International audience

International audience

In Burkina Faso, rural livestock farmers in arid and semi-arid areas rely heavily on woody plant resources such as Acacia nilotica and Acacia raddiana to satisfy the needs of small ruminant rearing. The assessment of the availability and the use of these two species are therefore essential to better manage them sustainably for their preservation. The survey carried out in the area showed that the questioned farmers exploited the leaves and pods of the two Acacia for the needs of the ruminants. 100% of the farmers exploit A. raddiana only for the feeding of small ruminants. However, A. nilotica was exploited for animal feed and health. The most commonly reported treatments are Foot and Mouth Disease (98.7%) followed by diarrhea (73.7%) and foot wounds (51.2%). In order to compare the results of the survey, a botanical inventory was carried out in the area and the results showed that A. raddiana is more available compared to A. nilotica. Also, other local species such as Faidherbia albida, Acacia senegal, Balanites aegyptiaca and Acacia siberiana are also exploited for the needs of small ruminant rearing in the study area. The most important constraints were excessive cutting, drought and overexploitation that negatively impact their survival. Data on these constraints provide the basis for a campaign to raise awareness among herders' communities to preserve these plants to sustainably improve the productivity of small ruminants and consequently farmer’s income.

Necrotoxigenic Escherichia coli (NTEC) are associated with intestinal and extraintestinal diseases in animals and human beings and produce Cytotoxic Necrotizing Factor 1 (CNF1) or 2 (CNF2). Fourty-three NTEC1, 42 NTEC2, and 32 CNF-negative isolates from cattle were tested by colony DNA hybridization, by plasmid DNA hybridization and by PCR assays for the presence of DNA sequences homologous to the operons coding for fimbrial (PAP/PRS, SFA/FIC, and F17) and afimbrial (AFA/Dr) adhesins of extraintestinal E. coli. Most NTEC1 isolates hybridized with the PAP probes and either the SFA probe (37%) or the AFA probes (49%). Most NTEC2 isolates, in contrast, hybridized with the F17 probe (45%), the AFA probes (19%), or the F17 and AFA probes (22%). A probe-positive plasmid was identified in each of the 19 NTEC2 isolates studied. They all hybridized with the CNF2 toxin probe (Vir plasmids) and most of them with the F17 (6 plasmids) or AFA (7 plasmids) probes. PCR amplification was obtained with 6 of the 11 NTEC isolates tested for the papGII/prsG genes; with all 5 NTEC isolates tested for the sfa and related operons; but with none of the 18 NTEC isolates tested for the afa and related operons. pap-, sfa-, and afa-related sequences are thus present in NTEC isolates from cattle in addition to f17-related operons and may code for adhesins corresponding to specific colonization factors. f17- and afa-related sequences can be located on the Vir plasmids along with the cnf2 gene. Existence of new variants of the AFA/Dr family is evident from the negative results of this family-specific PCR assay.

29 ref. | International audience

International audience

International audience

International audience

International audience

International audience