Survey study on gastro-intestinal parasites of Buffalo in Cheyyar taluk Thiruvannamalai district

A total of 50 dung samples were collected from non-descript cattle. Similarly 50 gastrointestinal tracts of non-descript cattle was collected in and around Vembakkam Taluk, Thiruvannamalai District. The work was carried out for six months from March 2016 to August 2016. Parasitological examination of dung samples revealed the eggs of Amphistomes, Moniezia sp, Strongyle, Strongyloides and Eimeria sp. The overall prevalence of parasitic eggs and oocysts was 76.00 per cent. Amphistome egg was the only trematode parasites identified in this study. Similarly in Cestodes, Monizia benedeni egg was identified in this study. Where as in Nematodes three types of eggs were identified viz., Strongyle, and Strongyloides eggs. In Protozoan parasites, Eimeria sp. was the only coccidian parasites identified in this study. Of this overall prevalence of 76.0%, 40.0% was infected by nematodes, 36.09% by Trematodes, 16% by protozoan parasite (Eimeria sp.) and 10.00% by cestodes. The most common gastrointestinal nematodes observed in this study was the strongyle (21.05%) compared to Strongyloides (2.63%). Among the age groups (Young and Adult), younger animals had higher infection of nematodes (24.0%) and Trematode (20.00%) than the adult cattle. Among sex, male cattle had higher infection of nematodes (24.0%), Trematode (20.00%) and Eimeria sp. (8.0%) while female cattle had higher infection of Cestodes (8.0%). Among the season (summer and monsoon), cattle had heavier infection of Trematodes only during summer months (32.00%), nematodes (30.00%), Eimeria sp (10.0%) and Cestodes (10.0%) during monsoon months. The worms collected from the rumen and duodenum was identified as Paramphistomes viz., Cotylophoron cotylophorum, Fishoederius elongatus, Gastrothylax crumenifer and Paramphistomum cevrvi. The worms collected from abomasum was Haemonchus contortus, Mecistocirrus digitatus, Trichostrongylus axei and Oesophagostomum radiatum (Nematodes). The worms collected from intestines was identified as Moniezia benedeni (Tapeworm) and the caecum was Oeophagostomum columbiunum and Trichuris ovis. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection (worm count) was 86.0%. Among the age groups (Young and Adult), younger animals had higher infection of trematode (36.0%), nematodes (32.0%) and cestode (20.0%) than the adult cattle.