Goat kid mortality and associated risk factors in Kasagama sub county Lyantonde district

Abstract

In Uganda, livestock contributes about 4% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and 16% to the agricultural GDP in 2019/2020 and goats contributes 30.8% of this GDP. However, this contribution would be higher than this if it was not due to goat kid mortality. To understand this issue, across sectional study was done using a pre-tested structured questionnaire about farmers’ perception of prevalence and risk factors of goat kid mortality in Kasagama sub county Lyantonde district. The primary objectives of the study were to find out the farmers’ perceived prevalence of goat kid mortality and to determine the risk factors to goat kid mortality in Kasagama sub county Lyantonde District. A total of 136 houses-holds from four parishes participated in the study. The research findings revealed that farmers reported that out of 2137 goat kids born in the last six months, 1140 died hence the reported prevalence of goat kid mortality was 53.3%. The narratives about birth status of the goat kids, age group of goat kids, vaccination, deworming frequency, and the people responsible for taking care of the goat kids had and a significant association with the high mortality (p-value < 0.05). There was however no statistical relationship between perceptions of goat kid mortality and colostrum feeding, feeding routine, water availability (p-value > 0.05). Out of 136 households, 96.3% reported deaths of at least one kid within a period of six months and the most common age at which death was reported to occur was at two months. The farmers reported that twins had very high chances of dying compared to the singletons (OR= 0.246). The kids which were mostly looked after by a family member were believed to have less chances of dying compared to the kids which were mostly looked after by a herdsman. Kids which were dewormed before two months were reported to have more chances of survival compared to kids which were dewormed after three months. In conclusion, the reported goat kid mortality rate in Kasagama sub county, Lyantonde district is very high and about 11times greater than the acceptable in the breeding goat flock. This therefore calls for interventions to reduce the goat kid mortality to at most 5% such as sensitizing goat keepers on appropriate goat management practices, and provision of veterinary services and veterinary supplies.