Maichomo M W, Kosura W O, Gathuma J M, Gitau G K, Ndung'u J M, Nyamwaro S O
Trypanosomiasis Research Centre, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, PO Box 362, Kikuyu, Kenya.
J S Afr Vet Assoc. 2009 Sep;80(3):157-62. doi: 10.4102/jsava.v80i3.194.
Cattle are the major source of food security and income for pastoral farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. However, infectious and parasitic diseases remain a major constraint to improved cattle productivity in the region. The use of animal health economics to support decision-making on cost-effective disease control options is increasingly becoming important in the developing world. Trypanotolerant indigenous Orma/zebu cattle in a trypanosomosis-endemic area of Kenya were evaluated for economic performance using gross-margin analysis and partial-farm budgeting. Orma/zebu and Sahiwal/zebu cross-bred cattle were exposed to similar husbandry practices and monitored for growth rate, incidence of common infections (trypanosomosis, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, East Coast Fever and helminthosis) and the cost of treatment assessed. Interview questionnaires were also used to assess the preference rating of the 2 breeds. Results indicated that incidence of infection was trypanosomosis 3%, anaplasmosis 58%, babesiosis 11%, East Coast Fever 22% and helminthosis 28%, with no significant difference between breeds. The Orma/zebu and Sahiwal/zebu breeds had comparable economic benefits, hence a pastoralist in Magadi division is likely to get similar returns from both breeds. This study therefore recommends adoption of not only the Sahiwal/zebu but also the Orma/zebu breed for cattle improvement in trypanosomosis endemic areas and conservation of indigenous genetic resources.
牛是撒哈拉以南非洲牧区农民粮食安全和收入的主要来源。然而，传染病和寄生虫病仍然是该地区提高牛生产力的主要制约因素。在发展中世界，利用动物健康经济学来支持关于具有成本效益的疾病控制方案的决策变得越来越重要。在肯尼亚锥虫病流行地区，对耐锥虫的本地奥尔马/瘤牛进行了经济性能评估，采用毛利分析和部分农场预算法。奥尔马/瘤牛和萨希瓦尔/瘤牛杂交牛采用相似的饲养方式，并监测其生长速度、常见感染（锥虫病、无形体病、巴贝斯虫病、东海岸热和蠕虫病）的发病率以及治疗成本。还使用访谈问卷来评估这两个品种的偏好等级。结果表明，感染发病率为锥虫病3%、无形体病58%、巴贝斯虫病11%、东海岸热22%和蠕虫病28%，品种间无显著差异。奥尔马/瘤牛和萨希瓦尔/瘤牛品种具有可比的经济效益，因此马加迪分区的牧民从这两个品种中可能获得相似的回报。因此，本研究建议在锥虫病流行地区不仅采用萨希瓦尔/瘤牛品种，也采用奥尔马/瘤牛品种来改良牛群，并保护本地遗传资源。
