Haematological responses of yankasa sheep to experimental Fasciola gigantica infection in Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Haematological responses of Yankasa sheep to experimental Fasciola gigantica infection were evaluated using twelve Yankasa ewes aged 10-12 months. The animals were obtained from the Reproduction Unit of the National Animal Production Research Institute, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria. 2 weeks baseline pre-infection data were collected and the ewes were later divided into two groups of infected and controls respectively. The six animals in the infected group were each orally inoculated with 1200 Fasciola gigantica metacercariae and monitored for a period of 16 weeks. Mean packed cell Volume (PVC), haemoglobin concentration and total plasma protein of the infected group were significantly lower than the controls (p0.01). Eosinophilia featured in the infected sheep. Mean White Blood Cell (WBC), neutrophil and lymphocyte levels of the infected sheep were significantly (p0.05) different from those of the controls at the advanced periods of the infection (12-14 weeks pI) in this study. Fasciola gigantica eggs were seen in faeces at 12th week post infection demonstrating a high mean egg per gram (E.P.G) count of 530±96.44. The findings of this study revealed the potentials of haematological parameters as a veritable diagnostic tool in the management of ovine Fasciolosis.