Preliminary study on small ruminant GIT helminthiasis in select arid and semi-arid pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of Afar region, Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and identification of GIT parasites of sheep and goats in two selected districts of Afar from December 2014 to February 2016. Totally 590 faecal samples were collected from small ruminants (332 goat and 258 sheep) managed in pastoral and agro-pastoral production. Out of the total examined small ruminant 87.8% (518) were found to harbor one or more genera of helminth parasites. The result of the study revealed that 92.2% (306) of the goats and 82.2% (212) of the sheep were found positive for GIT parasites. Helminth parasites identified in small ruminant of the study area were Strongyles, Fasciola, Strongyloides, Paramphistomum, Trichuris, Ascaris and Monezia. The risk of infection with GIT helminth parasites in goats were 4.009 times higher than sheep (OR=4.009, p=0.011). Age and sex related difference was not observed in the prevalence of helminth parasites in sheep and goats. Significantly (OR=0.119, p=0.000) higher prevalence of overall helminth parasites in poor body condition sheep and goats than good body condition was observed. Likewise significant variation in overall parasite prevalence was observed between the study districts (OR=0.169, p=0.000). In this study, species of the animals, origin, and body condition score are important risk factors associated with gastrointestinal parasites in the study area. In the study area nutrition is generally poor, low productivity in small ruminants is likely to be aggravated by a high prevalence of polyparasitism.