Review Article Open Access

A Retrospective Review of 130 Years of Equine Disease in Sudan

Abstract

Sudan’s equines are important in pastoralism and agriculture as riding, work and transport animals and in urban areas for transport. In 2010 Sudan had 7.5 million donkeys and 0.8 million horses. All donkeys and most horses are local types. Rudimentary health services were provided to British and Egyptian military units from 1884, followed by officers of the Army Veterinary Service from the mid-1890s. National veterinary services were staffed at low levels for transport and food producing animals by military personnel until 1924. Limited disease diagnosis and treatment was then assured by the civilian Sudan Veterinary Service and a research arm was established in the 1920s. Disease diagnosis, treatment and control are now assured by public and private services acting within laws governing diseases and welfare. Sudan is a Member State of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) and contributes–not always fully–to the international reporting system. Not all Notifiable OIE diseases are Notifiable in Sudan. Most major equine diseases or ausative organisms have been found in the country, often in isolated investigations and in subclinical form. Internal parasites cause major economic loss and external parasites are vectors of many diseases. Clinical services are essentially limited to urban transport animals: field services are understaffed and have limited equipment and funding. Equines continue to contribute to national and household economies but do not and will probably not in the future receive services commensurate with their inputs. This paper reviews equine diseases via a bibliography of 105 references.

R. Trevor Wilson

To read the full article Download Full Article | Visit Full Article