Abstract

A cross sectional study was conducted on a total of 410 zebu cattle in selected Kebeles of Diga Woreda, Western Ethiopia. The purposes of the study were to determine the prevalence and species of trypanosomes infecting cattle using buffy coat darkground-phase contrast technique and thin blood smear and to assess the associations of common complaints observed by cattle owners with detected trypanosomosis. An overall prevalence of 5.85% was recorded and no statistical significant difference in the prevalence between the Kebeles involved in the present study. The species of trypanosomes identified were Trypanosoma Congolese(54.17%) followed by, Trypanosoma Vivax (37.5%) and Trypanosoma Brucei (8.33%). Trypanosome infection rate based on different age groups was not found statistically significant (P > 0.05). Sex-wise prevalence of 7.47 and 3.55% were recorded in female and male cattle, respectively. Upon case history assessment, the likelihood of cattle with poor body condition to be trypanosome positive was higher when compared to animals with good body condition (OR = 15.82, 95% CI = 5.9- 44.6). Besides cattle with anaemic status were 52.4 times (OR = 52.4, 95% CI = 8.2-216) more likely to have trypanosome infection than non anaemic animals. The mean PCV value of parasitemic animals (20.04%) was lower (P < 0.05) than that of aparasitemic cattle (26.85%). In conclusion, the result of this survey indicated that bovine trypanosomosis is potentially a major constraint to the livestock production and common clinical signs loss of weight and anemia could be considered as one option to keep the disease in check for cattle owners in the area.

Key words: Cattle, clinical signs, Diga Woreda, Ethiopia, prevalence, trypanosomosis.