SURVEY ON SMALL RUMINANT PRODUCTION AGAINST PESTE DES PETITS RUMINANT IN MOYAMBA AND KAILAHUN DISTRICTS, SIERRA LEONE

Goats and sheep production which significantly contributes to improving nutritional status, economic growth and socio-cultural practices in the rural settings of Sierra Leone are faced with several challenges. The survey on Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus (PPRV) was carried out to investigate the: current status of small ruminant production, and the presence of antibodies against PPRV. Information was obtained through Focus Group Discussion in the respondents' local dialects from 150 participants. From the results obtained, 58.7% and 41.7% of the respondents were male and female while 77.3% and 22.7% were married and single respectively. 53.3% of the respondents never illiterate while 46.7% have some basic education. The main reasons for keeping goats and sheep were for traditional, economic, religious and food. Continuous disease outbreaks; high mortality; poor animal healthcare and extension services, lack of credit facility, theft, and poor marketing facility. Pestes des petits Ruminant, mange, Respiratory infection, and diarrhea were the main diseases affecting goats and sheep. A total of 356 serum samples from goats (264) and sheep (92) were collected in both districts and analyzed using the competitive ELISA kit for the detection of antibodies against PPRV. The result revealed an overall prevalence of 62.1% antibodies [goats, 73.1%, (193/264) and sheep, 30.4%, (28/92)]. Young goats (65.9%), and sheep (34.7%) showed the highest seropositivity of PPRV followed by adult males and females. There is a need to improve traditional practices of small ruminant production by designing disease control programs to ensure the full participation of the veterinary, animal husbandry and extension services for a good output.