Survey of bovine trypanosomosis in the Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

Abstract This study assessed the prevalence of trypanosomes in cattle at the Kachia Grazing Reserve (KGR) in March and June 2004 and in February 2005. A total of 1293 cattle blood samples were collected at random. The samples were analysed using the buffy coat technique and Giemsa thin blood films for parasite detection and identification. The effects of herd pen location to watering and grazing point's distances (using the global positioning system (GPS)) were determined and mean Packed cell volume (PCV) assessed. Overall, the detected prevalence of trypanosomosis was 8.4%, much higher than the previous prevalence of 5.3% before the present study was conducted. The prevalences in the months of March, June (2004) and February (2005) were 2.3%, 11.6% and 15.4%, respectively. Increased prevalence was associated with proximity of herd pens to watering point's distances ( χ 2 for linear trend = 4.447, P χ 2  = 2.186, P  > 0.05); suggesting that hydrological network played an important part in trypanosomosis transmission. The mean PCV of parasitaemic and apparasitaemic cattle were respectively 25.99 ± 1.82% and 29.31 ± 1.70%. The drop in mean PCV was most in 0–1-year age group, 23.47 ± 3.10% and was statistically significant ( P