An Investigation into Major Sheep Diseases and Management Practices in North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia

Sheep have many advantages over large ruminants for most smallholder farmers: lower feed costs, quicker turnover, easy management, and appropriate size at slaughter can be mentioned. They produce in a wide range of agroecologies, from arid lowlands to extremely cool highlands. However, their productivity is hindered by disease burden and poor management practices. In the study area, information on the disease of sheep and related management practices is lacking. Thus, the study aimed to determine the major sheep diseases and management practices in North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design was used from October 2020 to July 2021 in the zone. A multistage sampling technique was used to select study districts and their respective kebeles, while the households were purposively selected. Questionnaire survey, in-depth interview, and physical clinical examination were conducted. A total of 400 households were involved in this study, a majority (32.8%) of whom were illiterates. Ovine pasteurellosis (55.8%) was the major bacterial disease in highlands, whereas sheep pox (54.5%) was the most challenging viral disease in the area. Mange mites (41.3%) were the major parasitic disease. The design of houses was medium (34.5%) which were bedded using sand floor (79.8%) and grass (5.75%), but the drainage system of the house was poorly designed (46.8%) in highlands. A majority of the owners (67.3%) used traditional medicines for the treatment of sheep disease. This study concluded that the burden of the diseases was higher and the management practices were poor in the area, deteriorating the economic benefit of farmers from sheep production. Thus, it urges for operating technical interventions.


Introduction
Ethiopia has a sheep population of 30.7 million which has an enormous contribution to cultural and social livelihoods and religious values for the large and diverse human population, is a means of investment, and earns foreign exchange to the nation [1]. Sheep have many advantages over large ruminants for most smallholder farmers such as lower feed costs, quicker turnover, easy management, and appropriate size at slaughter. Sheep can produce in wide range of agroecology from arid lowlands to extremely cool highlands. e animal plays a major economic role in the overall production system of large-and small-scale farmers, where most sheep production is for wool, leather, and meat production [2]. ere is a huge and diverse sheep population which is a requisite to improve the livelihoods of the poor smallholder farmers.
Sheep provide valuable contributions for smallholder producers via income generation, direct food sources, nonfood utilities, and various sociocultural privileges; especially during drought, they mitigate shortage of food [3]. e indigenous breeds of sheep account for about 99.6% of the total sheep populations which are reared under poor smallholder farmers and pastoralists under traditional and extensive production systems in Ethiopia.
ere is huge demand of live sheep and meat both in local and international markets [4]. At optimum off-take rates, Ethiopia can export 700,000 sheep annually and at the same time supply 1,078,000 sheep for the domestic market [5]. e skin and meat of Salale sheep have invaluable contribution to Ethiopia's national economy with high-quality international standards. ere are smallholder sheep production systems where an extensive system is commonly practiced.
Consequently, the productivity is hindered by different diseases, unimproved breed, and management practices [1].
A few studies that were conducted in different corners of the country indicated that sheep are mainly suffering from different infectious diseases such as sheep pox, ovine pasteurellosis, ovine brucellosis, heamonchosis, lung worm, anthrax, mange mites, tick infestation, and liver flukes which are the major health problems in the country. e studies were focused on the Abattoir survey which could not indicate the household level [6][7][8][9][10]. e great potential is also hindered by the traditional management system, inferior genetic makeup coupled with malnutrition, and absence of well-developed market infrastructure [11].
Although sheep provide valuable contributions for smallholder producers and national economy via income generation, direct food sources, nonfood utilities, and generating foreign currency from export of leather, live sheep, and meat; there was no well-documented information on sheep diseases and management practices in North Shewa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia, which is crucial for the implementation of effective prevention and control strategies [12]. erefore, this study was designed to elucidate fundamental information on the major sheep diseases and management practices in the zone.

