Spatio-temporal prevalence and importance of contagious diseases of livestock in district Rahim Yar Khan (Pakistan) were investigated through conflation of data based upon participatory appraisal and scanning surveillance from January 2007 to August 2009. Results revealed that haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) and foot and mouth disease (FMD) were the most important diseases of riverine and canal irrigated areas, while FMD and black quarter (BQ) were the most serious and prevalent diseases of Cholistan. FMD was the most prevalent disease of riverine and canal irrigated areas of the district during winter and spring, while FMD and BQ were the most prevalent diseases of Cholistan during winter and spring, respectively. Enterotoxaemia (ET) and peste des petits ruminants (PPR) were reportedly occurred during spring and summer. HS was reportedly the predominant disease of riverine and canal irrigated areas throughout the year. Out of the total recorded outbreaks, 79.5% occurred during the period from December through April. Maximum case fatality risk for HS (0.8), FMD (0.1), BQ (0.6), ET (0.3), contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (0.5), and PPR (0.3) was recorded during May, January through April, November, December through March, April and March through May, respectively. Case fatality was incessantly 1 in all the outbreaks of rabies.  The highest prevalence of HS was recorded in Rahim Yar Khan city (16.2%), of FMD in Sadiqabad Sadar (16.7%), of BQ in Cholistan (33.3%), of rabies in Rajan Pur (20%), of ET in Rajan Pur (24.6%), of CCPP in Chak Jhumra (17.77%), of PPR in Zahir Pir (17.5%), of buffalo pox (BP) in Rahim Yar Khan city (50%) and Kot Samaba (50%), of camel pox (CP) in Cholistan (100%) and of goat pox (GP) in Rahim Yar Khan city (18.8%) and Rajan Pur (18.8%).

Key words: Contagious diseases, Disease risk profile,  Participatory appraisal, Rahim Yar Khan, Scanning surveillance, Transboundary animal diseases