PREVALENCE OF HAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS IN KALAHARI RED GOAT HERD

Abstract

This study was carried out in Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Nigeria. The research was aimed at determining the prevalence of Haemonchus contortus in the Kalahari Red Goat herd reared in the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR) Farm in the hot humid tropics through faecal egg count. One hundred and ten faecal samples were collected from 110 individual animals of mixed sex from Kalahari Red goat herd. Using parasitalogical methods for the worm isolation, identification and worm load determination; Floatation and Mac Master Techniques were used for quantitative and qualitative analysis respectively. The results obtained from this study revealed the prevalence rate of Haemonchus contortus as 31.82% in the goat population. The mean egg count was 728.57 + 177.07 per gram of faeces (EPG) with a range of 100 — 4900 EPG as an overall analysis. The mean egg count amongst the female goats was 783 + 203.42 with a range of 100-4900 EPG which was the same with the overall range while the mean egg count in the male goats was 400 + 184.40 with arange of 100—900 EPG. Thus, the females had a higher EPG than the males. The prevalence rate of 31.82% is of economic importance and should be of concern in the goat herd health management operations. Strict control of parasite both on pastures and animal host has to be adopted through browse plant and hay introduction to break parasite life-cycle, selection of Parasite resistant does for breeding, continuous general hygiene, boosting of dietary nutrients of the concentrate feeds and the use of conventional dewormers alternated with forages with proven anthelthic properties.