Assessment of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infection of Cattle and Goat Slaughtered at Akwanga Abattoir Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Gastrointestinal parasitic diseases remain a constraint to cattle and goat production industries in developing countries. An abattoir survey was carried out to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in slaughtered cattle and goat in Akwanga abattoir in Nasarawa State Nigeria. A total of 120 feacal samples of 60 cattle’s and 60 goats. Formal ether concentration technique was used for sample analysis and examined microscopically. The data obtained were statistically analysed using simple percentages to determine the prevalence rate in both the cattle and goat. The result showed that 31 (25.83%) cattle and 28(23.33% of goats were  infected with gastrointestinal helminths. The prevalence rate were higher in cattle than the goats. There was no significant different at (P<0.05). Among the cattle, the helminths identified were Faciola gigantica (9.35%), Schistosoma bovis (13%), Taenia saginata (16.12%), Hymenolepis dimunuta (9.67%), Haemonchus spp (13%), Taxocara spp (3.21%), Trichuris spp (3.22%) and Ascaris spp (3.22%). The most prevalent helminth was Faciola gigantica (19.35%), followed by Taenia saginata (16.12%) respectively. The helminths identified from goat on the other hand are Entamoeba spp (7.14%), Schistosoma spp (3.57%) Monezia spp (3.57%), Hymenolepis spp (7.14%), Schistosoma spp (3.57%) Monezia spp (3.57%), Hymenolepis spp (7.14%), Trichuris spp (17.85%) Stronglyloide spp (10.21%) and Toxocara spp (3.57%). The most prevalent helminth was Trichuris spp and Fasciola spp (17.85%) followed by Taenia spp (14.28%), while Toxocara spp, Schistosoma spp, Monezia spp with (3.57%) was the least dorminant. The result showed a moderately high prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths during the study. This findings reflect a growing burden of gastrointestinal helminths infections at abottior level. Therefore, good management and strategic deworming proper feeding and good sanitation  need to be applied to reduce the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and their risk factor to lessen economic loss caused by the parasites.