Infectious and Parasitic Disease Presence in Smallholder’s Dairy Goat Flocks from the Arid Regions of Northwestern Argentina

Abstract

A cross-sectional survey was performed in 98 smallholder (SH) goat producers from the arid canyons and Valleys of northwestern Argentina, with the aim of describing infectious and parasitic disease occurrence in dairy goat flocks. SH were subjected to an ad hoc survey to gather data on flock management. On average 23 goat per SH flock were blood and fecal matter sampled. Serum were processed to diagnose brucellosis, paratuberculosis, caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV), chlamydiosis, toxoplasmosis, leptospirosis, caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1) and neosporosis. Fecal samples were taken for helminth eggs counts per gram (epg) and coprocultures. Mean annual mortality rate per flock was 16.7±9.1%. Mean abortion and still births occurrence (9.6 ±8.1) recorded within the flocks, was associated to retained placenta (42.9%). Clinical mastitis-associated problems were recorded in 83.6% of SH flocks. The mean morbidity and mortality rate of clinical mastitis was respectively 6.9±6.5 % and 1.6±1.5 %. Contagious echtyma was detected in 70.4% of the SH flocks. Caprine seroprevalence of brucellosis, leptospirosis, paratuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, clhamydiosis, CpHV-1, CAEV and neosporosis was 0.04%, 4.03%, 7.8%, 21.9%, 18.7%, 29.5%, 10.7% and 42.7% respectively. Lice (Linognathus spp.) were a kid problem for 87% SH flocks. Mean epg, according arid or semiarid region was respectively 182 and 1037. Haemonchus and Trichostrongylus and secondly Teladorsagia were the prevailing nematode genera. Caprine prevalence of Fasciola hepatica in feces was 51.6%. The presence of hydatid cysts in slaughtered animals were indicated by 48.2% of SH. These results provide an indication of the possible impact of the reported diseases on goat production and SH health and welfare.