Prevalence Of Gastrointestinal Parasites And Their Impact On The Health Status Of Small Ruminants In Tropical Farming Systems

Abstract

Gastrointestinal parasitic infections remain one of the major constraints limiting the productivity and health of small ruminants in tropical farming systems. Favorable environmental conditions, including high temperature and humidity, facilitate parasite survival and transmission, resulting in persistent infections among grazing sheep and goats. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and evaluate their impact on the health status of small ruminants raised under tropical farming systems. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 150 small ruminants (75 sheep and 75 goats) selected from traditional and semi-intensive farms. Fresh fecal samples were collected and examined using flotation, sedimentation, and McMaster egg-counting techniques for parasite identification and quantification. Clinical examinations, body condition scoring, body weight measurement, and hematological analyses were performed to assess animal health. The results showed that 92 animals (61.3%) were infected with at least one gastrointestinal parasite species. The infection rate was accompanied by significant differences in body weight, body condition score, hemoglobin concentration, and packed cell volume between infected and non-infected animals (P < 0.001). Haemonchus contortus was the predominant parasite, followed by Trichostrongylus spp., Eimeria spp., Strongyloides spp., Moniezia spp., and Fasciola spp. Infected animals exhibited significantly lower body weight, body condition score, hemoglobin concentration, and packed cell volume than non-infected animals (P < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was observed between fecal egg count and health indicators, indicating that increasing parasite burdens were associated with deteriorating physiological condition. Younger animals and farms practicing continuous grazing with irregular deworming programs showed higher infection rates than adult animals and farms implementing improved management practices. The findings demonstrate that gastrointestinal parasites remain a serious health challenge in tropical small-ruminant production systems. The study contributes by combining parasite prevalence assessment with clinical, hematological, and management-related indicators within the same tropical small-ruminant production context. Integrated parasite management, including routine surveillance, targeted selective treatment, pasture rotation, improved nutrition, and farmer education, is recommended to reduce parasite transmission, improve animal health, and enhance the sustainability of livestock production in tropical regions.