Oesophagostomosis, moniaziasis and trichuriasis of small ruminants slaughtered in north-western, Nigeria.

Abstract

Gastro-intestinal helminths have been recognised as a major constraint to both small and large-scale small ruminants production in developing countries. The study was carried out in north-western Nigeria to determine the prevalence and adult worm burden of intestinal helminths of small ruminants. A cross-sectional study was carried out in small ruminants for the period of 12 months. For this study, the intestines (small and large intestines) were collected from 300 small ruminants (200 goats and 100 sheep) at necropsy and examined by the Hansen and Perry method. Out of the 300 small ruminants examined during the study period, the intestines revealed the presence of Oesophagostomum sp, Trichuris sp and Moniezia sp with prevalence rate of 13.3%, 40.7% and 22% respectively. The mean adult worn burden for Oesophagostomum sp, Trichuris sp and Moniezia sp were 18.35±5.546 (1-108), 9.459±1.623 (1-29) and 10.02±1.502 (2-29) respectively. Considering the sex of the small ruminants, the prevalence for Trichuris sp (44.9% in male and 28% in female) being the most prevalent followed respectively by Moniezia sp (22.2% in male and 28% in female) and Oesophagostomum sp (13.3% in both sexes). The mean adult worm counts were generally low in both male (21.68±10.18 Oesophagostomum sp, 8.88±1.96 Trichurisspp and 10.02±1.90 Moniezia sp) and Female (18.60±10.39 Oesophagostomum sp, 9.90±2.00 Trichuris sp and 11.47±2.00 Moniezia sp). The prevalence and the mean adult worm counts showed the same trend irrespectively of the sex, age and species of small ruminants. There was no seasonal variation in the prevalence and mean adult worm counts recovered from small ruminants, except for the prevalence of Oesphagostomum spp and Trichuris sp that was statistically significant difference between the dry season and rainy season. The study established that sheep and goats suffer from low grade infection of Oesophagostomum sp, Trichuris sp and Moniezia sp. It is therefore recommended that the pathological lesions of these parasites especially Oesophagostomum sp on the small ruminants be carried out to estimate the economic and production loses.