Gastrointestinal nematode infections in dorper lambs in a semi-arid area of Kajiado District of Kenya

Abstract

A study on the prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode infections in Dorper lambs in relation to age and seasonal effects was carried out in a semi arid area of Kajiado District over a period of 2 years between November 1999 and November 2001. Each year, a total of 20 lambs were randomly recruited at the age of 6 weeks and their faecal samples examined for strongyle eggs every 3 weeks for a period of one year. The results obtained during this period indicated that strongyle infections started building up in lambs as they began to rely heavily on pastures at around the age of 9 weeks. The mean faecal strongyle egg counts in these lambs were significantly higher (p<0.05) during the dry season (geometric mean EPG 867) than in the wet season (geometric mean EPG 462) in the first year of study, but significantly higher (p<0.05) during the wet season (geometric mean EPG 1062) than in the dry season (geometric mean EPG 449) in the second year of study.