Abstract

Small ruminants are suffered by many numbers of health issues mainly gastro intestinal parasites. These conditions can be controlled and treated with different chemotherapeutic regimens. The present study was conducted in YSR Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh in 2016. Thirty sheep were selected randomly from three different flocks and were treated with oral administration of closantel at 10 mg/kg body weight. Before treatment and 1^st, 7^th, 14^th and 21^st day of post treatment faecal samples were collected for determination of parasitic intensity by analysis of egg per gram of faeces. Therapeutic efficacy of the drug against different gastrointestinal parasites was carried out by the percentage reduction in the egg per gram levels. It was highly effective against Strongyloides spp., Haemonchus contortus, Oesophagostomum spp., Trichuris spp., Fasciola gigantica and Paramphistome spp.. Reduction in the intensity of parasitic ova was 25.5%, 90.6%, 98.2% and 99.5% by the 1^st day, 7^th day, 14^th day and 21^st day of post treatmentrespectively. In conclusion, higher efficacy of closantel was observed against the different gastro intestinal trematodes and nematodes in the present geographical location.

Keywords: Closantel; Sheep; Gastrointestinal parasites; India