Prevalence and Risk Factors of Manage Mites of Small Ruminants in the Northern Region of Ghana.

Abstract

Mange is a debilitating skin disease posing a significant threat to the health and productivity of animals worldwide. In the Northern region of Ghana, the burden of mange infestations has become a concern for small ruminant farmers, many of whom depend on these animals for their livelihoods. A study was therefore conducted to ascertain the prevalence of mange in small ruminants in the region and to assess farming practices that predispose animals to the disease. Sheep and goats drawn from ten administrative districts of the region were screened for mange through visual inspection, palpation of the skin, and general clinical examination of animals. Samples were then taking to the laboratory for isolation and identification of mites. Questionnaires were also used to assess the knowledge of farmers on the disease. A total of 3, 949 sheep and 5,588 goats were screened for the disease, during which tissue from infected animals were scraped for laboratory examination. A prevalence of 4.7% in sheep and 12.6% in goats were recorded, with an overall prevalence of 9.4% among the two species. Two species of mites were identified in goats namely; Sarcoptic and Psoroptes mites. Infection involving Sarcoptic mite only constituted 91% whilst a mixed infection of Sarcoptic and Psoroptes mites constituted 9%. However, only Sarcoptic species were identified in sheep. On the knowledge, attitude and practices of farmers, 76.3% of respondents had no training in animal production, whilst 27.5% of them had no housing facilities for their animals, with only 8.1 % intensively housing their animals. Also, 77.1% of the respondents supplemented the water requirement of their animals with what they obtained from free-ranging, with only 18.4% providing the full water requirement of their animals. While, 90.1% of the respondents could recognize mange, 67.2 % of the respondents had ever recorded mange in their flock, with only 19.8 % having had some education on mange. In conclusion, the dominant mange causing mite in sheep and goats in the Northern region is the Sarcoptic species. Although majority of farmers could recognize mange in their animals, poor husbandry practices such as lack of housing, inadequate feeding and watering were some of the factors that exposed animals to the risk of infection with mange. It is recommended that public education on mange be intensified. Also, there is the need for further studies to ascertain the genetic diversity of the two mite species identified in the current study.