The livestock industry as a critical sub-sector of agriculture contributes to the livelihoods of human population in various ways such as income generation, food production and provision of employment.
High local demands for livestock products such as meat mean that these animals have to be healthy and well-fed to meet the citizenry’s nutritional needs.
In Nigeria, external management system or free-range grazing system has been the most adopted local approach for animal rearing. Under this system, animals especially cows, are moved about by rearers in search of food and green pasture.
However, animals kept under this system are often susceptible to heavy parasites – either external or internal infestation – that threatens the productivity of herds.
Parasites, simply put, are any organisms that live in (endoparasite) or on (ectoparasite) their host surviving and thriving to their disadvantages.
Internal or intenstinal parasites are problematic to any herd because infested animals – those with worms for example – become unhealthy and grow lean and even experience drop in their feed conversion ratio. In poultry farming, egg production capacity drops drastically.
Most infestations in animals occur when they feed or graze on forages or any other type of feed containing the eggs of parasitic worms. They become sick when heavily infested with the parasites.
Effects of Internal Parasites on Farm Animals
• They feed on the food in the gut as well as suck the blood of their host.
• The host animal becomes weak and loses or stops adding weight as the case may be.
• Animal becomes sick and shows symptoms like diarrhea, fever, fast breathing, among others.
• Animal (especially young ones) may eventually die as a result of extreme loads of internal parasites.
Preventive Measures Against Parasites
• Rotational grazing can be adopted. Under this technique, grazing lands are divided into paddocks that can accommodate movement of herds to new pasture in short-time intervals like every one to two weeks.
• Young flocks should be separated from old ones and allowed to graze fresh pasture first.
• Calves should be dewormed beginning from 15 days of age. This should be done in addition to strict adherence to deworming plans. Note that dosages should be given in accordance with bodyweight.
• In situations where cattle, sheep and goats are kept together in the same area, cattle should be allowed to graze the pasture before the sheep. This is because cattle are resistant to some worms that would normally infect the sheep.
• Animals under intensive-care management should not be fed on the bare ground.
• Dungs of animals kept in an enclosure must be promptly removed and adequately disposed of to prevent other animals from picking up more worms.
• Newly introduced flocks should be quarantined for 4–6 weeks.
• Animals should not be allowed to graze on marshy ground or on pasture where the grass is very short.
• Animals should be turned out onto fresh pasture after they are treated.
• Water for animals should be clean and free from faecal matters. Also, water areas should also be situated in well-drained places. Also, note that animals must be prevented from accessing parasite-infested water bodies.
• Feeders which cannot be easily contaminated with faeces should be utilized for feeding.
• Rearers should also avoid overcrowding their animals within a place as this could increase the concentration of parasite.
Measures for Control of Parasites
• Administer a proficient dewormer.
• Supply animals with balanced diets as well as supplements rich in vitamin A, D and B complexes – these are essential nutrients that help develop immunity against parasites.
Note: Administering high doses of drugs to kill all parasites at once when infestation is very high can create more problems such as plugging the digestive tract with dead worms. It is, therefore, advisable to treat infested animals with lower doses at frequent intervals instead.
（May 24, 2021. From “AgroNegeria”)
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Post time: May-24-2021