SANITARY PROFILE OF THE GOAT AND SHEEP BREEDING OF THE HINTERLAND OF PERNAMBUCO

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe the sanitary profile of the caprine-ovineculture from the Hinterland of Pernambuco State. In total 150 properties were visited and the characteristics of the installations, the sanitary practices and the most frequent clinical findings were described. The results show that the installations with beaten soil (74.8%) and uncovered soil predominated (61.7%); the water reservoirs were open (83%) and in only 3.4% of the properties the water was treated; the register of the occurrences of the flocks was carried out by only 26% of the producers, and 47.6% treated the new-born navels with iodine; only 31.8% of the producers gave adequate destination to the dead animals carcass; the daily cleaning of the installations was done in only 14% of the properties and the disinfection in 16%; the vermifugation was the most known practice (88.2%) and only 6.1% of all breeders used continuous technical assistance. The main clinical findings suggested infectious and parasitic illnesses. In conclusion, the caprine-ovineculture from the Hinterland of Pernambuco State is developed in simple installations, the sanitary management is deficient and the available technologies are scarcely used, inhibiting the prevention and control of illnesses, mainly the ones of infectious and parasitic origin.

KEY WORDS: Brazil, epidemiology, sanitary management, animal health, semiarid region.