Camel calf diarrhea in Mauritania : survey results

• Main Authors: M. L. Dia, A. Diop, O. M. Ahmed, C. Diop, O. T. El Hacen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: CIRAD 2000-02-01
• Series: Revue d’Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux
• Subjects: Dromadaire; Jeune animal; Diarrhée; Étiologie; Escherichia coli; Salmonella; Haemonchus; Eimeria; Haemonchus longistipes; Mauritanie
• Online Access: http://revues.cirad.fr/index.php/REMVT/article/view/9741

In Mauritania, diarrheas among camel calves can occur a few weeks after birth and are of great concern to livestock breeders. According to them, they are solely responsible for camel calf mortality. Two surveys were conducted in order to determine diarrhea etiology and to assess ensuing losses: 1) in the Wilayas (in the South East of the country) as part of a survey on young animal mortality; 2) in Boghé (in the Center) in dromedaries. Calves with diarrhea and aged a few days to a year were surveyed. Diarrhea samples were collected in the field and stocked in ice or formaldehyde for bacteriological or parasitological examinations, respectively. The origins of the various etiologies (“etiological complex”) could be linked to: - Bacteria; Escherichia coli and Salmonella were among the bacteria responsible for enteritis; camel calves 0-3 months of age were the most affected; - Parasites; coccidia (Eimeria cameli) and gastrointestinal parasitic (Haemonchus longistipes) were found in all samples in particular in the rainy season; - Feed, or be unknown. These results corroborate those of other breeders who add to the etiology the mother health status, parturition period and phytoproducts used in agriculture