AN OUTBREAK OF HEARTWATER IN WEST AFRICAN DWARF LAMBS ON PASTURE

Abstract

An outbreak of Heartwater disease in young West African Dwarf ram/lambs on pasture in Ile-Ife is reported. The outbreak which started 2 weeks after being put to pasture lasted 4 weeks. It affected seven out of 24 lambs put to an ex- perimental pasture. The remaining animals in the unit (about 250) were  apparently not af- fected. In 3 of the cases Cowdria ruminantium organisms were demonstrated in the endothelial cells of the jugular vein. Ticks removed from the animals and ground in sterile saline produced Heartwater disease in susceptible goats.