Livestock owners’ Perceptions in Relation to Ghibe -III Hydroelectric Dam, on Bovine Trypanosomosis, Southern Ethiopia

Background: Trypanosomosis is affected sub-Saharan African countries which denied vast areas of land from livestock and crop production including Ethiopia. The problem prevails mainly in main Rivers like the Ghibe-Omo rivers. The study was conducted in Loma and Kindo Didaye near the Ghibe-III hydroelectric dam, from upstream and downstream, respectively; from January 2019 to June 2020. A standardized questionnaire survey was employed to collect relevant information. Two hundred questionnaires were administered. Results: A total of 189 questionnaires were returned. Each questionnaire contained 21 questions that include the biography, livestock species and population before and after dam construction, major livestock diseases, clinical signs, transmission, seasonality, susceptibility among species, control practice, type and cost of drugs, treatment frequency and wildlife population status were assessed. Data were analyzed using Mann Whitney U Test. The majority of the interviewee were male with an average age of 39.4+ 10.6 and livestock owners. Herd/flock sizes were non-significantly different before dam construction between the two districts; whereas, the large herd size above six cattle increased by 85% (77/90) in Loma but decreased by 33.3% (33/99) in the Kindo Didaye district after dam construction. Bovine trypanosomosis ranked first among major diseases. Knowledge on clinical signs, transmission, and seasonality of trypanosomosis was in agreement with the literature and experience was not significantly (p>0.05) different between the two districts. Diminazine and Trypamidium were the cheapest and frequently used trypanocidal, accordingly. The majority of the respondent (57.8%) treat animals twice per month per animal indicates the severity of disease, under-dosing or drug resistance problem in the area. 87.8% of respondents in Loma perceived the reduction of trypanosome prevalence and tsetse population; whereas 77% of Kindo Didaye respondents perceived no change in prevalence after dam construction. Reduction of wildlife population perceived on upstream than downstream. Health services improved, disease outbreaks and cattle deaths reduced, fishing started following dam construction. Conclusion: there was a change in health status and wildlife population upstream than downstream indicates the dam impact. The frequency of treatment was also reported. Therefore, monitoring of the disease prevalence and drug resistance study is recommended.