Prevalence of gastro intestinal parasite infections in Maasai cattle in Ngorongoro District, Tanzania

摘要

Asurveyoftheprevalenceofgastro-intestinaltract(GIT)parasiteingrazingruminants(cattle)wasconductedinpastoralfarmingareaduringtheperiodofMarch2004.Dataweregatheredfrom17herds/farmswithatotalof90cattleinfivewards(Sale,Pinyiny,Malambo,OlpiroandDigodigo)ofNgorongorodistrict.Coccidianoocyst,nematodesandtrematodesinfectionswerefoundin2.2%,20%and56.6%ofthecattle,respectively.Mostfarms(94%)hadtrematodeinfections.NosinglefarmshadnematodeinfectionsinOlpiroandtheoverallprevalencewasestimatedtobe47%.Nematodesinfectionrateswereinfluencedbytheageandhaemoparasitesprofilesofthestudyanimals.Trematodesinfectionswereinfluencedbyleveloftickinfestationandthelocationoffarm.Ofthe90cattleexamined,14.2%youngstock(1-3yrs),35%immaturecattle(3-6yrs)and21.7%adultcattle(6yrs)wereinfectedwithnematodes.Mostoftheanimalsexaminedduringthepresentsurveyhadlowtomoderatestrongyleeggsandcoccidiaoocystcounts,suggestingthattheinfectionswereusuallysub-clinical.Incontrast,trematodeseggcountswererelativelyhigh.However,sub-clinicalinfectionsmaybeveryimportanteconomicallyleadingtoretardedgrowth;reducedproductivityandanimalsaremoresusceptibletootherinfections.Theanimalwillalsocontinuouslycontaminatepastures.Studysurveyssuggest,appropriateGITparasitecontrolapproachbeexploredandtriedinordertoalleviatetheproblemofwormburdeninthepresentareaofstudy.