Effect of giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) and neem (Azadirachta indica) on haematological parameters and gastrointestinal parasitic load in Marwari lambs under arid zone

Abstract

Haematological parameters are useful tools for assessing health status of an animal. In Arid region of Rajasthan where sheep rearing is commonly practiced as pasture graze system, gastrointestinal parasitic infections are more frequent. So the present study was designed to evaluate the effect of Giloy and Neem alone and in combination on harmatological parameters of Marwari lambs and gastrointestinal parasitic load in treated animals compare to control group under arid zone. An experiment was conducted for 12 weeks on 42 Marwari male lambs and divided into seven groups, six lambs in each group in a randomized block design. The lambs of T1 group were provided only basal diet (grazing + ad lib. fodder + 400 g concentrate per lamb per day) and were kept as control group and lambs of all other treatment groups were provided basal diet with herbal supplementation i.e. 0.5 per cent Giloy stem powder in group T2, 1.0 per cent Giloy stem powder in group T3, 0.5 per cent Neem leaf powder in group T4, 1.0 per cent Neem leaf powder in group T5, 0.25 per cent Giloy stem powder along with 0.25 per cent Neem leaf powder in group T6 and 0.5 per cent Giloy stem powder along with 0.5 per cent Neem leaf powder in group T7. Higher level of Hb and PCV were recorded in different treatment groups than control group though, they were within normal physiological range but the effect was non-significant. Results of parasitic infection showed significant difference in the infection rates among the treatment groups and group T7 have minimum parasitic infection compared to other treatment groups. At the end of experiment it appears that incorporation of 0.5 per cent Giloy stem powder along with 0.5 per cent Neem leaves powder can be used as a part of strategy as they are effective to control gastrointestinal parasitic infection and maintain the value of Hb and PCV which indicate good health status of lambs in arid zone of Rajasthan.