Association between anaemia and bovine trypanosomiasis in cattle slaughtered at selected abattoirs in Kaduna, North-Western Nigeria
This study aimed to assess the prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis among slaughtered cattle in specific abattoirs in Kaduna State, Nigeria. It also sought to explore the potential impact of associated risk factors on anaemia. Sample size was determined using standard epidemiological formula, anticipating a prevalence of 24%. Standard Trypanosome Detection Methods (STDM) among which Hematocrit Centrifugation Technique (HCT) and Buffy Coat Method (BCM) were employed for detecting trypanosomes. Packed cell volume (PCV) was determined as described by Cheesbrough. Epidemiological variables such as source, age, sex, and breed were assessed and used the Chi-square test to analyze the correlation between the prevalence of anemia and trypanosomiasis. Among the 500 examined cattle, 2.6% were infected with trypanosomes while 97.4% tested negative for the infection. Trypanosome-positive cattle had a mean PCV of 25.08 ± 8.78%, whereas trypanosome-negative ones had a mean PCV of 34.34 ± 9.49%. Cattle with PCV levels indicative of anaemia showed the highest incidence of parasitemia at 14.7%. Additionally, there was no statistically significant association between the prevalence of trypanosomiasis and breed, age, sex or district of the animals. It is concluded that bovine trypanosomiasis remains a persistent challenge in Kaduna State, posing a threat to cattle production and potentially leading to economic losses for residents.
Keywords: Anaemia, Cattle, STDM, Trypanosomes
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