Major infectious diseases with impact on goat production in North African countries

Abstract

Goat industry provides a vital food source (meat and milk) of many North African inhabitants. The goat populations in North Africa are more than 17 million heads, and most of them are reared under traditional husbandry system. In spite of the advantages of goats rearing in the region, diseases can substantially affect the optimal and cost-effective production. In this chapter, we describe the major infectious diseases with impact on goat production in North African countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt) and the control measures adopted in each country. The main diseases threatening the goat industry are peste des petits ruminants, bluetongue, foot-and-mouth disease, sheep/goats pox, brucellosis and Rift Valley fever. The current epidemiological situation of those goat diseases in the region can be considered as very dramatic. Therefore, the implementation of a regional control approach is needed to prevent and control these devastating diseases.