Prevalence of Major Skin Diseases in Ruminants and its associated Risk Factors at University of Gondar Veterinary Clinic, North West Ethiopia

Ethiopia has the largest livestock inventories in Africa, including, about 53.99 million cattle, 25.5 million sheep, 24.06 million goats, 1.91 million horses, 6.75 million donkeys, 0.35 million mules, 0.92 million camels and about 50.38 million poultry are estimated to find in the country [1]. It performs multiple functions in the Ethiopian economy by providing food, input for crop production and soil fertility management, raw material for industry, cash income as well as in promoting saving, fuel, social functions and employment. The sector’s contribution to national output is underestimated, because traction power and manure for fertilizer are not valued. Livestock Contributes 12-15% of total export earnings, the sub-sector is the second major source of foreign currency through export of live animals, meat, hides and skins [2]. At the household level, livestock contributes to the livelihood of approximately 70 percent of Ethiopians. Women play a critical role in livestock production, both directly in primary production of small ruminants, and indirectly through the contribution of livestock to household assets. Livestock offers a particular package of benefits to pastoralists, for whom few alternative livelihoods exist [3]. Hides and skins averaged a yearly export value of $52,160,000 USD, livestock averaged $3,390,000 USD, and meat $2,380,000 USD. Over this twenty-one year period, hides and skins provided on average 90% of official livestock sector exports, livestock provided 6% and meat 4%. For a time in the 1990s, hides, skins and leather were Ethiopia’s second largest export earner after coffee [4]. Despite the large number of livestock, there has been a decline in national and per capita production of livestock and livestock products, export earnings from livestock and per capita consumption of food from livestock origin in comparison to other African countries due to disease and other constraints [2].