Clinico-Epidemiological Survey on the Prevalence of Gastro-Intestinal Parasites Affecting Buffalo & Cow Calves in District D.I.Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

This study was carried out in the Parasitology section of Veterinary Research & Disease Investigation Center, D. I. Khan from December, 2014 to November, 2015. During the aforesaid study, 1920 fecal samples (960 samples each from Cow calves and Buffalo Calves) were collected and processed. The overall prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasitic infestation was 57.86% in cow and buffalo calves, respectively whereas the incidence rate was recorded as 67 and 48% for buffalo calves and cow calves, respectively and was significant statistically (P<0.05). The prevalence of Nematodes, Cestodes and mixed infestation in buffalo calves was 66.04, 5.65, 28.36% whereas in cow calves it was 59.5, 6.34 & 34.10, respectively with level of significance was higher(P>0.05). The major Nematodes & Cestodes species identified during the study were Strongyloides, Taxocara, Haemonchous, Ostertagia, Bonostomum, Oesophagostomum , Trichostrongylus, Nematodiarus, Coperia and Monezia, respectively. In age group (1-6 months) prevalence was significantly higher (P<0.05) in buffalo calves (76.25%) than in cow calves (58.50%) while in age group (7-12 months) the prevalence in buffalo calves was higher (58%) than cow calves (39%) and statistically significant (P<0.05) differences was observed. In grazing and stall fed feeding system, prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites was recorded as 75 and 58% in buffalo calves and in cow calves recorded as 64.5 and 35.41%. This difference in grazing and stall feeding system in both buffalo and cow calves were statistically significant (P<0.05). In male buffalo and cow calves prevalence of parasitic infestation was significantly higher (P<0.05) whereas in female buffalo & cow calves no significant differences (P>0.05) were recorded. The parasitic infestation rate was recorded higher in summer season as compare to winter and significant relation (P<0.05) was observed with respect to season.Major clinical signs manifested by the affected animals included pot belly, rough body coat, alopecia, retarded growth, diarrhea, sunken eyes, wall licking and pica. The significance level was kept at 05%.