COCCIDIOSIS (Eimeria spp.) EN BÚFALOS (Bubalus bubalis) DEL MUNICIPIO COLÓN, EDO. ZULIA, VENEZUELA Coccidiosis (Eimeria spp.) in Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) from Colón Municipality, Zulia State, Venezuela

In order to determinate the species, prevalence, oocysts excretion grade and risk factors of Eimeria spp., in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Colon Municipality, Zulia State, Venezuela. The study was conducted on a sample of 512 animals from a general population of 1701 and divided in four groups: 0 to three months old, three months to a year, one to two years and more than two years, distributed on five farms in different areas of the Municipality. Stratified sampling technique with proportional allocation according to the population of each farm and age was used. Data collection method was structured interviews using the survey technique and the instrument type questionnaire with open and closed questions. It was performed qualitative and quantitative determination of Eimeria spp. in feces of animals, through coproparasitologycals techniques of flotation and McMaster. To Eimeria species identification was used morphologically observation. It was obtained an overall prevalence of 60.74% and the presence of five species dominants: Eimeria bovis, E. alabamensis, E. zuernii, E. subspherica and E. ellipsoidalis, by farm and age. It was analyzed 54 potential risk factors that were highly significant two, the age groups and the condition of release and fattening.