International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics

Full Length Research Paper

Sensitivity to natural gastro-intestinal nematode infection at various physiological phases in semi-arid tropical goats and sheep

Chauhan K. K.¹, Rout P. K.²*, G. Das², Singh S. K.², Shukla S. N.¹and Roy R.²

¹College of Veterinary Science and A. H, DUVASU, Mathura, UP, India.

²Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Farah, Mathura-281122, UP, India.

Accepted 12 April, 2023

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.