Incidence of Disorders Due to Ball Formation in the Stomach of Sheep Grazing Natural Grassland Under Rainfed Conditions of Sudan

This study was carried out in Western Sudan (Kordofan State) with the objective of investigating the causes and degree of infestation of sheep raised on rangelands with ball-shaped bodies (Phytobezoars). Indigenous knowledge among sheep producers on the disorder was also investigated. The data were collected via a questionnaire at six sites. Range inventory, herbarium collection and identification of plant species, diagnosis of animals for ball-shaped bodies by palpation and calculation of % incidence were carried out among herds brought to a central livestock market. Feeding trials were conducted to examine the incidence of sheep with ball-shaped bodies upon ingestion of <i>Merrimia emarginata</i> at four stages of growth (before flowering, at flowering, plants with immature pods and at late-maturity stages) and at four levels of feeding in the late mature stage (15, 30, 45%). The physical properties of the balls removed from sheep were studied. The occurrence of incidents as reported by 92.5% of the respondents showed the capability of diagnosing the balls. Sheep arriving at the central market showed incidences that ranged from 0 or 1% of some areas to 56.67% for others. Feeding trials indicated that 2 sheep fed on <i>Merrimia emarginata</i> at seed formation and late maturity stages developed 3 balls.