The objective of this study was to detect helminths in sheep on farms in three different zones of the Laghouat region, and to examine relationships between the prevalence of these parasites and the factors of age, sex, and area. The study was carried out over a period of four months (March to June 2019) on 77 faecal samples taken from 77 sheep. For this purpose, we used both a qualitative technique (flotation) and a quantitative technique (Mac Master). These two techniques allowed us to isolate helminths and determine the degree of infestation of sheep in the steppe region, specifically the Laghouat region. The results showed that the sheep flock studied overall was negative, with the exception of eight subjects infected with Nematodirus or Strongyloides at a rate of 7.49% each. The helminth parasite prevalence was 10.40%. Statistical analysis of the influence of specific factors revealed no significant effect (P˃0.05) for sex, though the effects of age and area were significant (P<0.05). This parasite prevalence must be taken seriously to avoid its detrimental effect on animal health and the zootechnical performance of sheep flocks.

This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in goats in central Algeria. A total of 605 samples of goat faeces were collected from several mixed farms (sheep and goats) in the regions of Médéa, Djelfa, and Ain Defla. Cryptosporidium spp. was detected using the Ziehl-Nelseen technique modified by Henriksen and Polhenz. Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 103 samples (17.02%). Females accounted for 69.90% of positive samples while males accounted for 30.09% of positive samples (P<0.05). The most infested animals were those aged between 2 months and 7 years (69.99%). Animals under 15 days of age were also very vulnerable to infection (59.25%) (P<0.05); Young goats with diarrhoea infested with Cryptosporidium were noticed in 25% of samples. The infestation rate during autumn was 56.31%, and 43.68% in spring (P<0.05). Post-weaned goats are potential carriers and shedders of the parasite and young are vulnerable to the infection. To conclude, further studies are needed on a larger sample and in other areas to improve our epidemiology knowledge of cryptosporidiosis in goats.

Coccidiosis remains an obstacle for the poultry sector worldwide, including Algeria. In the field of food biosecurity, symbiotics are used with the aim of improving zootechnical performance of chickens, and combatting the negative effects of this parasitosis. This study compared two broiler farms with 12,000 chickens of the Arbor Acres strain, where chickens on one farm received supplementation with symbiotics. Weight of 144 animals, mortality, food and water consumption were measured, and consumption (CI) and conversion indices were calculated. For parasitology, droppings were collected and the intestinal contents of 10% of animals were collected. Data showed that at 43 days, the supplemented group had a weight of 2750 g as compared to the control that had a weight of 2630 g, with an average consumption of 4834 g vs. 5087g per animal, CI of 1.62–1.35–0.81 vs. 1.65–1.52–0.89, the conversion index of 1.9 vs. 2.07, and mortality rate of 9.29% vs. 10.37%, respectively. Oocyst excretion was zero at the farm receiving supplementation vs. 0, 100, and 550 OPG in the control group on days 15, 21 and 28, respectively, parasite infestation was 41,600 OPG, 32,800 OPG, and 30,500 OPG vs. 800 OPG, 1,100 OPG and 1,200 OPG, respectively. For prevalence, several species of Eimeria were identified in the control. The means found in this study support the use of symbiotics, and efforts to improve the formula of the symbiotics should yield even better results.