Knowledge attitude and practices of controlling ticks and tick-borne diseases among cattle farmers in Wakiso Subcounty in Wakiso District

Abstract

Subsistence farmers in Uganda who lack resources depend heavily on livestock rearing for their livelihood. Ticks and their associated diseases (TBDs) have a detrimental impact on both health and productivity, making them one of the main obstacles to the production of livestock. Few studies have been done to date in Uganda to evaluate farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) about ticks and TBDs in cattle, despite the fact that having this knowledge is crucial for the creation and acceptance of efficient preventative and control methods. Using a structured questionnaire, the KAP survey was carried out among 85 cattle owners four villages in Nakabugo Parish of Wakiso subcounty of the Wakiso district. According to my assessment criteria, 49(57).6% of respondents knew enough about ticks as potential disease vectors. 45(52).9% of respondents had a favorable attitude towards tick prevention and control programs. Old farmers were 1.562 times [OR = 1.562 (95%CI: 0.333–7.327)] more likely to have a poor attitude than youth, the individuals with primary education level were 5.037 times [OR = 5.037 (95%CI: 0.889–28.533)] more likely to have a poor attitude than those with tertiary education and the farmers who practiced all time free grazing were 3.748 times [OR = 3.748 (95%CI: 0.914-15.368)] more likely to have a poor attitude compared to those that practiced stall feeding. Although 98.8% of respondents said they used acaricides to eliminate ticks in cattle, 42(49.4%) of respondents said that tick infestation was one of the most significant issues affecting animal health. Despite a high degree of acaricide use, the farmers who were interviewed lacked adequate knowledge about acaricide use. Findings from this study highlight the significance of identifying knowledge gaps and launching education initiatives to increase farmers' adoption of efficient tick prevention and control strategies.