Goat management systems and peste des petits ruminant (PPR) incidence in rivers and Bayelsa states, Nigeria.

This study was conducted to evaluate goat management systems and the prevalence of PPR in two States in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria-Rivers and Bayelsa. The study was conducted in the Bayelsa and Rivers States located in the rainforest zones of the South-Southern part of Nigeria. Three Local Government Areas from each State were randomly selected; Ahoada East, Abua/Odual and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Rivers State and Ogbia, Yenagoa, and Southern Ijaw LGAs in Bayelsa State. Using purposive sampling techniques, private and commercial goat farmers, households and markets were identified and interviewed across the selected LGAs in the study areas. The management system most adopted is the semi-intensive system. Pest des petits ruminants (PPR) was found to have occurred annually from 2008 to 2012, with the highest incidence recorded in 2012 in Bayelsa and Rivers States at a frequency of 22 and 26 % respectively . Poor disease control methods and the neglect of veterinary services by many of the farmers as well as the effect of flooding in 2012 are reasons propounded to have predisposed the goats to the high rate of PPR incidence in 2012.Key words: flood, goat, Management system, Pest des petits ruminant