SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE NAMCHI AND KAPSIKI CATTLE OF CAMEROON TO TRYPANOSOME INFECTION

Two indigenous Cameroonian taurine cattle breeds (Namchi and Kapsiki) were evaluated for trypanosusceptibility following inoculation with Tr ypanosoma congolense. The degree of,zebu ancestry in the experimental animals was assessed using 6 microsatellite markers which are known to have certain unique alleles which are diagnostic of Bos indicus genet ic input. Their response to the infection was compared to that of know n trypanotolerant (N'Dama) and trypanosusceptible (Ngaoundere Gudali) cattle. The Namchi and the N'Dama controlled the development and sever ity of anaemia and parasitaemia better than the Kapsiki and the Gudali . For these parameters, there was no significant difference between th e N'Dama and Namchi nor between rile Kapsiki and Gudali. Similarly, we ight loss showed significant breed variation. The N'Dama lost the leas t weight and the Kapsiki the most. Zebu introgression in the Namchi wa s comparable to that in the N'Dama while that of the Kapsiki breed was higher, indicating a high level of cross breeding. From the results, the Namchi are considered trypanotolerant while the Kapsiki are trypan osusceptible. The potential exploitation of the indigenous Namchi catt le is discussed.