Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites of Small Ruminants in and Around Jimma Town, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2011 to April 2012 with the objectives of determining the prevalence, identifying the species involved and assessing risk factors of gastrointestinal parasites in small ruminants in and around Jimma town. Faecal samples were collected from 214 sheep and 170 goats and examined coprologically. The study found that 191(89.3%) sheep and 148(87.1%) goats were found to harbor one or more gastrointestinal parasites. All species, sex, age groups were infected with identical parasite species, but with different levels of infection. The prevalence of various types of parasites in sheep and goats were respectively: Fasciola species 19.6%,7.6%; Paramphistomum species 22.4%,14.1%; Haemonchus species 37.4%, 42.9%; Trichostrongylus species 26.2%, 23.5; Strongloid 20.1%, 25.9%; Ostertagia species 16.8%, 24.1%; Oesophagastamum species 9.3%, 8.2 %; Trichuris species 7.9%, 5.3%; Chabertia species 4.2%, 8.2%; Bonustomum species 2.3%, 5.3%; Monezia 13.1%, 8.8 %; Emeria species 11.7%, 20.6%. h Fasciola species and Paramphistomum species prevalence were higher significantly in sheep whereas the reverse is true for Emeria species in goats. The prevalence of Haemonchus species, Ostertagia species, Strongloid species, Chabertia species and Bonustomum species were higher in goats but revealed statistically no significant difference (P>0.05), where as Trichostrongloid species, Oesophagastamum species, Trichuris and Monezia species were higher in sheep than goats with no significant difference as well (P>0.05). The prevalence of some gastrointestinal parasites (Haemonchus species, Strongloids species, Emeria species, Trichuris and Chabertia) were higher in young than adult small ruminants shown significant difference (P<0.05), where as Paramphistosomum, Ostertagia, Trichostrongylus, Oesophagastamum and Bonustomum were also higher in younger than adult sheep and goats, but statistically not significant (P>0.05). In this study Fasciola was found significantly higher in adult than younger animals (P<0.05), while the reverse is true for monezia. The prevalence of paramphistosomum and Haemonchus was significantly higher in female sheep and goats than males (P <0.05). From studied animals 33.9% lightly, 26.0% moderately and 28.4% heavily infected. Therefore, awareness creation to the farmers should be instituted in the study area on the effect of gastrointestinal parasites of small ruminants and its control and strategic deworming of small ruminants should be practiced.