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Summary The present study determined the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) parasites in small ruminants kept in smallholder farms in Phitsanulok, Northern Thailand. A total of 885 goats from 31 smallholder farms were selected randomly between May 2019 to January 2020. Fecal samples were collected to estimate fecal egg counts and oocysts counts using the modified McMaster technique. Furthermore, pooled fecal samples from each of the farms were cultured in order to differentiate third-stage larvae of nematode. Examination of fecal samples revealed that 885 were positive for one or more parasites, giving an overall prevalence of 87.2 %, of which 38.6 % were infected with one and 48.6 % with multiple parasite. Strongyles and Eimeria oocysts were the most prevalent. Haemonchus contortus and Strongyloides papillosus were the predominant species based on the percentage of larvae in fecal cultures. Tapeworm eggs were encountered in 14.2 % of all samples. No significant difference in gastrointestinal parasite prevalence was associated with sex of the host. Infection was significantly (P = 0.009) highest in poor body conditioned goats (72.0 %) as compared to moderate (48.9 %) and good body conditioned (50.0 %) goats. This report on prevalence of GI parasites of small ruminants in smallholder farms in Northern Thailand reveals a high endoparasitic infections that appeared well-adapted to environmental conditions. Further studies on endoparasite control are required to establish the impact of parasitism on productive performance, including monitoring control parasite programs are needed for better health and productivity.

In some geographical areas and in certain breeding situations, the interpretation of increased gain in the bovine is difficult to investigate. Due to their inherent genetic variations, their energy and protein needs vary as a function of inherent genetic differences, making these requirements difficult to accurately assess in bull species, e.g., Thai swamp buffalo. The study aimed at investigating and predicting protein requirement systems, by the provision of an abundant energy intake of 2.2 Mcal/kg DM for the maintenance and growth of Thai swamp buffaloes using a comparative prolonged feeding trial for 90 days. Sixteen bull Thai swamp buffaloes at the initial (Age: 18–24 months; BW: 233 ± 25.0 kg) were assigned into four treatment groups, four buffaloes each, fed 5.4, 6.6, 8.5, and 10.5% DM crude protein (CP). CP intake, BW, and physiological fluid were determined. The net CP requirements for maintenance and growth of Thai swamp buffaloes were 5.41 g CP/kg W0.75 and 0.46 g CP/g average daily gain (ADG), respectively. Our results indicated that CP requirement increases when the BW increases. An increased dietary CP resulted in increased amounts of blood urine nitrogen (N), N absorption, total volatile fatty acid, urinary purine derivative, and the microbial N. Notably, the net CP requirement for growth of Thai swamp buffalo was higher than it reported in NRC, but the maintenance was lower.

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