Livestock mortality in Afghanistan in districts with and without a veterinary programme

This paper reports on livestock mortality in Afghanistan where a war has been going on for more than a decade, with complete disruption of the veterinary field services. The study attempted to measure the impact of a veterinary field programme carried out mainly by paravets. The study also provides valuable data on the impact of diseases in the absence of any veterinary intervention. The veterinary programme, implemented by a Dutch non-governmental organisation (NGO) for approximately 3 years, consisted essentially of vaccination against major infectious diseases and administration of anthelmintic drugs for nematodes and liver flukes. Veterinary personnel were also involved in curative treatments. Livestock mortality figures were collected by questionnaire over a period of 2 years from more than 700 farmers in randomly selected villages in 4 covered districts with a veterinary programme and 4 control districts without a veterinary programme. The average annual mortality rates for calves, lambs and kids respectively were 16.2%, 17.3% and 19.1% in the covered areas, against 21.5%, 25.2% and 24.6% in the control areas. Adult mortality figures were 3.8%, 7.4% and 5.4% in the covered areas, against 5.3%, 13.6% and 15.6% in the control areas for cattle, sheep and goats respectively. The survey indicated significant differences (P < 0.01 in cattle, P < 0.001 in small ruminants) in livestock mortality between the control and covered areas and it is concluded that these differences were attributable to the presence or absence of the animal health programme.