title: Contribution of draft cattle to rural livelihoods in a district of southeastern Uganda endemic for bovine parasitic diseases: an economic evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A study was conducted in Tororo District in eastern Uganda to assess the socio-economic contribution of draft cattle to rural livelihoods. The aim of the study was to empirically quantify the economic value of draft cattle thus contributing to understanding the impact of endemic parasitic diseases of cattle on livestock productivity and subsequently household income, labor and food security.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 205 draft cattle keeping households (n = 205) were randomly selected and structured household questionnaires were administered, focusing on work oxen use, productivity, inputs and outputs. The data obtained was analyzed using standard statistical methods and used to calculate the gross margin from the draft cattle enterprise. Secondary data were obtained from focus group discussions and key informant interviews and these were analyzed using Bayesian methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed that, apart from being labor saving, the use of animal traction is highly profitable with the gross margin per year from the use of draft cattle amounting to 245 United States dollars per work oxen owning household. The cash obtained from hiring out draft animals was equivalent to nearly a quarter of the average local household's monetary receipts. It also revealed that endemic bovine parasitic diseases such as trypanosomiasis and tick-borne diseases reduced draft cattle output by 20.9 % and potential household income from the use of draft oxen by 32.2 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of endemic cattle diseases in rural Uganda is adversely affecting the productivity of draft cattle, which in turn affects household income, labor and ultimately food security. This study highlights the contribution of draft cattle to rural livelihoods, thus increasing the expected impact of cost-effective control strategies of endemic production limiting livestock diseases in Uganda.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. W.O.Okello@sms.ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Walter O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Okello
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular and Biolaboratory Sciences, School of Biosecurity, Biotechnical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda. luckydenno@covab.mak.ac.ug.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muhanguzi
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Ewan.MacLeod@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ewan T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Sue.Welburn@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Welburn
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular and Biolaboratory Sciences, School of Biosecurity, Biotechnical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda. cwaiswa@covab.mak.ac.ug.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Waiswa
authors.affiliation: Avia-GIS, Risschotlei 33, B-2980, Zoersel, Belgium. alex@apconsultants.co.uk.
authors.forename: Alexandra P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004526:Efficiency; D017144:Focus Groups; D005523:Food Supply; D007182:Income; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology