Major Skin Diseases of Cattle: Prevalence and Risk Factors in and around Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of major skin diseases of cattle in and around Hawassa from November 2011 to April 2012. Both clinical and laboratory examinations of samples from skin were carried out. Of the total 384 cattle examined, 66 (17.19%) were clinically infected with different skin diseases of various etiologic origin. The most commonly encountered skin diseases were dermatophytosis (8.32%), acariasis (3.13%), pediculosis (2.60%), lumpy skin disease (1.62%) and dermatophilosis (1.56%). No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed among age, breed and managemental groups in relation to the prevalence of dermatophilosis and lumpy skin disease whereas significantly (P<0.05) higher cases of dermatophytosis and pediculosis were recorded in animals less than two years of age. In dermatophytosis and pediculosis cases, no significant difference (P>0.05) was seen between sex and breed groups. In pediculosis cases, the major lice encountered were Bovicola, Haematopinus and Linognatus species. Statistically significant (p<0.05) difference was observed in two sex groups regarding to acariasis infestations. The frequent sites of ringworm lesions were on the hump, sacral areas, face and base of the horn, ears and sides of the body. Acariasis, dermatophilosis, dermatophytosis, lumpy skin disease and pediculosis were the major skin problems in the study area. Therefore, strategies have to design by professionals, regional governments and tanneries to fight these skin diseases of cattle.