Studies on gastrointestinal helminths of mithun (Bos frontalis)

A systematic study on naturally acquired gastrointestinal helminth parasites of mithun was carried out in Jharnapani farm, National Research Centre on Mithun (ICAR) from November 2003 to October 2004 to find out the seasonal prevalence of different gastrointestinal helminth parasites. During this study, mithun calves were found to carry significantly higher nematode and cestode burdens in calves below 1 year age followed by 1–3 years and above 3 years of age. On the basis of morphological characters of ova and larvae, Toxocara vitulorum, Strongoloides papillosus, Trichuris sp., Trichostrongylus sp., Oesophagostomun sp., Haemonchus sp., Cooperia sp. and Bunostomum sp. were recorded in the faecal samples. Other genera recorded were Moniezia expansa and amphistormes. T. vitulorum and S. papillorus could be recorded only in calves below 1 year of age, where as infection of Haemonchus sp., Bunostomun sp. and Trichuris sp. infection could not be recorded in animals above 3 years of age. However, infection of M. expansa was recorded throughout the year in all age groups with higher prevalence in winter season.