Browsing by Author "Kassaye Aragaw"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) Exposure in Dairy Cattle in Southern and Central Ethiopia and Potential Association with Reproductive Performance
    (Addis Ababa University, 2022) Kassaye Aragaw; Fekadu Regassa
    Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is an important viral pathogen of cattle with a worldwide distribution. Although infection with the virus is usually subclinical, it may cause wideranging clinical conditions in cattle. Its main economic significance results from its effect on reproductive performance of cattle. It causes embryonic mortality and absorption, abortion, stillbirth, fetal malformation and birth of weak calves depending on stage of pregnancy during infection. In cetain outbreaks it may cause severe morbidity and mortality in susceptible herds depending on the strain of the virus. Despite the economic importance of the virus in almost every major cattle producing countries of the world only few studies have so far been conducted in Ethiopia. Those few works were also mostly limited to serological studies in limited geographic areas. There is lack of reports regarding occurrence of active disease or outbreaks associating infection with clinical conditions and losses. There is also so far no published work on the genotype of the virus prevalent in the country. Therefore this study was designed with aims to estimate the seroprevalence, identify associated risk factors and assess association of BVDV serostatus with reproductive wastage in dairy cows in Ethiopia. The study also attempted to detect and characterize BVDV nucleic acid in samples collected from bovine abortions and sera collected from selected animals. Accordingly, sera were collected from 954 randomly selected cattle from 98 dairy herds in southern and central Ethiopia. These sera samples were tested for BVDV antibodies using a commercial ELISA. Fetal tissue samples and placenta from 30 bovine abortions and sera from 26 selected cattle were also collected for detection of BVDV nucleic acid using reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Among screened sera samples 20.9% (95%CI, 18.4, 23.6) were tested positive to BVDV antibodies. The herd prevalence was 50% (95%CI, 40.1, 59.9) and the intra-herd prevalence ranged between 2.6% and 100% (mean = 31.4%) in positive herds. Geographic region, herd size and animal arrangement in the farm had significant association with serostatus (p <0.05). Cattle from southern Ethiopia and herds of large size had 2.8 (95%CI; 1.9, 4.2) and 2.6 (95%CI; 1.5, 4.6) times higher odds of being seropositive compared to their counterparts, respectively. Serostatus to BVDV was associated with history of anestrus, repeat breeding (RB), mastitis and extended calving interval (CI) (p <0.05). Animals with history of extended CI and mastitis were 1.7 (95%CI; 1.0, 2.7) and 2.2 (95%CI; 1.5, 3.2) times more likely to be seropositive compared with those with normal CI and no history of mastitis, respectively. On the other hand, animals with history of anestrus and RB were less likely to be seropositive to BVDV compared to cattle with no such history. All samples tested with RT-PCR were negative for BVDV nucleic acid. Our study highlights the association of BVDV infection with some important reproductive performance traits and potential risk factors. The study also demonstrated high occurrence of reproductive health problems in dairy cattle in Ethiopia and that the reproductive performance of dairy cattle in the study herds is suboptimal.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Conflict Management Practices in Selected Government Primary Schools in Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-City, Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2025-05) Kassaye Aragaw; Aman Worku
    This study explored how conflict is managed in selected government primary schools within Nifas Silk Lafto Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The main aim was to examine the sources and types of conflicts occurring in school environments and to evaluate the strategies used by school staff and other stakeholders to resolve them. Conflict in schools is not uncommon and can negatively affect teaching, learning, and the overall school climate if not handled properly. With this in mind, the study sought to understand not only how conflicts arise and are dealt with, but also what gaps and challenges exist in the current practices. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining both quantitative and qualitative data. Questionnaires were administered to teachers, students, and school administrators to gather structured and measurable information, while interviews were held with selected teachers, parents, and local education officials to capture more detailed and personal experiences. In total, 253 participants were involved across five government primary schools and the Sub-City Education Office. Tools such as SPSS 20 and Excel helped with organizing and visualizing the data more efficiently. The findings revealed that conflicts were mostly caused by poor communication between students and teachers, misunderstandings among students, behavioral issues, and a lack of consistent rules or fairness in school management. Teachers and administrators mainly relied on traditional methods like verbal warnings, student punishment, or informal discussions to manage conflicts. However, these methods often lacked follow-through or didn’t address the root causes. There was little to no formal conflict resolution training, and most schools did not have clear written policies or systems in place to manage disputes. Parents also felt left out of the process, and students sometimes felt that their voices weren’t heard. Despite these issues, many participants especially teachers and school leaders expressed a strong willingness to improve the situation. They believed that with the right training, better communication, and more structured approaches, conflict could be handled in a healthier and more constructive way. The study recommends that schools develop clear conflict resolution policies, offer training for staff, and create spaces for open dialogue among students, parents, and educators. Encouraging collaboration and consistent communication among all stakeholders could help build a more positive and supportive school environment. The findings also serve as a helpful reference for future research and discussions about school-based conflict management, especially in urban public school settings like those found in Addis Ababa.