Incidence of foot and mouth disease and its effect on milk yield in dairy cattle at Andassa dairy farm, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

A study on incidence of foot and mouth disease (FMD) was conducted at Andassa Government Dairy Farm during July to August 2008 with the objective of determining the incidence rate and to evaluate the effect of the disease on milk yield. The overall incidence of foot and mouth disease in dairy cattle of the farm was 14.55%. The incidence rate in Fogera cattle (15.52%) was significantly (p>0.05) higher than that of Holstein-Friesian cross cattle (2.50%). The average milk yield ahead of 10 days of FMD infection (1182.86±32.13) was found significantly (p0.05) higher than that of the milk yield 10 days after infection (602.86±18.86). The overall mortality rate of the disease was 2.24% during the study period and the mortality rate in cross cattle (2.50%) was found higher than that of Fogera cattle (2.22%). In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that the complex epidemiological situation of the disease in Ethiopia needs more detailed investigation for improved vaccine-based control is to be achieved efficiently.