Feeding practices and effects of gastrointestinal parasite infections on live weight gain of small ruminants in smallholder mixed farms in Kenya
Date
2008-04Author
Odoi A.
Gathuma J M.
Gachuiri Charles K.
Omore A.
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of gastrointestinal nematodosis on live weight gain (LWG) of sheep and goats kept in smallholder farms in Kenya. A total of 307 sheep and goats from smallholder farms were sampled using a 2-stage cluster and systematic random approach. Sampled farms were visited once a month for nine months during which a health and production survey questionnaire was administered, animals weighed and fecal samples taken for fecal egg count. Descriptive statistics and a generalized linear mixed model were performed in SAS. The mean LWG of suckling kids and lambs was low (mean = 46 g/day). High fecal egg count and lack of feed supplementation were identified as the main factors limiting growth. Improved helminth control and nutrition are required to optimize production.
URI
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034528807001221http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/31945
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17585976
Citation
Adoi, A et al(2008). Feeding practices and effects of gastrointestinal parasite infections on live weight gain of small ruminants in smallholder mixed farms in Kenya. Research in Veterinary Science; 84(2): 158-193.Res Vet Sci. 2008 Apr;84(2):185-93. Epub 2007 Jun 21.
Publisher
Department of Public Health, pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi Department of Animal Production, University of Nairobi
Description
Journal article