Browsing by Author "Ngowi, Helena"

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Assessment of compliance with good agricultural practices in pig farming in Mpwapwa and Mbulu districts, Tanzania
(Taylor & Francis Group, 2023-07-14) Nonga, Cosmas; Zacharia, Issa; Mkupasi, Ernatus; Ngowi, Helena
A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and May 2022 to explore the pig farming practices and assess their compliance with Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and their associated constraints in Mpwapwa and Mbulu districts. A total of 136 pig farmers were randomly chosen from purposively selected wards for interview using a structured questionnaire. The study revealed that 71.3% of all pig farmers were aware of GAPs on pig farming, but only 19.8% of the pig farmers complied with the stipulated GAPs. About 81.6% of the respondents had poor piggery hygiene and 76.5% had poor piggery conditions. Pig farmers reported the cost of feeds (83.8%) and veterinary services (81.6%) to be the hindrance to compliance with GAPs. It was concluded that pig farmers are aware of GAPs but not all implement them. Limited availability and high costs of pig feeds and veterinary services are among the factors limiting the full implemantation of GAP in pig farming in the Mpwapwa and Mbulu districts. Therefore, there is a need for the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development and private investors to collaborate to ensure accessibility to Agro-vet services in rural areas with minimal cost. A positive effect could also result from encouraging pig farmers to use locally available ingredients to compose pig feeds.
Challenges in the diagnosis of taenia solium cysticercosis and taeniosis in medical and veterinary settings in selected regions of Tanzania: a cross-sectional study
(Hindawi, 2022-06-30) Mlowe, Fredy; Karimuribo, Esron; Mkupasi, Ernatus; Churi, Ayubu; Nyerere, Antony D.; Schmidt, Veronika; Ngowi, Helena; Winkler, Andrea S.; Mlangwa, James
Taenia solium (neuro) cysticercosis/taeniosis (TSCT) is a zoonotic disease complex. There is a perceived inefficient diagnosis of infections by either form, the adult pork tapeworm (taeniosis) and the larval stage of it (cysticercosis), in low-income settings, including Tanzania. This study aimed at identifying potential gaps around TSCT diagnosis and knowledge of primary healthcare providers (officers in charge (OICs) of primary healthcare facilities (PHFs)) and veterinarians (meat inspectors (MIs)) on various aspects of TSCT disease complex and addressing effective disease control in Tanzania. Methodology. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 2020 in Manyara, Dodoma, Ruvuma, Iringa, and Arusha regions in Babati, Mbulu, Kongwa, Mbinga, and Nyasa districts. We interviewed 152 OICs of PHFs and 108 MIs using a structured questionnaire and 33 medical and veterinary officers from level I healthcare facilities and district livestock offices, respectively, from selected study districts to the respective ministerial level using key informant interviews. Results. Quantitative data revealed inadequate microscopic diagnostic facilities (54.6%) and personnel (100%) for taeniosis diagnosis in PHFs (n 152). Approximately 81.2% of MIs compared with only 42.1% of OICs of PHFs scored above average regarding T. solium cysticerci knowledge. Nevertheless, 61.2% of OICs of PHFs compared with only 42.6% of MIs scored above average regarding the adult T. solium tapeworm knowledge. Qualitative data revealed inadequate availability of advanced diagnostic facilities (neuroimaging) and trained personnel for specific diagnosis of TSCT with a focus on neurocysticercosis (NCC) in secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities. Inadequately number of qualified MIs, slaughter slabs, and resource facilitation challenged porcine cysticercosis diagnosis. Conclusion. It is concluded that diagnostic capacity and knowledge of OICs of PHFs and MIs regarding TSCT are insufficient in both medical and veterinary sectors. A One Health approach should be adopted to improve TSCT diagnostic capacity and practitioners’ knowledge in both medical and veterinary sectors.
Productivity and parasitic infections of pigs kept under different management systems by smallholder farmers in Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania
(Springer, 2015-05-05) Lipendele, Calvin Paul; Lekule, Faustine Paul; Mushi, Daniel Elias; Ngowi, Helena; Kimbi, Eliakunda Casmir; Mejer, Helena; Thamsborg, Stig Milan; Johansen, Maria Vang
An on farm experiment was carried out to assess the effects of production systems on the performance of local pigs kept by smallholder farmers. Six villages from Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania were purposely selected based on the prominent pig production systems: free range, semi- confinement and total confinement. Fifteen pig keeping households were randomly selected from each village to par- ticipate in the study. A participatory rural appraisal and struc- tured questionnaire were used for collecting information from the households on pig production and reproduction perfor- mance. In addition, a total of 180 weaner pigs, 2–3 months old, were purchased and randomly allocated to the 90 partic- ipating households. The pigs were subjected to three produc- tion systems: free range (M1), confinement with local diet (M2) and confinement with a compounded diet and anthel- mintic treatment (M3). The anthelmintic treatment (piperazine citrate) was administered at 1 g per kg body weight. Faecal and blood samples were collected at month three of the exper- iment to assess the burden of intestinal helminths and sero- prevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis, respectively. Sows kept under free range system were reported to have smaller litter size both at farrowing and at weaning compared to those kept under confinement. The experiment showed pigs under M3 had higher (P<0.05) liveweight gains (136 g/day) com- pared to pigs in M2 (73 g/day) and M1 (68 g/day). In addition, pigs in M3 had higher body length and heart girth size with the feed to gain ratio of 8.5. Free range pigs tended to have lower faecal egg counts for most worm species compared to perma- nently confined pigs. Sero-prevalence of Taenia solium cysti- cercosis was 26 %, with village prevalence ranging from 8 to 52 %. Although pigs kept in M3 performed better than the rest, the compounded feed was too expensive for the farmers to afford. Locally available feed types combined with vitamin and mineral supplements may be a more sustainable option.