Prevalence and Potential Risk Factors of Bovine Fasciolosis in Gurage Zone, Abeshege District, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract A cross-sectional study aimed at estimating the prevalence and assessing the potential risk factors of bovine fasciolosis was carried out from November, 2011 to April, 2012 in Abeshege district of Gurage Zone.  A total of 288 faecal samples were collected directly from the rectum of cattle and examination using sedimentation technique was performed. Overall 142 (49.3%) cattle were found positive for faecal fluke egg detections. No significant variation was observed with feeding system, body condition, breed, sex, age, peasant association (PA) and herd size considered as potential risk factors (P>0.05). However, water source was the only factor found to be significantly associated (P<0.05) with occurrence of infections where cattle drinking water form rivers had 54.55% higher than those cattle getting water from other sources. The present study suggests that Fasciola infections in cattle is high and represent one of the constraints to livestock development in the study area. Hence, good management practice including provision of properly dried hay for those zero grazing cattle, an alternative use of lands of pasture, fluke elimination by regular treatment, and further detailed study could provide valuable information that foster local planning and implementation of a more sustainable fasciolosis control strategy for the district.