This paper presents an economic analysis of the use of drugs (isometamidium and diminazene) in controlling African Animal Trypanosomosis (AAT), a serious disease of cattle and small ruminants in villages that exhibit resistance to isometamidium in Burkina Faso and Mali in West Africa. The study applies a production function framework integrating a damage control function to assess the short term productivity effect of trypanocide use under different epidemiological conditions. We found that the marginal value products of isometamidium in all epidemiological conditions, and the marginal value product of diminazene in high-prevalence-high-resistance conditions are positive and greater than one revealing an underuse of trypanocidal drugs in those conditions. The economical optimum level of isometamidium is far larger than the current use level. In a strict economic interpretation, this implies that in the short term cattle farmers could increase the profitability if they increase trypanocide input beyond current levels. On the other hand, if the use of trypanocide increases, cattle farmers will also be more likely to experience future losses from trypanocide resistance. In this paper we demonstrated the feasibility of applying the damage control framework for measuring the productivity of veterinary therapeutic drugs at farm level in poor African countries.

The study was designed to evaluate the immune response of chickens among different poultry management following challenge to live La Sota vaccine and further more investigated the lower antibody response detected in traditionally managed chicken, by testing the hypothesis that veterinary intervention (treatment with anti-helminthic, antibiotics and vitamin supplements), prior to vaccination, would improve the antibody response to live NDV vaccination. Even if, a protective level of antibody (> 4 Log 2HAI) was detected in all chickens following vaccination, antibody titres were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the intensively managed chickens Geometric Mean Titre (GMT) 85.4 when compared with the traditionally managed chickens GMT 59.3. From multivariable analysis; following a single live ND virus vaccine at the age of 21 day, chickens rearing in intensive production system were 8.6 times more likely to have high titre (128 vs 32) compared to those rearing in backyard free ranging system. The lower ND-HI titre in extensively managed chickens recorded in our study had be explained by impaired immune-competence due to immune-suppressive of concurrent infection. The study investigated the effect of concurrent parasitic and viral diseases on the immune response; as well as differences in protection among indigenous ecotype and exotic breed of chicken. The hypothesis that parasitism contributes to a poorer response to vaccination was proven (p < 0.05). Chickens that received veterinary treatment (de-wormed chickens) prior to vaccination were approximately 14 (i.e. 14.3) times more likely to have a titre of 128 when compared to titre 32 showing evidence for veterinary intervention had detectable effect on humoral response of chicken to vaccination (p< 0.05). Moreover; it was evident that HI titer differed between individual chickens and was influenced by breed types. Multivariate analysis showed that indigenous chickens were about 7 times more likely to have high HI titre (128 vs 32) compared to exotic breeds (p< 0.05). Though breeds differ genetically in their immune responsiveness to the antigen, and being protected following challenge; difference in their susceptibility to the virulent challenge virus needs to be ruled out in order to facilitate the improvement of disease-resistant traits.

The Ankole pastoral production system in South Western Uganda is based on grazing without supplementary feeding. A stochastic simulation model was developed to determine the dynamics of pastures grazed by Ankole cattle and their Holstein Friesian crosses and the carrying capacity (CC) of the livestock grazing system. The model used the concept of rain use efficiency which relates pasture production to rainfall. A cross sectional study was carried out on 16 selected farms and data on number of animals, sex, age group and size of available grazing land was collected. The similarity between the results of the simulation rainfall runs and field data are considered to be satisfactory. The overall annual forage production is 3905 ± 72kg/ha. The lowest CC (5.65 ± 0.75) occurs in long dry season (June to August) while the highest CC (1.41 ± 0.06 ha/TLU) occurs in short rain season (September to November). Annual carrying capacity ranges between 1.88 and 2.08 ha/TLU with an overall mean of 1.95 ± 0.04 ha/TLU. Sixty three (63%) percent of the surveyed farms have stocking rates that are higher than the CC throughout the year while the rest are overstocked in the dry seasons of the year. The results indicate that CC is dynamic and its variability is more pronounced within the year than between years. In response to seasonal CC, the major point of intervention in regard to reduction of actual stocking rates could be done in May shortly before the start of the long dry season. For Ankole pastoral system to be sustainable, the stocking rate should not go below 1.41 ha/TLU.

A crossbreeding experiment was carried out between two local strains of Mandarah (MN) and Matrouh (MA) chicken. Thirty-four sires and 400 dams from each strain were used to produce four genetic groups. Body weights of 3067 chicks at hatch (BW0), 4 (BW4), 8 (BW8), 12 (BW12) and 16 (BW16) weeks of age and their daily gains in weight during the age intervals from 0-4 (DG4), 4-8 (DG8), 8-12 (DG12) and 12-16 (DG16) weeks were evaluated. Multi-trait animal model (MTAM) was used to estimate direct additive genetic (GI) and maternal additive genetic (GM) and direct heterosis (HI) effects. Heritabilities were estimated and breeding values (PBV) were also predicted. Estimates of Heritabilities (h2) for growth traits ranged from 0.14 to 0.58. The percentages of GM were in favour of the MA dams and ranged from –1.47 to –6.70 % for body weights and from –1.40 to –7.73 % for gains in weight. Estimates of HI (P