Clinical, haematological and biochemical features associated with foot rot infection in sheep in Oyo State, Nigeria

Foot rot is considered one of the major important diseases of ruminants that impairs productivity and causes serious economic losses in Nigeria. Despite its endemicity and economic importance, there is inadequate data on its clinico-haematological and biochemical indices in Nigerian indigenous sheep. This study, therefore, establishes the occurrence of foot rot in relation to breeds, sex, and ages of sheep and determines the clinical, haematological, and biochemical parameters of foot rot-infected sheep.

Thirty-six local sheep showing signs of foot rot and confirmed positive for the commonest bacterial aetiological organisms (Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum) using bacteriological techniques and subsequently analysed using standard haematological and serum biochemical techniques.

There were more foot rot cases in the Yankasa breed (50%) compared with the West African Dwarf (33.3%) and Ouda breeds (16.7%). Females (ewes) had the highest occurrence (69.4%) compared to males (rams) (30.6%), and adults (83.3%) compared to young (16.7%) sheep, respectively. More sheep were moderately infected (61.1%) compared to those with mild infections (22.2%) and those that were severely infected (16.7%). Erythrocytic parameters were generally low, and WBC, platelet, and lymphocyte were higher, while neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils remained normal compared to reference values, but there were no significant differences at (P < 0.05) among the breeds. Level of calcium was significantly higher in males compared to females (P=0.023). Findings in relation to ages revealed no statistical significance, except for ALP, which was significantly higher in adult compared to young, infected sheep (P = 0.01).

Occurrence was higher in the Yankasa breed, females and adults compared to other breeds, males and young sheep. There was generalised lymphocytosis and hypercalcaemia generally in footrot-infected sheep. The Yankasa breed, male (ram), and adult possessed the best haematological and biochemical parameters compared to other breeds, female and young sheep with foot rot infection.