Susceptibility to natural gastro-intestinal nematode infection during different physiological stages in goat and sheep in the semi arid tropics

Abstract

The study was undertaken in Barbari, Jamunapari goats and Muzaffarnagari sheep to evaluate the variability in 
resistance during periparturient rise in faecal egg counts and the impact of periparturient rise on animal’s weight at 
kidding and birth weights of their progenies. The investigation was carried out in 169 Barbari does, 107 Jamunapari 
does and 82 Muzaffarnagri ewes distributed over two breeding seasons. The individuals were monitored from dry 
period to late stage of lactation for faecal egg count (FEC) measurement. The rise in faecal egg count (FEC) was 
observed from dry period to early lactation and thereafter it decreased in both goat and sheep. The present study 
confirmed the periparturient rise in response to natural nematode infection in both sheep and goat in semi arid 
climatic region in India. The variability in resistance was observed as Jamunapari goats were more prone to infection 
as compared to Barbari and Muzaffarnagari breed during the late pregnancy and early lactation stage. A significant 
peri-parturient rise (P<0.01) in lamb fecal egg count (LFEC) occurred at 2 to 4 weeks before kidding/lambing (late 
pregnancy) and peaked at 4 weeks post-parturition (early lactation) in Barbari, Jamunapari and Muzaffarnagari 
breeds. The present study also showed that there was no significant effect of periparturient rise on birth weight of 
kids and dam’s weight at kidding. Barbari goats were more tolerant to periparturient rise as compared to Jamunapari 
and Muzaffarnagari sheep.