Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites of cattle in Kugiya Market, Bukuru, Jos South LGA, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

Gastrointestinal helminth infection in cattle caused by trematodes (flukes), cestodes (tapeworms), and nematodes (roundworms) causes significant diseases which may result to growth retardation and significant economic damage. An investigation of gastrointestinal parasites of cattle sold at Kugiya market Bukuru, Jos South LGA was carried out between January and April 2016. Faecal samples of 232 cattle were examined using floatation method (Saturated Salt Solution). All the samples had gastrointestinal parasites. Nineteen 19(100%) species of gastrointestinal parasites were encountered, 2(3.88%) of which are protozoans, while the remaining 17(96.12%) were helminths as follows: 5(17.67%) trematodes (including 1 amphistome), 1(12.07%) cestode and 11(17.67%) nematodes species. The most frequently encountered were nematodes with a prevalence of 66.38% (in 154 samples), followed by the trematodes in 41 samples with a prevalence of 17.67%, cestodes in 28(12.07%) and the least protozoa in 9(3.88%). The parasites encountered are Dicrocoelium dendrititcum 8(3.45%), Taenia saginata 28(12.07%), Ostertagia ostertagi 16(6.89%), Trichuris trichuiria 13(5.60%), Oesophagustomum radiatum 16(6.89%), Bunostomum phlebotomum 22(9.84%), Amphiostomes species 15(6.47%), Haemonchus contortus 16(6.89%), Cooperia pectinata 19(8.19%), Trichostrongylus axei 11(4.74%), Dicrocoelium hospes 5(2.16%), Strongyloides papillosus 11(4.74%), Fasciola hepatica 7(3.02%), Fasciola gigantica 6(2.59%), Oesophagustomum species 12 (5.17%), Dictyocaulus viviparous 7 (3.02%), Ascaris vitulorum 11(4.74%), Eimeria bovis 3(1.29%) and Eimeria zuernii 6 (2.59%). The cestode, T. saginata had the highest prevalence of 12.07% while the protozoa, E. bovis had the lowest 1.29%. Sex and age-related infection were not significantly different at P > 0.05. Likewise, the source, breed and stool consistency related infection were not significantly different.