FACTORS ASSOCIATED TO GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODES INFECTIONS IN DAIRY GOATS GRAZING ON SEMI-ARID RANGELANDS OF NORTHEASTERN MEXICO

Abstract

There is a lack of information about the epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections on dairy goats. The objective of this study was to evaluate factors associated with the prevalence of GIN infection in mixed-breeds dairy goat grazing on semi-arid rangelands of northeastern Mexico. Mixed-breed dairy goats (n = 668) including Boer, Nubian, Alpine, Saanen and Toggenburg in 18 flocks were used. The goats were weighted and sampled of faeces and blood. The egg counts per gram of faeces (EPG) and the percentage of packed cell volume (PCV) was determined. Age, body condition score (BCS), and FAMACHA were estimated. Environmental temperature, annual rainfall, and altitude were the independent variables. The association between EPG, PCV, BCS, and FAMACHA was determined. Temperature, rainfall, altitude, and live weight affected the EPG of GIN excretion (P <0.01). Older goats had the highest EPG counts and lower values for BCS, PCV, and FAMACHA (P <0.05) than young goats. Goats with poor BCS had a higher EPG count and lower values of PCV and FAMACHA (P <0.05). The correlations between EPG and FAMACHA; EPG and BCS; EPG and PCV were 0.58, -0.55 and -0.55, respectively (P <0.01). Correlations between FAMACHA and PCV and BCS were -0.69 and -0.66, respectively (P <0.01). It concluded, that the prevalence of infections with GIN in mixed-breeds dairy goat is high; the BCS, live weight, ambient temperature, rainfall, and altitude were factors that influence the GIN infections on dairy goats grazing on semi-arid rangeland of northeastern Mexico.