Epidemiology and Control of Mange on Goat in Rajshahi District

Abstract

The parasitism is an important limiting factor to rear goats in Bangladesh as the climatic condition of the country favors the development and survival of various parasites. In parasitic problems, mange infestation is common in goats which directly or indirectly reduce their health and productivity. The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of mange mite on goat, assess the risk factors and health of goat in Rajshahi in relation to mange infestation and evaluate the economic impact of mange and to find out the alternative measures of mange control especially with herbal products. The study was carried out through questionnaire survey, clinical examination and the experiment of mange control in goats in the study areas of five Upazila namely Boalia, Puthia, Poba, Gudagari and Baghmara of Rajshahi district. In the prevalence study, the relevant data were collected from randomly selected a total of 129 goat rearing farms which consists a total of 1277 goats during the period from July’2010 to June’2011. In the experimental study of mange control, fifteen affected goats of both sexes aged between 10 and 30 months which were divided into five groups randomly and 3 goats were considered in each group. The treatments were considered with control (A), Neem ointment (B), Ata ointment (C), Mehedi ointment (D) and Ivermectin (E). The control experiment was conducted during November’2012 to December’2012. The collected experimental data were analyzed using SPSS Version-15. Association between prevalence and explanatory variables was found using chi-squire (P) test. A descriptive statistical analysis and ANOVA were used for the results of clinical parameters (skin lesion and bodyweight), certain hematological parameters (Hb, TEC, PCV and TLC) and biochemical parameters (SGOT and SGPT). The significant difference was set as (P<0.05) and (P<0.10) in the prevalence and experimental study, respectively in the analyses. The overall prevalence of mange mite was 5.95 per cent in goats in the study. The highest and the lowest percentages of mange mite prevalence were observed in large farm (9.04%) and small farm (4.13%), poor feeding (8.25%) and good feeding (3.61%), Black Bengal (6.93%) and crossbreed (3.09%), age 3 years and above (8.47%) and age below 01 year (3.60%), female (6.78%) and male (3.87%), winter season (10.74%) and summer season (2.09%), low land (8.81%) and high land (3.09%), conventional housing system (6.51%) and semi-intensive housing system (2.34%), poor housing condition (8.97%) and good housing condition (3.50%), poor health condition (25.32%) and good health condition (2.03%), temperature below 210C (8.47%) and temperature 290C & above (2.76%), rainfall below 50 mm (8.24%) and 50 mm to < 200 mm (3.73%) and humidity below 65% (8.93%) and humidity 65% to < 85% (3.64%), respectively and the prevalence of mange mite was significantly different in each risk factor (P<0.05). The mange mites were the highest frequency on the head region and the lowest were on tail, leg and whole body. The maximum economic loss was incurred in large farm and it was the lowest in small farm. Only one species Sarcoptes scabiei was identified through the preparation of permanent slide. The recovery of skin lesion was statistically significant (P<0.10) in all treatment groups except control group (P>0.10). The bodyweight was increased in all treatment groups and it was decreased in control group which was significant (P>0.10). After treatment, Total Erythrocytes Count (TEC million/ cu.mm), Hemoglobin content (Hb gm %), Packed Cell Volume (PCV %) and Total Leukocytes Count (TLC thousand/ cu.mm) of blood was increased in all treatment groups except control group which were significant (P<0.10) and the SGOT and SGPT of blood were decreased in all treatment groups except control group which were significant (P<0.10). From the prevalence study, it may be concluded that this study quantifies the level of mange mite infestation in goats corresponding to the different risk factors which demands immediate control program and more epidemiological study for detail information of the constraints of goat health and production. In the herbal ointments, Neem (Azadirachta indica) was more effective for control of mange in goats than Mehidi (Lawsonia inermis) and Ata (Annona reticulata). The patent drug Ivermectin was very much successful in mange mite infestation than the herbal ointments. Further studies are required to clarify the efficacy of the ethnoveterinary and anthelmintics widely used in agro ecologies, animal species and livestock management system in Bangladesh.