Haemoparasitic Infections and Associated Risk Factors Among Cattle Slaughtered at Katsina Central Abattoir, Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

Cattle are essential for the growth and maintenance of a country's economy, but different blood parasites (Haemoparasites) can reduce their production, which causes both direct and indirect financial losses for the livestock industry. The incidence of hemoparasites and risk factors related to them were investigated in cattle butchered at the principal abattoir in Katsina. At the point of slaughter, 500 blood samples were aseptically taken, processed, and checked for hemoparasites by identifying parasites on thin blood smears stained with Giemsa. A prevalence of 8.4% was recorded overall. Anaplasma, Babesia, Microfilaria, and Trypanosoma, four genera of bovine hemoparasites, had prevalence rates of 4.0%, 2.4%, 2.4%, and 0.8%, respectively. The prevalence of hemoparasites was found to be greater in females (8.8%) than in males (7.7%), however there was no statistically significant difference (P 0.05). All breeds evaluated during the study tested positive for haemoparasites; the highest frequency, 16.1%, was found in Adamawa Gudali, followed by Sokoto Gudali (10.3%), White Fulani (7.2), and Red Bororo (6.8%). According to the study's findings, there is no statistically significant difference between breeds in the prevalence of haemoparasites (P 0.05). Young people were more likely to have high prevalence (9.1%) than adults (6.4%) or those who were older (8.7%). The current study has identified the haemoparasite status of cattle put to death at the principal abattoir in Katsina. Consequently, to increase livestock productivity, appropriate preventive and control measures are required.

Occurrence of haemoparasites in cattle from three selected abattoirs in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria.

“…The study found that there was a higher prevalence of haemoparasites in male cattle compared to female cattle, while there was no significant difference in prevalence (p>0.05) between the animal sexes. This, however, contradicts the findings of Kamani et al (2010), Bitrus et al (2021), Gboeloh and Araka (2022) and Muhammad et al (2023), who reported higher prevalence in female animals than in male animals. Meanwhile, Bitrus et al (2021) and Muhammad et al (2023) concurred that the difference was not statistically significant.…”

“…This, however, contradicts the findings of Kamani et al (2010), Bitrus et al (2021), Gboeloh and Araka (2022) and Muhammad et al (2023), who reported higher prevalence in female animals than in male animals. Meanwhile, Bitrus et al (2021) and Muhammad et al (2023) concurred that the difference was not statistically significant. The difference in parasites' sex-prevalence could be due to varied number of males and females sampled for examination, since there were more female cattle present at the time of study.…”

“…Two tick-borne, haemoprotozoan parasites, Babesia sp and Theileria sp, were identified in the current study, with Theileria species recording highest occurrence (18%). These haemoparasites had occurred at varied percentages, either alone or alongside other parasites, in various studies ( Akande et al, 2010;Kamani et al, 2010;Okeke et al, 2020;Muhammad et al, 2023), and are the causal agents of Theileriosis and Babesiosis which are serious obstacles to the health and productivity of cattle (Rajput et al, 2005). Findings from Gboeloh and Araka (2022) and Muhammad et al (2023) recorded four genera of haemoparasites, with Anaplasma species occurring most.…”

“…These haemoparasites had occurred at varied percentages, either alone or alongside other parasites, in various studies ( Akande et al, 2010;Kamani et al, 2010;Okeke et al, 2020;Muhammad et al, 2023), and are the causal agents of Theileriosis and Babesiosis which are serious obstacles to the health and productivity of cattle (Rajput et al, 2005). Findings from Gboeloh and Araka (2022) and Muhammad et al (2023) recorded four genera of haemoparasites, with Anaplasma species occurring most. Results from Kamani et al, (2010), Okeke et al (2020) and Bitrus et al (2021) also differ from this current study as Babesia species was recorded to be more prevalent in their studies.…”