Description of the Study Design and Areas.
A crosssectional study design was conducted from October 2020 to July 2021 in North Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State, Central Ethiopia. e zone is located at 112 km north of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, on Addis Ababa to Gojam Main Road. It is located at latitude and longitude of 9°48′N 38°44′E and an elevation between 2,738 and 2,782 meters above sea level. e average minimum and maximum annual rainfall are 793 mm and 1443 mm, respectively, while the average minimum temperature is 10°C and maximum temperature is 32°C. It is bordered by Amhara National Regional State, West Shewa Zone, Finfinne surrounding special zone, and East Shewa Zone. e zone has 13 rural districts, one administrative town (Fiche), 18 towns, and 267 rural and 24 urban kebeles. Its altitude ranges from about less than 1000 m to over 3540 m. It has average annual rainfall ranging from 600-2000 mm. e average minimum temperature is 10°C and maximum temperature is 32°C [12].
ree potential sheep-producing kebeles were purposively selected from each district. Livestock production is the major production practices in the zone next to crop production which accounts for 1

Sampling and Sample Size Determination.
e sample size was calculated based on the formula of Bartlett et al. [13]. Lists of 15,140 smallholders' sheep producers were considered as the sampling frame (N).
where n � the sample size of the research; N � total number of smallholders; e � maximum variability or margin of error 5% (0.05); and 1 � the probability of the event occurring. erefore, a total of 400 households were selected at 5% standard error with 95% confidence interval.

Data Collection Method.
A multistage sampling technique was employed to select the study districts and their respective kebeles. From each district, three kebeles were purposively selected based on their sheep population and accessibility for transportation. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the households based on sheep production practices. en, the list of households with minimum number of two sheep and had prior experience in sheep production was collected according to Kenfo et al. [5]. Sheep producers were randomly selected at household level for face-to-face interview, and 18 key informants (veterinarians, para veterinarians (agricultural development agents), and heads of districts' livestock development agency) were selected for in depth interview using a purposive sampling technique based on their rich experience. Both qualitative and quantitative data were used for this study, and structured and semi-structured questionnaire was initially designed and developed in English and translated into local language, Afan Oromo, and then back to English to check for consistency and clarity. e questionnaire was pretested before the interview on five purposively selected sheep producers for its clarity, palatability, and time efficiency so that it would not be boring for the interviewee. en, the questionnaire was revised and used as a tool of data collection for the final interview. It was used to collect information on socioeconomic characteristics, sheep diseases, and management practices. e data collections were carried out by the data collector, whereas the supervision was carried out by the researchers.

Physical Clinical Examination.
A thorough clinical examination was undertaken on sheep suspicious of any clinical conditions, discomfort, and illness. All the necessary clinical parameters were taken; the sheep were carefully inspected and palpated for any typical clinical signs of sheep diseases like ovine pasteurellosis, actinomycosis, ovine brucellosis, salmonellosis, sheep pox, PPR, Orf, mange mites, tick infestation, liver flukes, and lung worm. During physical clinical examination, different signs were observed such as abortion, lameness, oral and interdigital vesicle formations, coughing, watery diarrhea, excessive salivation, bottle jaw, weight loss, and loss of appetite.

Data Management and Analysis.
e data entry, organization, and summarization were performed on an excel

Sociodemographic Information.
From a total of 400 sheep producers involved in the study, a majority (75.8%) of the interviewed households were male headed. e educational status of the respondents was 32.8%, 15.5%, 10%, 5.5%, 12%, and 24.3% for illiterate, read and write, grade 1-4, grade 5-8, grade 9-12, and diploma and above, respectively. For the majority (51.5%) of the respondents, their age falls between 30-44 years. A vast majority (62.3%) of the respondents had more than five years of sheep production experience (Table 1).

Production and Management
Practices. e mean number of sheep produce per household was 2.62 in the study areas. Extensive sheep production system was most practiced; (66.3%), (5.75%), and (2.50%) in the highland, midland, and lowland agroecologies, respectively. e respondents indicated that sheep have major role in highland (58.8%), midlands (6.0%), and lowlands (2.50%) for the livelihood of community in study areas. Separate pen housing system was used by the majority (59.8%) of sheep producers in highland agroecology. e design of sheep house was medium (34.5%) which was bedded using sand floor (79.8%) and grass (5.75%). Most of the drainage system of the house was poorly designed (46.8%), (3.0%), and (1.50%) in highland, midland, and lowland agroecology, respectively. e respondents were also indicated that free grazing in open environment was practiced in highlands (34.5%). e source of water was from pipe water (25.3%) for the animal in study areas (Table 2).
Besides, majority (71.3%) of the study participants have replied that, in all the three agroecologies, disease is the dominant factor which deteriorates the productivity of sheep in North Shewa Zone and summer (the cold rainy season in Ethiopia) is the most problematic season which exacerbates the occurrence of sheep diseases in the area (Table 4).

