Haematological responses of Yankasa sheep to experimental Fasciola gigantica infection in Zaria, Nigeria.

Abstract

Haematological responses of Yankasa sheep to experimental Fasciola gigantica infection were evaluated using twelve Yankasa ewes aged 10-12 months. The animals were obtained from the Reproduction Unit of the National Animal Production Research Institute, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria. 2weeks baseline pre-infection data were collected and the ewes were later divided into two groups of infected and controls respectively. The six animals in the infected group were each orally inoculated with 1200 Fasciola gigantica metacercariae and monitored for a period of 16weeks. Mean packed cell Volume (PVC), haemoglobin concentration and total plasma protein of the infected group were significantly lower than the controls