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2007, Vol 2 No 1, Article 13

 

Efficacy Of Different Anthelmintics Against

 

Gastro-Intestinal Nematodes of Sheep

 

in Kashmir Valley

 

S. Nasreen, Ghulam Jeelani and F. D. Sheikh
Division of Parasitology, Disease Investigation Laboratory,

Sheep Husbandry Department, Kashmir, India


ABSTRACT

Forty weaner sheep divided randomly into four groups of ten animals each were administered various anthelmintics. The efficacy was accessed by calculating the reduction in eggs per gram (EPG) percentage. The result showed ivermectin to be the most effective followed by fenbendazole and albendazole respectively.

INTRODUCTION

The sheep of the Kashmir valley are reared on an extensive pattern, in which they are dependent mostly on the green lush pasture of the meadows. This results in high parasitic infestation especially due to gastro-intestinal (GI) nematodes. The infested animals show anorexia, reduced feed intake, alteration in protein metabolism along with loss of blood and plasma protein in the gastro-intestinal tract. Great economic losses due to decreased growth rate and wool production, sub-optimal reproduction and sometimes death of the animals are encountered.
Keeping in view the adverse effects of these helminth parasites in sheep, the present study was undertaken to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of some anthelmintics against the natural infection of gastro-intestinal nematodes in weaners at Sheep Breeding Farm, Goabal, Kashmir.
 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty sheep (weaners) of either sex having naturally acquired infestation of GI nematodes were selected for the study and divided into four groups named A, B, C, & D. (Table 1)

Animals of group B, C and D were orally administered ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg), fenbendazole (5 mg/kg) and albendazole (7.5 mg/kg) immediately after collecting the fecal samples on day 0 (zero). The animals of group A were not administered any anthelmintic and served as control.

Fecal samples from the different groups were collected at day 0 (pre-treatment) and thereafter on day 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 (post-treatment). All samples were examined to determine the number of eggs per gram (EPG) of samples as per the Stoll’s egg counting technique (Soulsby 1986).

The efficacy of anthelmintics was calculated by comparing the means of EPG values pre and post-treatment over the different groups. The experiment was continued up to 28th day post-treatment and the treated animals were also observed for tolerance to the drugs and any other untoward symptoms. At the end of the study period percent reduction in EPG was calculated as per the standard formula
 

=Mean EPG pre treatment – Mean EPG post treatment (Soulsby, 1982)
Mean EPG pre treatment
 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The result of the drug trial in terms of percent decrease in EPG (mean) of treated animals is given in Table 1.

Table 1

Comparative efficacy of various anthelmintics in Sheep

Groups

Drug

Dose Rate/ Route

No. of Animals

Mean EPG

Percent reduction in EPG

Day 0

Day 3

Day 7

Day 14

Day 21

Day 28

A

Untreated (control)

-

10

2700

2750

2800

2800

2900

2950

-

B

Ivomec (Ivermectin 0.085 w/v solution, Ethicare)

0.2 mg/kg body weight, orally

10

2475

200

160

160

160

160

93.21

C

Fendazole (Fenbendazole 10% suspension w/v, Panacur)

5 mg/kg body weight, orally

10

2612

400

300

300

300

200

88.91

D

Aldazole (Albendazole 2.5% suspension w/v, Ethicare)

7.5 mg/kg body weight, orally

10

2683

800

600

600

600

400

77.63

 

Ivermectin administered to animals of group C was found the most effective as the EPG value decreased from 2475 to 160 resulting in a 93.21% reduction. These results were in agreement with the findings of Wescott and Leamaster (1982), Swan et al (1984) and Singh et al (2001).

Fenbendazole in animals of Group D also proved effective against gastro-intestinal nematodes with decrease in EPG count from a pre-treatment mean value of 2612 to a post-treatment mean of 300. A decrease of 88.91% in EPG values was thus noticed in this group of animals. Similar results have been reported by Srivastav et al (1983) and Yaz Winski et al (1983) for sheep infected with nematodiasis.

Albendazole in weaners of group E was least effective against gastro-intestinal nematodes with a decrease in EPG from a pre-treatment mean value of 2683 to 600 at the end of the trial period. The reduction in EPG was only 77.63% in the animals of this group.

On the basis of these results it was concluded that ivermectin proved the most effective drug against ovine GI nematodiasis. Fenbendazole being comparatively less and Albendazole the least effective.
 

REFERENCES

  1. Singh, RJ; Pandit, BA and Khan, HM (2001), Comparative efficacy of Ivermectin, Albendazole and Nilzan (Oxyclozanide + Tetramizole) against GI nematodiasis in Alpine goats. Ind. Vet. J. Small Ruminants, 7(2), 116-117

  2. Snedecor, GW and Cochran, WG (1967) Statistical Analysis

  3. Soulsby, EJL (1986), Helminth, Arthropod and protozoa of domesticated animals 7th Ed. Blackwell Scientific Publication

  4. Srivastava, VK; Kumar Pl; Kumar, PL; Khanna and Singh, M (1983), Gastro-intestinal nematodiasis in sheep, Ind. Vet. J. 72: 14-16

  5. Swan, GE; Sehroder, J; Carmichael, IH; Lovw, JP; Harvey, RG and Penderis, I (1984) Efficacy of Ivermectin against intestinal parasites of Sheep, J. South Afr. Vet. Asso., 55:165-169

  6. Varma, TK and Panda, MR (1998) Chaemotherapeutic trial of Albendazole against gastro intestinal nematodiasis in sheep and goats. Ind. Vet. J. 75:550-551

  7. Westcott, RB and Lea Master, BR (1982) Efficacy of Ivermectin against naturally acquired and experimentally induced nematode infections in sheep. Am. J. Vet. Research 3:59-62

 


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