Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Goats are very important livestock in Zambia as they can alleviate poverty by providing both food and a source of income for an increasing number of rural families. While helminth infections (e.g. liver flukes and lungworms) are listed by the Zambian Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock as one of the biggest concerns affecting goats in this area, their occurrence in Zambia has not yet been studied. Additionally, information on anti-parasitic treatment is scarce in rural areas of Zambia, often leading to none or insufficient deworming strategies.

The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of liver flukes and lungworms, and to identify current deworming strategies, in goat herds in the Southern and Central provinces of Zambia. A total of 182 and 169 faecal samples from goats were pooled and examined for liver fluke and lungworms respectively. Sedimentation was used to extract and analyse liver fluke eggs, and out of the 19 pooled samples, only one sample (5.3%) contained eggs from the liver fluke. Baermann's funnel method was used to recover L1 larvae from lungworms, however, no lungworms were found in any of the samples. The most used antiparasitic drug in both provinces was ivermectin followed by albendazole and levamisole, with treatment intervals ranging from 1-12 times per year. Due to the low occurrence of liver fluke and no findings of lungworm L1 larvae, no correlation between treatment strategy and occurrence of liver fluke or lungworm could be made.

This study still confirmed the presence of liver flukes in the Central region of Zambia and suggests that most households lack adequate treatment strategies against the parasite. While lungworms were not detected in the study area, it is likely attributed to issues with sample storage rather than their absence in Zambian goat herds. The findings of this study can serve as a starting point for further research on the prevalence of liver flukes and lungworms in goats in Zambia. Moreover, by highlighting the challenges faced by Zambian goat owners in selecting effective deworming practices, this study emphasizes the importance of making treatment information accessible to rural households.