Determination of anthelmintic resistance in goats and sheep using faecal egg count reduction test at Luguruni farm, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

Nematode parasites are known to pose a challenge to small ruminant production in Tanzania due to their fast development of resistance to the commonly used anthelmintics. The objective of this study was to determine the resistance of anthelmintics in small ruminants. A total of 30 sheep and 30 goats aged between 6 and 12 months at Luguruni farm, Dar es Salaam with egg per gram (EPG) of 150 or above were tested for anthelmintic resistance by using faecal egg count reduction test. Three groups of 10 animals each were treated with recommended dose of albendazole, levamizole and placebo and were followed up for faecal egg reduction. A Modified McMaster Counting Chamber was used to determine the EPG where as Hematocrit reader for PCV reading. It was found that the percentage reduction of eggs in goats treated with albendazole and levamizole were 80% and 88.2%, respectively, and the 95% Lower confidence limit of 53.4 and 60, respectively. In sheep the percentage reduction of eggs were 60% and 73.1% respectively, the 95% lower confidence limit were 0 and 38, respectively. With these results, the nematodes showed resistance to anthelmintics used because the percentage reduction in egg count was less than 95% and the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval less than 90%. The PCV as recorded in Sheep and Goats before and after treatment with anthelmintics drugs shows slight changes in terms of their values so this is convincing that there was less burden of Haemonchus corntotus.

Keywords: Albendazole, levamizole, McMaster, PCV, resist