How do Zambian sheep and goat traders perceive and act on health and disease in small ruminants in trade? Trade with sick sheep and goats is common in Zambia, but not only because of poor knowledge.
Trade of animals and animal products is often identified as a key factor in disease transmission. In this process, animal traders play an important role, but limited research has focused on how they reason and act on animal health and disease. Therefore, the two largest small livestock markets in Zambia were visited by researchers from SLU and the University of Zambia (UNZA) to interview sheep and goat traders about their perceptions and practices concerning health and disease in small ruminants in trade.
“We discovered that trade with sheep and goats with signs of disease was relatively common at these markets”, says Sara Lysholm, lead author of the study. “Traders were more likely to sell a sick animal if it was sold for consumption and not for breeding purposes, but also if the buyer was aware that the animal was sick and if the clinical sign was believed to be caused by natural processes rather than disease.”
Previous research has commonly explained lack of knowledge as the reason to why traders engage in disease transmitting behaviour, and knowledge improvement campaigns are often suggested to solve this issue. This study found several other reasons for these risky behaviours, such as financial inability to withhold from sale and reluctance to assume responsibility to prevent disease spread.
Photo: Sara Lysholm, SLU
“Our results can lead to a shift in the focus of research and outreach projects from simply identifying knowledge gaps, to understanding the width of underlying drivers”, says the senior author Klara Fischer. “By truly understanding these drivers, locally relevant communication strategies and risk mitigation measures can be formulated.”
“This can reduce the risks of trade and market-associated disease dissemination to humans and animals”, adds the project leader Jonas Johansson Wensman. ”Eventually, we hope it will lead to improved small ruminant health and smallholder farmer livelihoods in Zambia, but also to better public health because of decreased risk for transmission of foodborne diseases.”
Lysholm, S., Wensman, J.J., Munyeme, M. & Fischer, K. 2020. Perceptions and practices among Zambian sheep and goat traders concerning small ruminant health and disease. PLOS ONE 15(6): e0233611.
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