Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences
J. Anim. Plant Sci. [ISSN 2071 - 7024]
Volume 6 (3): 709 - 714. Published April 29, 2010.
Performance of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats infected with the Sokoto (Northern Nigeria) strain of Trypanosoma evansi
C. I. Ogbaje, I. A. Lawal, M .Y. Fatihu.
1Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agriculture, Makurdi; 2 Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology and 3 Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
SUMMARY
Nutrition plays an important role in modulating the severity of trypanosomosis. Sixteen West African Dwarf (WAD) goats were experimentally infected (i v) with 2.0x106 (approximately 2 million Sokoto isolate of Trypanosoma evansi). They were fed groundnut hay, maize offal, and Digiteria hay at libitum .Total plasma protein and live weight gain of the goats in response to the experimental infection were determined for 6 weeks post-infection. Majority of the goats (75%) recorded increase in total plasma protein whereas 60% of the goats recorded an increase in live weight from the first week to the end of the experiment with 40% having their own increase at the last 2 weeks of the observation period. The study shows that WAD goats infected with this isolate of Trypanosoma evansi gained weight, since appetite was not affected. Feed supplementation is recommended for livestock kept in trypanosome endemic areas especially during period of food scarcity for increase productivity of the animals.
Key words
Performance, live weight, Trypanosome, Infection.
FULL PAPER [PDF AVAILABLE HERE ]
