Background. Gastrointestinal helminth parasite infection is a major influencing factor against the profitability of working equines all over the world. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal tract (GI) helminths and assess the associated risk factors in donkeys and horses in the Hawassa district. A total of 214 fecal samples were collected from randomly selected equines (112 donkeys and 102 horses) and examined for the presence of eggs of GI helminths using standard coprological techniques. Results. According to the current study, the prevalence of GI helminths in equine was 78.5% (168/214) and the highest prevalence was reported in donkeys 92% (103/112) as compared to horses 63% (65/102). Out of 168 positive samples, the different species of parasites were identified, namely, Strongyle species 120 (56.1%), Strongyloides westeri 76 (35.5%), Parascaris equorum 54 (25.2%), Anoplocephala perfoliata 34 (15.8%), Oxyuris equi 20 (9.3%), Fasciola hepatica 18 (8.8%), Gastrodiscus species 12 (5.6%), and Dictyocaulus arnfieldi 4 (1.8%). There was a strong association between the prevalence of GI helminths and factors such as the species of equine, body condition scores, and feed type ( p  < 0.05). However, no significant association ( p  > 0.05) was observed between the prevalence of GI helminths and putative risk factors such as age, sex, housing, and water source. The coproculture performed on 30 pooled fecal samples revealed that Cyathostomes species, Strongylus vulgaris, and Strongylus edentatus were the major helminth parasites of donkeys and horses. Conclusion. The frequency of gastrointestinal helminths in equine species was high, especially in donkeys. Hence, strategic deworming using broad-spectrum antihelminthic drugs and a rotational grazing program should be implemented to control and prevent the diseases.

No abstract

Introduction: Gastrointestinal helminth parasite infection is a major influencing factor against the profitability of working equines all over the world. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Hosaena district to investigate the prevalence and the potential risk factors of strongyle infection. To address this, 384 equines; donkeys (n = 208), and horses (n = 176) were randomly selected for the coprological examination to identify strongyle eggs using the floatation technique. Results: The study revealed that the overall prevalence of strongyle infection in the Hosaena district was 54.2% and the respective prevalence was 59.1% and 48.2.0% in donkeys and horses, respectively. Strongyles' infection rates in equines were 56.3%, 53.2%, and 56.6% in young, adult, and old animals, respectively, while the rates were 52.8% and 57.1% in male and female animals. Equids with a good body condition were highly prone to strongyle infection than equines with poor and medium body condition, and equids used for transport and packing, cart pulling, and no purpose were highly infected than those used for packing and transport purposes. A significant variation (P< 0.05) was shown in the statistical analysis between the equines and the prevalence of strongyle infection. However, the occurrence of strongyle infection was not significantly (P>0.05) associated with age, sex, and body condition score of equines. Conclusion: Hence, strongyles infection is widely distributed in equines in the study area. Further research, including broad sample sizes of gastrointestinal nematodes in all equines, should therefore be recommended for strategic prevention and control measures in order to understand the severity of the disease.

No abstract

No abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of mixtures of Ruta graveolen (Rg), coriander (C), and basil (B) seed extracts on productive performance, blood profiles, egg quality and egg chemi-cal composition of White Leghorn (WL) layers. One hundred eighty WL layers at twenty- six weeks of age were randomly distributed to four treatments, each replicated three times with fifteen layers per replications in a completely randomized design and kept on a deep litter system for eight weeks. The treatments (T) were water containing mixtures of Ruta graveolen, coriander, and basil seed extract with the proportion of 0 ml (T1), 2 ml (T2), 4ml (T3), and 6 ml (T4) per liter of water. The hen day egg pro-duction (HDEP) was significantly (P<0.05) higher for layers in T3 (50.75%). Serum cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels decreased significantly while, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and globulin increased significantly (P<0.01) when compared with the control. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) among treatments in egg weight, albumen weight, yolk weight, shell weight and thickness. Generally; the mixtures of Rg, C, and B seed extracts in 4ml/1lt in drinking water could increase HDEP and egg quality and reduce serum cholesterol.

No abstract

Trypanosomiases play a great role in reduction of animal’s production and affect animal and human settlement worldwide. A cross-sectional study design was conducted in Dembecha district, Ethiopia from 2019 to 2020 to study bovine trypanosomiasis prevalence, the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis, farmer’s perception, and fly vector density and associated risk factors. Blood samples were taken from 528 bovine randomly and evaluated. In addition, questionnaire surveillance was conducted to determine the farmer perception on the disease through 100 interviewed farmers. The overall disease prevalence was 5.49% (n = 29/528). The infection was mainly caused by Trypanosome congolense, 69% (n = 20) and Trypanosome vivax 31% (n = 9), which was significant difference (P = 0.00). When compared to different categories, greater results were registered in poor body condition and black and related color with significant difference. In kebeles (p = 0.78), sex (p = 0.43) and age groups (p = 0.16), there was no significance difference identified. The infected cattle mean packed cell volume (19.20 ± 2.91) was lowered than negative animals (25.88 ± 3.82) with significant difference (P = 0.00). The overall apparent density of flies was 1233 (2.34 f/t/d), Out of these 59.4% belong to the genus Glossina and the remaining is shared by two genera namely Stomoxy and Tabanus. The apparent density of Glossina, Stomoxy and Tabanus were 1.43f/t/d, 0.5f/t/d and 0.46 f/t/d respectively were caught, identified and estimated. Higher proportion of fly vectors were identified in lowland areas, riverine vegetation type and wet/rainy season as compared to other areas, vegetation type and season factors. Prevalence of the disease in age and sex categories were had no statistical difference.