Survey of Gastrointestinal Parasite of Cattle and Goat Slaughtered At Trans Amadi Abattoir, Port Harcourt-Rivers State

Abstract

This work was to survey gastrointestinal parasites of cattle and goat slaughtered at Trans Amadi abattoir in Port-Harcourt. A total of 100 faecal samples of the ruminants were examined comprising of 50 cattle and 50 goats. Formol-ether concentration technique was used for sample analyses and examined with microscopically. The data obtained were subjected to simple statistical analysis using percentages to determine the prevalence rate in both ruminants studied. The result showed that 28(56.0%) of cattle and 23(46.0%) of the goat were infected with gastrointestinal parasites. The infection was slightly higher in the cattle than the goat though the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Among the cattle, the organisms identified were Haemonchus contortus,Trichuris globulosa,Trichostrongylus columbriformis Monezia benedeni and Fasciola gigantica. The most prevalent organism was Haemonchus contortus 34.0%, followed by Monezia benedeni 14.0%, while Trichuris globulosa 2.0% and Fasciola gigantica 2.0% were the least. The organisms identified from the goat on the other hand include; Haemonchus contortus, Trichostongylus columbriformis, Monezia benedeni, Taenia species. The most dominant organism was Taenia species 16%, followed by Monezia benedeni 14.0%, and while Trichostongylus columbriformis was the least dominant. The result showed a moderately high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasite during the period of study. Abattoir survey is an excellent way of determining the prevalence of ruminant parasitic disease as to control the disease through regular de-worming, proper feeding and good sanitary measures.