Prevalence of fasciolosis and oesophagostomosis among slaughter animals in Imo State, Nigeria and their correlation with emaciation diagnosed at ante-mortem

摘要

The prevalence of fasciolosis and oesophagostomosis among cattle, sheep and goats slaughtered in Imo State from 1995 to 1999 and their correlation with cases of emaciation observed at ante-mortem inspection were studied. Of the 62362 cattle, 4265 sheep and 17904 goats slaughtered during the period, 4378 (7.0 percent), 144 (3.4 percent) and 505 (2.8 percent) were infected with fasciola respectively. Oesophagostomosis was observed among goats only and gave an overall prevalence of 2.2 percent. Therewas a clear seasonal pattern of fasciolosis in all the species with highest rates being witnessed in early dry and wet seasons. Monthly prevalence rates of fasciolosis, oesophagostomosis and emaciation among the species were significantly (P<0.05) different. Mean frequencies of occurrence of fasciolosis and emaciation in cattle were 6.97 and 1.09, while in sheep they were 4.72 and 4.89. Among goats, the frequencies of occurrence of fasciolosis, oesophagostomosis and emaciation were 2.93, 2.28 and 2.64 respectively. The linear response of emaciation to fasciolosis in sheep was significant at 5 percent level, giving the impression that 70 percent of the variations as a result of emaciation could be accounted for by a linear function involving influence of fasciolosis. In cattle and goats only 17.5 percent and 26 percent respectively of the variations as a result of emaciation could be accounted by a linear function involving influence of percentage fasciolosis and or oesophagostomosis. It was concludedthat fasciolosis and oesophagostomosis were moderately prevalent among ruminants slaughtered in the state and that ante-mortem scores of emaciation among the sheep could positively reflect incidence of fasciolosis in that specie.