Management of Sheep Diseases.
e finding of the present study has revealed that, majority of the farmers in highlands (67.3%), midlands (6.75%), and lowlands (2.50%) were treating their sheep using traditional medicines. e farmers treated the diseased sheep by taking into a private veterinary clinic in highlands (77.3%), midlands (6.0%), and lowlands (2.50%). e respondents were also indicated that the vaccination practice was very low in highlands and midlands with similar percentage (5.0%), but not in lowlands (Table 5).

Discussion
e present study has identified major sheep diseases, management practices, and veterinary service delivery in North Shewa Zone, Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia.
is result was in line with other findings which were conducted in Western Tigray and Metekel Zone of Benishangul Gum Regional State, Northwestern Ethiopia; [2,9,14], which were identified major health challenges of sheep and husbandry problems in the areas in a similar fashion.
Bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases were the major sheep diseases in which ovine pasteurellosis was a serious bacterial disease in highlands. e result also indicated that sheep pox was the major viral disease in highlands. Mange mites were the major parasitic disease followed by tick infestation. e finding was in line with the report of Fentie et al. [6] that was conducted in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. It was also analogous to Urgessa et al. [15] which was conducted in Ilu Abba Bora zone of Oromia Regional State, Southwestern Ethiopia. e results of the study have also shown poor sheep management practices in the area. is was in line with the findings of Ferede et al. [16], a study conducted in selected model sheep villages of South Gondar Administrative Zone, Ethiopia.
e study also indicated that the design of the sheep house was medium in the study areas, and it disagrees with the finding of Welay et al. [2] who reported a poor housing design. In the study area, the extensive sheep production system in which free grazing in an open environment in search of adequate feed where different species of grasses and crop residues and water are accessible is a common practice. is finding was also in agreement with the finding of Alilo et al. [17] and Jones et al. [18].
In this study, shortages of feed have been reported by the majority of respondents.
is was also in line with the  [5], in Bensa district of Sidama Zone in Southern Ethiopia. is is primarily due to shortage of grazing land and farming expansion. is study also revealed a noticeable effect of summer season on the occurrence of sheep disease in the study area.
is might be due to the stressing effect of Ethiopian summer season which is too cold and rainy. Due to the cold stress, the immunity of sheep will be compromised and the animals are easily susceptible to microbial pathogens of major concern. e result is in agreement with the finding of Jones et al. [18], who reported the association of disease occurrence with malnutrition and adverse weather.
As far as the practice of treating a sick sheep is concerned, farmers usually lately take the sick sheep to veterinary clinics due to different challenges, including traditional beliefs that is awaiting the sick animal for self-recovery, inability to afford treatment costs, preference of taking to traditional healers, and treating by themselves using traditional medicine due to long distance to veterinary clinics.
is finding also agrees with the finding of Maass et al. [19], Ferede et al. [16], and Pushpangadan et al. [20], all of which were suggested less accessibility of farmers to veterinary services due to economic problems, traditional taboos, and long distance between farmers' residence and veterinary clinics.
e results of the in-depth key informant interview have triangulated with the qualitative data why most farmers were not taking their animals to veterinary service center, prefer taking to traditional healers and treat by themselves. It revealed a socioeconomic and traditional practice demanding technical interventions. is finding was also in agreement with the finding of Welay et al. [2].

Limitation of the Study.
e scope of the study was limited to six districts, this may fail to represent the whole North Shewa Zone. A cross-sectional study design was employed, but it is impossible to see a causal relationship by  Veterinary Medicine International 5 using this design [21]. e study relies on participants' response rates and physical clinical examination for reporting the major diseases and management practice,; no laboratory confirmation of the disease was undertaken. In addition, self-report by respondents was used during disease surveillances, which might be biased.

Conclusions
e study concluded that a high burden of sheep diseases was found in the area.
ere were poor management practices provided in the study areas which hindered sheep production and productivity. is indicated that designing effective prevention and control strategies and improving the management practices are crucial. Moreover, awareness creation should be done on sheep producers concerning major sheep diseases and improved management practices.

Data Availability
e dataset used in this study is available on reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Conflicts of Interest
e authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.