A Survey of Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites of Slaughtered Sheep and Goats in Ganderbal, Kashmir

Abstract: The aim of the study was to compare prevalence of in fections with flukes, tape worms and nematodesparasitizing gastrointestinal tract in small ruminants from various regions of District Ganderbal Kashmir. Viscera lexaminations of 284 sheep and 318 goats indicated a marked variation in the level of parasiti sm in animals raisedin different geographic areas. It was found that the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthic infections washigher in goats than in sheep. The most common prevalent nematodes were Haemonchus (82%), Trichuris(74%), Nematodirus (60%), Trichostrongylus (58%), Chabertia (52%), Strongyloides (42%) andOesophagostomum (46%). Among cestodes, Moneizia (48%), Avitellina (42%) and Thysenezia (28%) werereported. Among trematodes, Fasciola (60%), Dicrocoelium (52%) and, Paramphistomum (46%) were mostprevalent. The study indicates the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthic infections varies in differentseasons and in different age groups. Key words: Cestodes % Goats % Nematodes % Prevalence % Sheep % Trematodes