MONTHLY INCIDENCE OF COCCIDIA INFECTION IN GOATS IN RIYOM DISTRICT, RIYOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The research was undertaken from December 2015 to June 2016 (7 months) to determine the monthly incidence of Coccidia infection in goats in Riyom Districts in Riyom Local Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. 658 faecal samples were randomly collected to isolate and assess the level of coccidia Oocysts in goats in the study area. Samples were categorized according to month (December, 2015 to June, 2016), sex (male or female), age (<7 months = young, ≥ 8 months ≥= Adult), Reproductive status (pregnant or not pregnant) weight kilogram (3.0 – 7.9, 8.0 – 12.9, 13.0-17.9 and> 18.0 Animals were weighed using weigh scale, identified by sex and reproductive status through pregnancy diagnosis, faecal samples were collected into a plastic flask and routinely taken to the parasitology Laboratory of National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom and processed using floatation and sedimentation techniques. The result revealed a total incidence rate of 25.1%. The percentage infection rate was high in adults than in young with no significant difference (P>0.05). Floatation techniques yielded more parasites than sedimentation. Infection rate did not differ significantly (P>0.05) according to sex and reproductive status but differed significantly (P<0.05) according to body weight, the animals with higher body weight had less infection rate. The study concluded that goats in the study area suffer some level of coccidia infection and recommend proper feeding with good husbandry practice with timely administration of anti-coccidiostats to sustain goat production in the area.

Keywords: monthly, incidence, coccidia, infection, goats, Riyom District.