THE FAMACHA METHOD AS A TOOL FOR SELECTING TREATMENT OFHAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS INFECTION IN GOATS.

THE FAMACHA METHOD AS A TOOL FOR SELECTING TREATMENT OFHAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS INFECTION IN GOATS.

Abstract:

The FAMACHA system was first developed in South Africa and it has been successfully tested in different geographic area where Haemonchus contortus is the major gastrointestinal (GI) helminth of sheep. The present study was aimed at using the FAMACHA method as a tool for selective treatment of Haemonchus contortusinfection in goats. Each study animal was monthly subjected to blood and faecal sample collection, and all the animals were scored on a 1-5 scale with particular attention to the colour of ocular mucous membranes. The parasitological data included numbers of nematode eggs per gram of faeces (EPG), faecal culture L3 larvae, packed cell volume (PCV), and FAMACHA eye-colour score estimates, along with animal performance (body weight change). There were 5 species of nematodes present in goats with Haemonchus contortusbeing the most prevalent (54–73%), followed by Trichostrongylusspp (10-20%), Oesophagostomumspp (7-10%), Strongyloidesspp (4-8%) and Bunostomumspp (3-4%). The nematode infection (natural infection) showed that all the animals were positive for faecal egg, with the highest infection occurring during the raining season. Correlations between FAMACHA and PCV, FAMACHA and BW, EPG and PCV, EPG and BW, as well as FAMACHA and EPG, PCV and BW were all highly significant. (P <0.001). Faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) conducted on all farms visited confirmed the efficacy of commonly used anthelmintics, including imported albendazole, locally made albendazole 1, 2 and 3, Imported and locally made Levamisole and Ivermectin. Initially, high levels of resistance to all the benzimidazole group were found with percentage reduction of (65.90%, 93.81%, 59.94%, and -12.72%) respectively. While the levamisole, both imported and locally made had an efficacy of (98.5% and 99.5%), Ivermectin both injectable and drench had an efficacy of 99.51 and 97.45) respectively. Individual FECRT were also conducted on 4 goat flocks, 2 commercial and 2 local farms. There were 8 treatment groups in each of these farms. All the 8 drugs were 100% effective against Haemonchus contortusin the 2 local farm. For commercial farm 1, Ivermectin drenched and injectable showed 100% and 99% effectiveness respectively against all worm species found, Imported and Locally made levamisole had 100% and 90% reduction respectively, Imported Albendazole had 94% reduction while the locally made albendazole (1,2 and 3) reduced faecal egg counts by 70%, 94% and 94%, respectively while for commercial farm 2 Ivermectin drenched and injectable showed 96% and 100% effectiveness respectively against all worm species found, imported and locally made Levamisole had 99% reduction each, imported Albendazole had a negative reduction of -35%, locally made Albendazole (2) had 97% efficacy while locally made albendazole (3) also had a negative reduction of -291%. It was therefore concluded that the FAMACHA method can be used by farmers in Nigeria as an on-farm tool to identify anaemic goats and give a guide on goats that need to be treated with anthelminthic particularly in condition of haemonchosis.

THE FAMACHA METHOD AS A TOOL FOR SELECTING TREATMENT OFHAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS INFECTION IN GOATS.