Profiling Major Livestock Diseases in the East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, Using Participatory Epidemiology Methods

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Livestock production supports is a major source of livelihoods in East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, but frequent infectious diseases continue to limit productivity. In areas with limited conventional surveillance, participatory epidemiology provides an effective approach for identifying priority livestock diseases based on community knowledge. OBJECTIVES: To identify and prioritize major livestock diseases affecting cattle, small ruminants and equines and to assess community knowledge regarding disease occurrence, clinical recognition, seasonality and relative impact. METHODS: A cross-sectional participatory epidemiology study involving 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 100 purposively selected livestock owners was conducted in five districts of East Gojjam Zone between April and December 2024. Tools included semi-structured interviews, pairwise ranking, proportional piling, matrix scoring and seasonal calendars. Data were summarized descriptively using ranking scores and proportional piling results. RESULTS: Blackleg, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and lumpy skin disease (LSD) were consistently ranked as the most important diseases affecting cattle. Pasteurellosis and sheep and goat pox were identified as the leading diseases of small ruminants, while African horse sickness (AHS) and strangles were prioritized amongst equines. Matrix scoring demonstrated variation amongst focus groups in recognition of disease-specific clinical signs, reflecting differences in local knowledge and interpretation. Participants also reported frequent use of herbal remedies alongside conventional veterinary treatments, suggesting limited access to affordable animal health services. CONCLUSIONS: Priority livestock diseases remain major constraints to livestock production in East Gojjam Zone. Integrating community-based knowledge with formal veterinary surveillance, expanding access to animal health services and strengthening farmer training may improve disease detection, reporting and control.