Indian Journal of Animal Research

  • Chief EditorK.M.L. Pathak

  • Print ISSN 0367-6722

  • Online ISSN 0976-0555

  • NAAS Rating 6.50

  • SJR 0.263

  • Impact Factor 0.4 (2024)

Frequency :
Monthly (January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December)
Indexing Services :
Science Citation Index Expanded, BIOSIS Preview, ISI Citation Index, Biological Abstracts, Scopus, AGRICOLA, Google Scholar, CrossRef, CAB Abstracting Journals, Chemical Abstracts, Indian Science Abstracts, EBSCO Indexing Services, Index Copernicus
Indian Journal of Animal Research, volume 52 issue 12 (december 2018) : 1732-1738

Gastrointestinal parasitic infections in cattle and swamp buffalo of Guwahati, Assam, India

M. Das, D.K. Deka, A.K. Sarmah, P.C. Sarmah, S. Islam
1Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara-781 022, Assam, India.
Cite article:- Das M., Deka D.K., Sarmah A.K., Sarmah P.C., Islam S. (2018). Gastrointestinal parasitic infections in cattle and swamp buffalo of Guwahati, Assam, India. Indian Journal of Animal Research. 52(12): 1732-1738. doi: 10.18805/ijar.B-3427.
The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal (G.I.) parasitic infections in cattle and swamp buffalo of Assam, India. A total of 3597 fecal samples of cattle (2339) and buffaloes (1258) were examined for presence of parasitic infections. Examinations revealed an overall prevalence of 58.35% and 29.80% infections in cattle and buffalo, respectively. In cattle, Strongyle sp. (18.76%) was predominant followed by Eimeria sp. (11.97%), Amphistome sp. (8.72%), Strongyloides sp. (3.76%), Moniezia sp. (2.65%), Toxocara vitulorum (1.32%), Buxtonella sulcata (0.81%), Trichuris sp. (0.72%), Fasciola gigantica (0.47%) and Bunostomum sp. (0.38%). In buffalo, Amphistome sp. (8.90%) was predominant followed by T. vitulorum (5.64%), Strongyle sp. (5%), Eimeria sp. (4.53%), Strongyloides sp. (1.35%) and Trichuris sp. (0.47%). Mixed infections with more than one species were recorded in 8.76% and 3.89% cattle and buffalo, respectively. The egg per gram (EPG) of feces in cattle and buffalo was 582.44±8.13 and 475.86±11.29, respectively while oocyst per gram (OPG) of feces was 425.00±20.37 and 251.75±22.35, respectively. Correlation of rainfall and temperature with EPG/OPG of cattle and buffalo was highly significant (P<0.01) while correlation of relative humidity (Av.) with EPG of cattle and buffalo was significant (P<0.05). Multiple linear regressions explained about 98.10% of total variance in EPG of cattle with environmental variables. 89.10% of total variance in EPG of buffalo was explained in multiple linear regressions due to environmental variables. This shows that the climate in this region is exclusively conducive for the development and propagation of parasites.
  1. Aggarwal, R., Singh, R., Kumar, M. and Upadhyay, A.K. (2002). Epidemiological features of parasitic diseases in some parts of Chhattisgarh state. Indian Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 22: 47-49.
  2. Afridi, Z.K., Khan, K., Zaman, G., Ullah, S. and Ullah, Q.H. (2007). Prevalence of gastrointestinal nematode parasites of economic importance in dairy buffaloes in Peshawar. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 23(3): 787-792.
  3. AI-Saffar, T.M., Suliman, E.G. and Al-Bakri, H.S. (2010). Prevalence of intestinal ciliate Buxtonella sulcata in cattle Mosul. Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Science. 24(1): 27-30. 
  4. Borkakoty, M.R. and Das, M.R. (1980). Snail and cercarial Fauna in Kamrup District of Assam. Journal of Research, Assam Agricultural University, 1:100-102.
  5. Bryan, R.P. and Kerr, J.D. (1989). The relation between the natural worm burden of steers and the faecal egg count differentiated to species. Veterinary Parasitology, 30: 327-334.
  6. Choubisa, S.L. (2002). Focus on seasonal occurrence of larval trematode (cercarial) parasites and their host specificity. Journal of Parasitic Disease, 26(2): 72-74.
  7. Chowdhury, N., and Tada, I. (1994). Helminths of domesticated animals in Indian subcontinent. In: Helminthology, Springer-Verlag, Narosa Publishing House. 
  8. Choudhury, S.M.Z., Mondal, M.M.H., Islam, M.J.F.A., Taimur and Biswas, H.R. (1994). Prevalence of fascioliasis in cattle at savar Dhaka Bangladesh. Indian Veterinary Journal, 71:121-123.
  9. Das, M. (2014). Epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasitism in cattle and buffaloes. Ph.D.Thesis, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat.
  10. Enderjat, E. (1964). Helminths and Helminthiasis in Assam. Indian Veterinary Journal, 41: 538-542. 
  11. Economic Survey, Assam. (2015-2016). Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Assam. Planning and Development Department, Government of Assam. 
  12. Fikru, R., Teshale, S., Reta, D. and Yosef, K. (2006). Epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasites of ruminants in Western Oromia, Ethiopia. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, 4:51-57.
  13. Githiori, J.B., Hogland, J., Waller, P.J. and Baker, R.L. (2004). Evaluation of anthelmintic properties of some plants used as livestock dewormers against Haemonchus contortus infection in sheep. Parasitology, 129:245-253.
  14. Halmandge, S., Suranagi, M.D., Murugeppa, A., Sudhindra and Kumar, S.P. (2005). Prevalence of ascariosis in buffalo calves in and around Bidar. Journal of Veterinary Parasitology, 19(2): 149-151.
