Epidemiology of gastro-intestinal parasite infections of young cattle in Northern Cameroon

Abstract

Studies of gastro-intestinal parasites of zebu calves were carried out in traditional herds in Northern Cameroon through monthly faecal analysis in 17 herds for a period of two years. Toxocarosis appeared to be the most important parasitic infection in the North province where its prevalence reached 58 % in calves aged 0-6 months; 60 % of the infested calves passed large numbers of eggs at least once. Samples revealing high egg counts were more frequent in the dry season. Deworming calves aged one month with a cheap anthelmintic against Toxocara is likely to be economically profitable in the North. Seventy-five and a half per cent of the calves 0-12 months old were infested with Strongyloides; high counts of Strongyloides eggs were registered at least once for 31 % of these calves. As for toxocarosis, calves seemed to be more often and more heavily infested with Strongyloides in the North than in the Far North province. Strongyloidosis was apparently of low clinical importance, with the rare clinical manifestations accompanied by toxocarosis. The importance of digestive tract strongylosis was difficult to evaluate. Every steer was affected at one stage of its life in a similar manner in the two provinces; 6.8 % of samples showed high egg counts and 35 % of the steers aged over six months passed large numbers of eggs at least once. These results did not permit a priori recommendation of a systematic deworming programme against strongyles; instead, several less intensive deworming programmes have to be tested in order to determine their economic profitability. