and a low blood sugar level are essential to controlling blood sugar and preventing long‐term complications. The government should build an educational institution proportional to the population and open programs to increase awareness about the prevention mechanism of diabetes in communities

Factors affecting hematological profiles in three Ethiopian indigenous goat breeds

Hematological parameters were studied in 163 apparently healthy goats comprised of 3 indigenous breeds at Adami-Tulu Agricultural Research Centre (ATARC) and Sheno, Agricultural Research Centre (SARC), Ethiopia. Data were analyzed for the effect of breed, sex, age, and season. Hemoglobin (Hb) was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) for Arsi-Bale (AB) than Longeared Somali (LES) and Central Highland (CH) goats. Packed cell volume (PCV) was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) for LES than the other two breeds. White blood cells (WBC) (P < 0.05), neutrophils (P < 0.0001) and basophils (P < 0.0001) were higher in CH than in the other two breeds. Conversely, lymphocytes were lowest (P < 0.0001) in CH goats compared to other breeds. Female goats had significantly (at least P < 0.05) higher red blood cells (RBC), PCV, WBC, lymphocytes and eosinophils than male goats. In contrast, males had higher (P < 0.05) mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and neutrophils than females. There was no significant age difference for the erythrocytic series but the age difference was highly significant (P < 0.0001) for the leukocytic series. WBC and lymphocytes decreased as age increased while the reverse was true for neutrophils and eosinophils. Seasonal variation was also considerable for both erythrocytic and leukocytic series. RBC, Hb, lymphocytes, and neutrophils of the indigenous goat breeds were remarkably different compared to most other exotic goat breeds