  15. Hamid, P.H., Kristianingrum, Y. P., Prastowo, J. and Ribeiro da Silva, L. M. (2016). Gastrointestinal Parasites of Cattle in Central Java. American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 11(3): 119-124.
  16. Jyoti, Haque, M., Singh, N.K., Juyal, P.D., Kaur, A. and Rath, S.S. (2011). Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in organized dairy farms. Indian Veterinary Journal, 88: 77-78.
  17. Kumar, A. and Verma, S.P. (2006). Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth infection in calves. Indian Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 26: 43-44.
  18. Khan, M.I., Shah, S.S.A., Khan, H., Irshad, M. and Aziz, U. (2017). Determination of parasitic load in government cattle breeding and dairy farm, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences, 5(4): 174-178. 
  19. Lyons, E.T., Drudge, J.H. and Toiliver, S.C. (1987). Epizotiology of internal parasite in lambs and ewes during the periparturient period in Kentucky in 1986. Proceedings of the Helminthological Society of Washington, 54: 233-236.
  20. Livestock Census. (2012). Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. 
  21. Laha, R., Das, M. and Goswami, A. (2013). Gastrointestinal parasitic infections in organized cattle farms of Meghalaya. Veterinary World, 6(2):109-112.
  22. MAFF. (1986). Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Manual of veterinary parasitological techniques, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London. 
  23. Mamatha, G.S. and D’Souza PE. (2006). Gastrointestinal parasitism of cattle and buffaloes in and around Bangalore. Journal of Veterinary Parasitology, 20 (2):163-165.
  24. Maharana, B.R., Kumar, B., Sudhakar, N.R., Behera, S.K. and Patbandha, T.K. (2016). Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in bovines in and around Junagadh (Gujarat). Journal of Parasitic Diseases, 40(4): 1174-1178. 
  25. Om, H., Kumar, S. and Singh, P. (2010). Prevalence of coccidia in Mathura region of Uttar Pradesh. Veterinary World, 3: 503-505. 
  26. Pilarczyk, B., Ramisz, A. and Jastrzebski, G. (2009). Internal parasites of cattle in select Western Pomerania farms. Wiadomosci Parazytologiczne, 48: 383-390.
  27. Roberts, J.A. and Fernando, S.T. (1990). The significance of the gastrointestinal parasites of Asian buffalo in Sri Lanka. Veterinary Research Communications, 14: 481-488.
  28. Radostits, O.M., Blood, D.C. and Gay, C.C. (1994). Veterinary Medicine, 8th Edn. The English Language Book Society, Bailliere Tindall, London.
  29. Reinemeyer, C.R. (1995). Should you deworm your clients dairy cattle? Veterinary Medicine, 92: 496-502.
  30. Regassa, F.R., Sori, T., Dhuguma, R. and Kiros,Y. (2006). Epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasites of ruminants in Western Oromia, Ethiopia. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, 4: 51-57.
  31. Sanyal, P.K, Singh, D.K and Knox M.R. (1992). The effect of peri-parturient anthelmintic treatment on the productivity of dairy cattle in subtropical western India. Veterinary Research Communication, 16(6): 445-451.
  32. Sanyal, P.K. (1998). Integrated gastrointestinal parasitic management in dairy animals in Gujarat by self medication. Journal of Veterinary Parasitology, 12:17-20.
  33. Soulsby, E.J.L. (1982). Helminths, arthropod and protozoa of domestic animals, 7th edn. The English Language Book Soc., Bailliere Tindal, London. 
  34. Swarup, D. and Pachauri, S.P. (1987). Epidemiological studies on fascioliasis due to Fasciola gigantica in buffaloes in India. Buffalo Bulletin, 6: 4-9. 
  35. Singh, A., Gangwar, A.K., Shinde, N.K. and Srivastava, S. (2008). Gastrointestinal parasitism in bovines of Faizabad. Journal of Veterinary Parasitology, 22(1): 31-33.
  36. Saddiqi, H.A., Iqbal, Z., Khan, M.N. and Muhammad, G. (2010). Comparative resistance of sheep breeds to Haemonchus contortus in a natural pasture infection. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 12:739-743.
  37. Singh, N.K., Singh, H., Jyoti, Haque, M. and Rath, S.S. (2012). Prevalence of parasitic infections in cattle of Ludhiana district, Punjab. Journal of Parasitic Diseases, 36(2): 256-259.
  38. Williams, J.C. and Loyacano, A.F. (2001). Internal parsites of cattle in Louisiana and other southern states. Louisiana State University. Agcenter Research Information Sheet, 104:1-19.
  39. Wymann, M.N., Traore, K., Bonfoh, B., Tembely, S. and Zinsstag, J. (2008). Gastrointestinal parasite egg excretion in young calves in periurban livestock production in Mali. Research in Veterinary Science, 84: 225-231.
  40. Wadhwa, A., Tanwar, R.K., Singla, L.D., Eda, S., Kumar, N. and Kumar, Y. (2011). Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in cattle and buffaloes in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. Veterinary World, 4(9): 417-419.
  41. Woodbury, M.R., Wagner, B., Ben-Ezra, E., Douma, D. and Wilkins, W. (2014). A survey to detect Toxocara vitulorum and other gastrointestinal parasites in bison (Bison bison) herds from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Canadian Veterinary Journal, 55(9): 870-874.
  42. Yadav, A., Khajuria, J.K. and Raina, A.K. (2005). Gastrointestinal parasitic infection profile of bovines at R.S. Pura. Journal of Veterinary Parasitology, 19(2):115-117. 

Editorial Board

View all (0)