PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS OF EIMERIA IN BUFFALOES, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Published: November 19, 2011

By: Tauseef-ur-Rehman*, Muhammad Nisar Khan, Muhammad Sohail Sajid, Muhammad Arfan Zaman

Summary

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence, species characterization and associated risk factors with Eimeria in buffaloes of district Toba Tek Singh from April, 2009 to March, 2010. Of the total 585 faecal samples examined for Eimeria, 290 (49.57%) were found infected with six species of Eimeria. Amongst the identified species of Eimeria, E. bovis was the commonest one (53.14%) followed in order by E. zeurnii, E. canadensis, E. ellipsoidalis, E. alabamensis and E. cylindrica with percentages 47.27, 33.09, 27.64, 21.45 and 5.82, respectively. Peak prevalence was observed in August. Wet season was found favorable for Eimeria. Calves had significantly higher prevalence (P<0.05) of Eimeria than adults while higher prevalence of Eimeria was observed in female buffaloes. Among management and husbandry practices; housing system, feeding system, watering system, floor type and herd size strongly nfluenced the prevalence of Eimeria. Coccidiosis was more prevalent in close housing system, ground fed, pond watered animals, non-cemented floor type and larger herds (P<0.05) as compared to open housing system, trough fed, tap watered animals, partially cemented floor type and smaller herds respectively. Breed and body condition of animals were not found risk factors (P>0.05) influencing prevalence of Eimeria. After treatment with toltrazuril, five out of six calves were recovered and signs of clinical coccidiosis were diminished. Results of survey will provide baseline data for designing monitoring program to minimize losses to dairy farming sector inferred by bovine coccidiosis. Since even subclinical coccidiosis may entail economic losses in dairy farming and considering the high prevalence of the pathogenic species E. bovis and E. zeurnii, appropriate monitoring and control of the disease is advisable. Keywords: Buffalo, Eimeria, Punjab, Pakistan

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