Prevalence and infection levels of helminths in goats at machanga Field station over a period of one year
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Date
1996Author
Githigia, S M
Okomo, M A
Inyangala, B A
Munyua, S J
Okeyo, M
Otieno, R L
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Helminthiasis in livestock is of considerable
significance in a wide range of agroclimatic
zones in Africa. It constitutes one of the most
important constraints to small ruminant
production. The widespread occurrence of infections
at sub-clinical levels with internal
parasites in grazing animals, the associated
loss of production, the cost of anthelmintics and
death of infected animals are some of the major
concerns'.
There is seasonal variation in the rate of
infection by endoparasites depending on
whether eggs passed in faeces develop into
infective stages. Most· reports indicate high
rates of transmission in the wet seasons". The
level of pasture contamination can indicate to
what degree animals are exposed to parasitic
infections in different seasons+". This study was
undertaken to assess the prevalence and
seasonal variations in infection levels of helminths
in a flock of goats over a period of one
year.
The study was carried out at the University
of Nairobi's Machanga field station adjacent to
Kamburu dam, in the arid to semi-arid areas of
Kenya. The annual rainfall was 680mm in 1993
and 783mm in 1994 with most of it falling during
the short rains period (October to December).
The area's vegetation consists of several
varieties of browse plants and grasses.
The study involved forty Small East African
goats aged between 2 and 3 years which were
bought from the surrounding farms and brought
to the station in October 1993. They were eartagged
for identification. They were faecal
sampled in January and February (during the
dry period), May and June (during the wet
season -long rains) and October and November
(during the wet season short rains) in 1994.
Individual rectal faecal samples were
analysed for nematode eggs per gram (EPG)
using the modified MacMaster technique'".
Magnesium Sulphate (Sp.Gr. 1.14) was used
as the floatation fluid.
Pooled feacal cultures were made and
infective larva were identified using standard
methods already described
Citation
Bull. Anim. Hlth. Prod. Afr. (1996), 44, 111 - 113Publisher
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology & Parasitology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Nairobi Depertment of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Nairobi Department of Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.