Effect of Agro-ecological Zone, Age, and Sex on Prevalence and Intensity of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Donkeys in Maseru District, Lesotho

Abstract

Gastrointestinal parasites are considered to be silent killers of animals. The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of the agro-ecological zone, age, and sex on the parasite prevalence and fecal egg/oocyst count in donkeys residing in Lesotho. A total number of 720 fecal samples were collected rectally from 120 indigenous donkeys that were randomly selected from the highlands, foothills, and lowlands of Maseru district, Lesotho. The fecal samples were collected every two months for one year and examined using the floatation technique. The overall prevalence for nematodes, coccidia, and cestodes in donkeys were 87.78%, 4.31%, and 1.53%, respectively. The highest nematode prevalence and intensity were detected in the donkeys of highlands. The coccidian infection was lower in the lowlands while cestodes infection was more prevalent in the foothills. Donkey’s age had an impact on the nematode fecal egg load but did not affect the prevalence of nematodes in donkeys. Age did not significantly affect the prevalence and fecal egg/oocyst count of cestodes and coccidia. Male donkeys had a higher prevalence and fecal egg count of cestodes. In conclusion, the nematodes were found to be the major gastrointestinal parasites of donkeys in the Maseru district. Therefore, there is a need to design a sustainable strategy aimed at controlling the gastrointestinal parasites in donkeys.