Survey for bovine trichomoniasis in cattle at Slaughter in the Sakata metropolitan abattoir Sakata State Nigeria

Abstract

A survey to determine the prevalence of Bovine Trichomoniasis (BT) was carried out by collecting 400 samples from cattle of various breeds, age-groups and sex slaughtered at the Sokoto metropolitan abattoir from August to December 2009. Samples were collected from the prepuce of 299 males; and from the vagina to the level of the cervix of 101 females. One hundred and sixty-five of these were Red Bororo, 96 were Sokoto Gudali, 31 were White Fulani and 108 were crosses. Across age groups; 3 were prenatal, 22 were <2 year-old, 143 were between ~2- <3 year-old, 49 between ~3- <4 yearold, 144 between ~4- <5 year-old and 39 were >5 year-old. Tritrichomonas foetus was not isolated by preparing wet mounts and by inoculating into Trichomonad culture medium representing zero prevalence and suggesting that bovine trichomoniasis is not present in the cattle slaughtered at the Sokoto abattoir within the study period. It is recommended that a similar study be carried out in settled cattle herds especially those with breeding problems to further assess the status of bovine trichomoniasis in the state especially as this will enable the sampling of animals at intervals which is required for determining the true status of the organism.