Biosecurity and Economic Impact of Major Diseases of Livestock Among Rural Farmers in Plateau State, Nigeria: A Pilot Study.

To maintain excellent production on a farm, biosecurity is critical. Smallholder livestock producers and their animal health management practices are often perceived to increase the risk for disease incursion and spread within farms. This pilot study is aimed at assessing rural farmers’ practices and knowledge of preventive and biosecurity measures against major diseases of livestock and determining the socioeconomic impact of these diseases in these communities within Nigeria. This is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey in five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Plateau State, Nigeria. 3 major communities that rear poultry, small and large ruminants within these 5 LGAs were identified as the Berom, Tarok, and Fulani communities; from where 50 farmers were randomly selected from the list of willing farmers to participate in the present study. The farmers identified Contagious Bovine Pleuron Pneumonia and Foot and Mouth Disease as the major disease of cattle while Peste des Petits Ruminants as the major disease of small ruminants and New Castle Disease for poultry. Contagious Bovine Pleuron Pneumonia, Foot and Mouth Disease, Peste des Petits Ruminants, and New Castle Disease are the diseases identified by respondents as the most economically important disease in cattle, small ruminants, and poultry respectively. 30% of the farmers do nothing in case of a Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia outbreak while 60% protect their animals through medication or isolation in case of Foot and Mouth Disease. 26% of the farmers sell out their animals in the Peste des Petits Ruminants outbreak while 50% of the respondents do nothing in case of a New Castle Disease outbreak. It is recommended that a robust and sustained awareness of the economic importance of livestock diseases, and a campaign on how to prevent, control, and institute effective biosecurity measures against the diseases are carried out in Plateau State farming communities and beyond.