Combining market surveys and participative approaches to map small ruminant mobility in three selected states in northern Nigeria

In Nigeria, a huge gap in knowledge on livestock mobility and its role on transboundary disease spread exists. As animals move, so do diseases. Therefore, there is a need to understand how livestock movements can contribute to the circulation and maintenance of infectious livestock diseases which can impede the design of particular surveillance and control tactics in the event of outbreaks. Our study aim was to reconstruct small ruminants’ mobility patterns in three selected states in Northern Nigeria for better surveillance and control of small ruminant’s transboundary animal diseases (TADs). To this end, a mixed approach was used to collect data. A market survey, employing structured questionnaires, was administered to 1,065 market traders. Additionally, 20 focus group discussions were conducted with traders and transhumance actors across 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) spanning three northern Nigerian states: Plateau, Bauchi, and Kano. The respondent movements by type, animal movement, reason for movement was described and summarized. Data collected were used to reconstruct small ruminant mobility networks, whose nodes were LGAs, in the three states of the survey area and with other states in Nigeria and movement mapped. Characteristics of both networks were studied using a complex network approach either separately or combined. Using the two approaches provided a complementary view of small ruminant mobility. The reconstructed networks were connected, highly heterogeneous and had very low density. The networks included LGAs belonging up to 31 states. The presence of hubs increased the risk of disease spread. Gwarzo, Wudil (Kano) and Alkaleri (Bauchi) LGAs received the most sheep and goats, while Jos North (Plateau) and Gwarzo supplied more small ruminants. Bukuru and Alkaleri markets were classified as super-spreaders with a higher probability of detecting virus circulation. Four to six multistate communities were identified. Our findings could support policy choices to identify priority areas for surveillance and disease control in small ruminants.