Milk and meat consumption patterns and the potential risk of zoonotic disease transmission among urban and peri-urban dairy farmers in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In the Ethiopian dairy farming system, prevalence of zoonotic diseases such as bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is high in the cattle population. This, combined with some risky milk and meat consumption habits, such as raw milk and uninspected raw meat consumption, poses a considerable risk of zoonotic disease transmission. A survey was conducted to investigate milk and meat consumption patterns, and the level of exposure to urban and peri-urban dairy-keeping households for risks of zoonotic disease transmission. METHODS: Data on milk and meat consumption behaviours and other socioeconomic and demographic variables were collected from 480 urban and peri-urban dairy farms randomly surveyed in major towns in Ethiopia (Mekele, Hawassa, and Gondar towns, Addis Ababa city, as well as five Oromia towns around Addis Ababa). Determinants of raw milk consumption associated with a number of demographic and socio-economic factors were analysed using a generalised ordered logistic model. RESULTS: The results indicated that about 20% the population consumed raw milk and their awareness about pasteurisation and its benefits were low. Location, gender of the household head, previous bTB testing of cattle on the farm, knowledge of zoonotic risks associated with raw milk consumption, household size, and per-capita milk consumption were found to be important determinants of the frequency of raw milk consumption. About 60% of the respondents were exposed to the risk of zoonotic diseases through their habit of frequently consuming raw meat. This was despite that over 90% of the respondents were aware of possible zoonotic risks of raw meat consumption. The determinants of raw meat consumption behaviours were associated with location, gender and age of the household head, household size, meat type preference, per-capita meat consumption, knowledge about disease transmission risks, and training on zoonoses. CONCLUSION: Creating awareness about the risk factors for zoonotic transmission of diseases through training and media campaigns, improving meat hygiene through better abattoir services, and inducing behavioural change around meat sourcing, raw meat and raw milk consumption, are all crucial to the successful prevention and control of the spread of zoonotic diseases, including bTB.

Acceptability and feasibility of proposed control and prevention strategies for bovine tuberculosis among Ethiopian dairy farmers and associated professionals.

A series of Focus Group Discussions were held with farmers, veterinarians and human health workers in two sites in Ethiopia, as part of the Ethiopia Control of Bovine Tuberculosis Strategies Project's efforts to devise and test the acceptability and feasibility of various control strategies for Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB). Group members were asked to give their responses to a range of strategies collected from global efforts to control the disease in cattle and humans in the context of intensification of the dairy industry, as well as those suggested by researchers within the project. Key findings from the study include the observation that a number of strategies utilised routinely to control bTB elsewhere in the world, including 'Test and Slaughter' and 'Test and Segregation' are likely to be impractical in low-resource settings where infrastructure may be unreliable and space both between and on individual farms is limited. It also became clear that farmers called upon to implement biosecurity measures should be supplied with locally-specific information and instructions in order to effectively control and prevent the spread of disease. Additionally, this research supports the need for investment in animal health system strengthening in Ethiopia and other similar settings, in order to enable animal health workers, including veterinarians, to devote time to disease surveillance and farmer sensitisation. Similarly, investment in milk pasteurisation processes and public education on these processes should be prioritised in order to increase their acceptability and feasibility among both producers and consumers.