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Estimating the economic impact of Trypanosoma evansi infection on production of camel herds in Somaliland

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Abstract

The traditional livestock sector in Somalia is based on nomadic pastoralism where sheep, goats and camels are herded in large numbers. Data from 1609 females (27 % lactating) and 550 males (26 % exported) belonging to 40 pastoralists were analysed in this study. The expected amount of revenue the herders could lose per year in the studied area was estimated at US$404,630 being made up of US$314,630 from decreased milk yield and US$90,000 from reduced market value of exported animals. However, all the camels in Somaliland are at risk of acquiring surra infection, and therefore extrapolating the current findings to the total population could potentially lose US$223,164,000. This highlights the loss in the magnitude of US$164,253,600 from decreased milk yield and US$58,910,400 from body condition loss. Overall, the benefit in controlling Trypanosoma evansi infection in the study area was US$398,880 (n = 2159). On average, US$720 was saved per head per year from improved milk production in treated animals and US$615 from the increased value of exported camels. It is concluded that all three-treatment options evaluated were economically beneficial strategies; however, the biannual treatment of seropositive camels in the herds was the best financial option.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thanked the Ministry of livestock of Somaliland for facilitating the study. We would like to acknowledge the cooperation of pastoralist and field technical staff for their considerable support and help. We are grateful for the technical support by Dr. Mohamed F. Dirie and the Somali Animal Health Services Project (Somaliland office) who willingly collaborated in the implementation of this study. We also wish to thank Sheikh Technical Veterinary School for their technical assistance. Murdoch University and the International Foundation for Science (IFS) funded this study (Financial supports from IFS grant number B/5121).

Conflict of interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia

    Abdirahman Abdikadir Salah & Ian Robertson

  2. Sheikh Technical Veterinary School, Sheikh, Somaliland, Somalia

    Abdullahi Mohamed

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  1. Abdirahman Abdikadir Salah
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  2. Ian Robertson
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  3. Abdullahi Mohamed
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Correspondence to Abdirahman Abdikadir Salah.

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Salah, A.A., Robertson, I. & Mohamed, A. Estimating the economic impact of Trypanosoma evansi infection on production of camel herds in Somaliland. Trop Anim Health Prod 47, 707–714 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-015-0780-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-015-0780-0

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