Determinants of the rate of tyrypanosomian infection of N’dama livestock at the Mushie ranch in DR of Congo

Abstract

A study was conducted from August 3 to September 5, 2014 and from February 6 to March 7, 2015 at the Izeli area of the Mushie Ranch in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The objective was to study the influence of certain determinants that may influence trypanosome infection status in N’dama cattle. The sample of 324 cattle selected using the systematic sampling technique was obtained according to the Thrusfield (2005) formula because of 162 in the dry season and as much for the rainy season. The study focused on 4 herds including Selection, Nganzaka, Dwe and Wulu-Wulu. The parasitological diagnosis made by the buffy coat technique and confirmed by molecular biology analyzes (PCR) made it possible to determine the rate of trypanosome infection (Prevalence). This rate has been studied in relation to certain determinants, including the age, season, hematocrit, rearing environment, herd health status, zootechnical category and management behavior. The conclusion of the study reveals that season, hematocrit, breeding environment (site), herd health status, zootechnical category, and herd management have a significant effect on infection status trypanosome (p˂0.05) in contrast to age (p>0.05).

Keywords

• Nested-PCR
• buffy coat
• primers
• determinants
• trypanosome infection status