Assessment of gastrointestinal parasites of slaughtered cattle, Minna, Niger State

Abstract

Assessments of gastrointestinal parasites of slaughtered cattle at Minna Main Abattoir were conducted from November 2013 to February 2014. A total of 508 faecal samples (244 females, and 264 males) were examined for parasite ova using formol ether concentration technique. Results revealed that from the 508 faecal samples examined, helminths parasites (Paramphistomum sp., Trichostrongylus sp., Fasciola sp., Taenia sp., Monieza sp. and Oesophagostomum sp) were observed in 143 cattle representing 28.1%. Paramphistomum sp. had a higher prevalence of 8.9% and geometric mean intensity of 3.7 eggs per gram of faeces (epg), while the least (0.8%) prevalence was recorded for Oesophagostomum sp with mean intensity of 1.2 epg of faeces. Single infections were 26.2% and 1.9% for mixed infections. Females had a higher prevalence of infection of 31.8% than 24.2% for males with no significant difference (p > 0.05). Among age groups, higher prevalence of 33.4% was observed in adult cattle compared to young cattle (20.0%) and a significant difference in the prevalence of infection among the age groups (p<0.05). Parasites were more abundant in abomasum compared to large intestine, small intestine and caecum with a prevalence of 40.9%, 28.4%, 26.8%, and 16.5% respectively but no significant difference in both the intensity and prevalence of parasites isolated from various sections of the stomach (p>0.05). The high prevalence could pose a serious risk for infection to human infections, so adequate control measures are advocated in order to ensure disease free meat.

Keywords: Cattle; gastrointestinal parasites; intensity; Minna; prevalence