Summary
This narrative review examines the major infectious and non-infectious diseases of small ruminants in sub-Saharan Africa with particular emphasis on the practical constraints facing smallholder farmers. The authors synthesise current evidence on treatment and control strategies, evaluating their suitability for resource-limited production systems. The work implicitly addresses the tension between evidence-based disease management and the economic and infrastructural realities of pastoral and agropastoral livelihoods.
UK applicability
Limited direct applicability to UK small ruminant systems, which operate within different epidemiological, regulatory and economic contexts. However, the review may provide useful comparative perspective on disease management approaches where veterinary inputs are constrained, potentially informing organic or low-input systems.
Key measures
Disease prevalence, treatment efficacy, control method feasibility, applicability to smallholder systems
Outcomes reported
The study synthesises current knowledge of prevalent diseases affecting goats and sheep in sub-Saharan African smallholder systems, and reviews existing and emerging treatment and control strategies applicable to resource-limited farming contexts.
Topic tags
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