Abstract
The combination of cross-section and controlled field trail were carried out from December 2015 to June 2016 at Haramaya District, Eastern Hararhge, Ethiopia to evaluate the prevalence ofgastrointestinal nematodes and anthelmintic efficacy test in naturally infected small ruminants using faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test. From a total of 372 faecal samples examined using fecal flotation technique about 57% (212/372) samples were positive to gastrointestinal nematodes. Coprological investigation revealed that sheep and goats in district were infested with varieties of nematode parasites. The strongyles species were highly prevalent nematode parasites identified at about 22.3% (83/372) followed by trichuris 9.1% (34/372) and strongyloides 5.6% (21/372); whereas mixed infections of strongyles and strongyloides were recovered at lowest rate which accounted for about 5.1% (19/372). From considered risk factors age and kebele showed significant association (p<0.05) with prevalence of nematodes parasites. The study revealed that 53.29% (97/182) of goats and 60.53% (115/190) sheep were found positive, while 58% (115/198) in female and 55.74% (97/174) in male and showed no significant difference (p>0.05) between these factors. Mc Master egg counting in sheep harbored nematode parasites showed relatively similar percentage with no significant difference; but more of examined animals were classified in the range of moderate to heavy infections. The faecal egg count reduction test against albendazole, Tetraclozash and ivermectin indicated that 97.59%, 98.79% and 99.56% respectively which indicated an overall of very good state of efficacy against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep. Therefore this study revealed that small ruminants of the study area harbored considerable level of gastrointestinal nematodes parasites which need further studies on species identification, larval ecology and strategic deworming with proper practice of available anthelmintics in small ruminants of the study area.
Highlights
Sheep and goats are mainly found in arid and semi- arid areas of sub-Saharan Africa
This study showed that the prevalence of nematode parasites in goats was 53.29% (97/182) which agree with finding of Zeryehun [13] in and around Haramaya district Eastern Ethiopia and Tigist et al [18] in South West Ethiopia who reported 54.61% and 52.6% respectively while it contrary to the previous study done by Kumsa et al [21] in central Ethiopia that reported 83.1% prevalence of nematodes of goats
This study suggest that use of those drugs at their dosage level and formulation prescribed by manufacturers, have tendency in controlling nematode parasites in study area
Summary
Sheep and goats are mainly found in arid and semi- arid areas of sub-Saharan Africa. They play a vital role in rural economies through the provision of meat, milk, household income, manure and skin. Compared to cattle and camels, sheep and goats contribute a larger proportion of readily available meat in the diets of pastoralists. They have been estimated to provide up to 30% of the meat and 15% of the milk supplies in sub-Saharan Africa where thrive in a wide range of ecological regions often in conditions too harsh for the beneficial rearing of cattle. Small ruminants have been reported to survive better under drought conditions than cattle due to their low body mass and low metabolic requirements which in turn minimize their water requirements and maintenance needed in arid and semi-arid. The frequent droughts and large tsetse infected areas in sub-Saharan Africa requires more small ruminants in order to supplement cattle production [1]
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