Gastrointestinal parasites of Angora goats in Lesotho: prevalence and control methods

This research project composed of two approaches: the first approach involved a survey in which focus group discussion and individual interviews were conducted in lowlands, foothills and mountains. This part was aimed at assessing control measures for gastrointestinal parasites. Goat owners consisted of male (78.40%) and female (21.60%) farmers in all the agro-ecological zones of Lesotho with the average age of 45.11±12.53 in lowlands, 46.98±14.85 in foothills and 43.81±13.32 in the mountains. Majority of farmers in lowlands (66.70%), foothills (57.30%) and mountains (40.70%) had primary education and most of them have experience of more than 20 years in goat farming. Goat owners were aware of intestinal parasites but none of them was aware of coccidia. Goats were believed to get infection from rangelands. Gastrointestinal parasites (GIPs) were known to cause enormous effects and young goats were the most susceptible age group that mostly die of GIPs - 63.00%, 74.10% and 85.2% of farmers in the lowlands, foothills and mountains respectively. Higher rates of infections were noticed in summer months and farmers used several anthelmintics and traditional medicines to control GIPs when animals exhibited clinical signs. Majority of farmers (59.30% in lowlands, 44.50% in foothills and 66.70% in the mountains) kept their flocks in open kraals which were not regularly cleaned. Rangelands were communally used and the grazing management practices were used. The second approach focused on the effect of agro-ecological zones, age, sex and infection trends over a six month period on the prevalence and faecal egg/oocyst loads of gastrointestinal parasites. The lowlands and foothills of Maseru and Quthing districts were observed to have got higher prevalence and egg loads of nematode while coccidia were more iv prevalent with higher oocyst loads in the mountains. Young goats and adults had similar prevalence and egg loads of nematode infection (p>0.05) but juveniles had significantly higher coccidia prevalence and oocyst loads. Males and females had similar prevalence and egg/oocyst loads of both nematode and coccidia (p>0.05). Nematodes were more prevalent in July and September in Maseru and Quthing districts respectively but coccidia were more prevalent in July in both districts. The faecal egg count (FEC) for nematodes was high in October and December in Maseru and Quthing districts respectively with while in July high coccidia oocysts were found.