Management of diseases in a ruminant livestock production system: a participatory appraisal of the performance of veterinary services delivery, and utilization in Ghana

Abstract Introduction: Sustainable livestock production remains of central importance for attaining food security globally and for securing the livelihoods of a sizeable proportion of people in developing countries. However, ineffective control of livestock diseases often reduces livestock productivity, results in animal mortalities, and may contribute to antimicrobial resistance. This study sought to assess the management strategies employed by farmers for priority diseases, and assess the utilization, and performance of veterinary services. Methods: We conducted a mixed-method study in three districts representative of the northern, middle and southern farming belts of Ghana. We used semi-structured questionnaires to collect data from 350 ruminant livestock farmers and thirteen professional veterinary officers (VOs) in surveys. We also conducted seven focus group discussions (FGD) involving 65 livestock farmers. The survey data were analyzed, and the distribution of priority diseases, management strategies and performance of veterinary services described. FGD transcripts were analyzed deductively using NVivo. We used triangulation to validate findings across the different datasets. Results: Almost all the farmers (98%) reared small ruminants, with about 25% also rearing cattle. Among small ruminants, the prevalent diseases were Pestes-des-Petits-Ruminants and Mange, while cattle suffered mainly from Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia and Foot-and-Mouth-Disease. About 82% of farmers used treatment, while only 20% used vaccination services. The antimicrobial medicines used in managing the diseases are poorly controlled and regulated by the veterinary system, and in most of the cases wrongly applied by farmers in treating the diseases. Farmers mainly use services of informal providers (51%), with only 33% utilizing VOs. The farmers perceived VOs to perform highly in terms of drugs availability and quality, treatment effectiveness, advisory services, service affordability, and competence, while the informal providers were better in proximity and popularity with farmers. Conclusions: Vaccine preventable diseases are a key constraint to livestock production in Ghana. Although the VOs performed better on most indicators, their services are seldom used. The inability of the veterinary system to control antimicrobials used in animal production contributes to their misuse by farmers, thereby threatening food safety and security. New efforts to improve adoption of vaccination and antimicrobial stewardship are needed to achieve sustainable livestock production.