SLAUGHTERHOUSE SURVEY FOR ANTIBODIES AGAINST SELECTED VIRUSES IN RUMINANT SERA IN MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

100 animals each of cattle, sheep, and goats from the municipal slaugh terhouse at Maiduguri were tested by the complement fixation method fo r the presence of antibodies against 3 virus antigens: bovine rota vir us (BRV), bovine corona virus (BCV), and bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV). 46 (15.3%) of all sera tested contained antibodies against 1 o r more virus antigens. The prevalence rate was highest in cattle (27%) , among which the BCV and BVDV reactions were significantly higher tha n those of BRV. Sheep and goat sera did not exhibit any such differenc es. The sex of the animals had no relation to the prevalence of the re actions, except for sheep, where the ewes had a significantly higher p revalence rate. The infection rate found in the ruminant species teste d is relevant for the Public Health Service as well as for the Veterin ary Science in Nigeria.