Authors : Letebrihan Aregawi, Fikre Zeru and Abraha Gebregziabher Kahsay
Abstract: Cross sectional study was conducted on indigenous sheep and goats slaughtered at Addis Ababa Abattoir. A total of 427 animals were sampled to determine the prevalence of helminthes parasites by coprology and postmortem examination of the same animals with emphasis on liver lesion and fasciolosis. Simple direct smear and sedimentation technique were used to examine the eggs of gastrointestinal parasites and Fasciola. The liver of the target animal was thoroughly inspected by visualization, palpation and incision for the identification and exposing of pathological lesion and parasites. The overall prevalence of helminthes parasites of small ruminants was 21.1% (goats) and 39.5% (sheep). There was statistically significant (p<0.05) difference in the overall prevalence of the parasites where higher prevalence was recorded in sheep than in goats. Of a total of 427 animals sampled, 163 (38.2%) livers were condemned due to sever pathological lesions. In general 8.8% of liver from goats and 29.3% of liver of sheep had one or more different types of lesion. The major lesions of liver on both animal species encountered during postmartem examination were white spot (4.4%), calcification (3.5%), discoloration (2.6%) and narcotization (2.3%). The study has indicated that helminthes parasites are highly prevalent in the study area which insists further epidemiological study to assess the significant effect of risk factor on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites.
Letebrihan Aregawi, Fikre Zeru and Abraha Gebregziabher Kahsay, 2014. Study on Helminthes and Liver Lesions of Sheep and Goats at Addis Ababa Abattoir. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 9: 85-91.