Assessment of the Economic Impact and Prevalence of Ovine Fasciolosis in Menz Lalo Midir District, Northeast Ethiopia

Survey of economic loss and the prevalence of Fasciolosis in ovine species were conducted in Menz Lalo Midir district, Amhara National Regional State, during the period of September 2010 to June 2011. The objectives of this study were assessing the financial loss, determining prevalence. The total of number of study animals were 810 sheep from eight Kebeles (Tamawenze, Seklaye, Tayate, Saga, Wegere, Kilerbo, Toll, and Angetla) of Menz Lalo Midir district selected on lottery system. Prevalence was determined by fecal sample examinations. Gross lesions were studied by postmortem examination where as economic losses were determined after interview and market assessment. From fecal examination, the overall prevalence of ovine fasciolosis was found 70.20%. The prevalence in male animals was found 50.6% and in females it was 19.6%. But there exists no statistical significance between sex groups as the P value is less than 0.05. During the study period 1,692.00 Ethiopian birr was lost due to condemnation of liver from 189 animals accounting 74.6 % with 12.00 birr price of a liver. Clinically, observed signs were emaciation, weakness, bottle jaw and rough wool. Gross pathological lesions found were cirrhosis, fibrosis, and circumscribed pus accumulation, blunt edges of liver, bile duct hyperplasia and adult fasciola parasites on section of the liver. In conclusion, the results of the current study suggested that ovine fasciolosis was found to be one of the major disease entities in sheep in Menz Lalo Midir district.