PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTHES OF SMALL RUMINANTS IN AND AROUND BISHOFTU

A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2019 with the aim of determining the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes of sheep and goats in and around Bishoftu. A totally 206 faecal samples were collected from small ruminants (134 sheep and 72 goats). Out of the total examined small ruminant 69.4% were found harbor different genera of helminthes in which 89/134 (66.4%) of the sheep and 54/72(75%) of the goats were infested with GIT parasites. Although the difference was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05), the infection rate of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) parasites was higher in goats than sheep. The helminthes parasites identified in small ruminant of the study area were Strongyles, Strongyloides, Trichuris and Monezia. Overall strongyle type eggs dominated the spectrum of infections; where by 104(50.5%) small ruminants were positive for strangyles infection. In this study species, age and sex score are important risk factors associated with gastrointestinal parasites in the study area but found statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthes in the study area indicates GIT helminthosis are important health and productivity problems and risk of economic losses due to its high prevalence and occurrence of parasitis