A prevalence study of internal parasites infecting Boer goats at Adami Tulu Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia

This study determined the prevalence and intensity of internal parasites infecting pure- and cross-bred Boer goats, and to determine the risk factors associated with the parasites at Adami Tulu Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia. The study covered five months from November 2009 to March 2010. During this period, faecal samples from 192 goats (104 pure Boer goats and 88 cross-bred goats) were examined using several carpological parasitological procedures. All goats were infected with at least one type of parasite. Strongyloides spp. (4.7%), Moniezia spp. (7.8%), Skrjabinema spp. (11.5%), strongyle -type species (49.5%) and Eimeria spp. (100%) were identified. Eimeria spp. was  not affected by risk factors such as breed, age, sex and body condition score but breed and sex had a significant effect (p<0.05) on strongyle-type eggs. Similarly, age affected the prevalence of Strongyloides spp. (p<0.05). The faecal egg counts showed that these parasites may affect the growth rate of goats at the farm. Some recommendations are proposed for controlling the parasites on the farm.   Key words: Boar goat, cross-bred, Eimeria, internal parasites, Moniezia, prevalence,Skrjabinema, strongyle-type, Strongyloides.