The relationship of Haitian small farm management to goat and cattle diseases.
A 40 week study of 43 farmers, 60 goats and 60 cattle was conducted in order to identify abnormal conditions or diseases and predisposing seasonal, managemental or nutritional factors. Farms were visited, farmers interviewed and animals examined up to 4 times, about every 10 weeks and bled for Ht, total WBC, selected serum vitamins and minerals hair collected for mineral analysis. Soil and forages were collected for analysis. There were serious soil, forage and animal phosphorus and lesser vitamin E and A deficiencies due to a lack of appropriate soil fertilization, and/or dietary insufficiency. Presumptive parasitic anaemia was a common clinical sign in goats (43% incidence) and in cattle (19% incidence). Infectious diseases, external and internal parasitism were partially controlled by animal isolation, movement and tethering, rarely by therapeutics. Overall, livestock condition was fair, reproductive and growth performance poor, but catastrophic disease rare. Ruminant feeding was entirely from scavenging of crop residues for human consumption, or voluntary plants. Given the scarcity and/or high cost of forages, fertilizer, vitamin-mineral supplements, drugs and vaccines, the present system of Haitian small farm management is successful in catastrophic disease prevention, but is inefficient for minor diseases, reproduction and growth.
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Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061.
McCarthy
F
F
Friedericks
J
J
Cashin
M
M
Angert
R
R
D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006041:Goats; D006205:Haiti