EFFECTS OF STRONGYLOSIS ON SOME BLOOD PARAMETERS IN GOATS

Abstract

This study was designed to find any possible relationship between strongylosis and some blood parameters. Blood and faecal samples were collected from 44 West African Dwarf (WAD) goats and 53 Red Sokoto (RS) goats of different ages and sexes. The blood parameters studied were packed cell volume (PCV), total serum protein (TSP) and serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations in West African Dwarf (WAD) and Red Sokoto (RS) goats. The mean PCV of WAD and RS goats with strongylosis were significantly (p<0.01and p< 0.05, respectively) lower than that in goats without strongylosis. The mean TSP level for WAD and RS goats were not significantly (p>0.05) different between goats with strongylosis and those without strongyle eggs. The serum Ig concentration for WAD goats with strongylosis was significantly lower than that in goats without strongylosis. This was, however, not so for RS goats with and without strongylosis. Generally, the mean Ig levels for WAD goats were significantly higher than that for RS goats. The results indicated that PCV and serum Ig concentrations may be used as potential indicators of resistance to gastro-intestinal strongylosis.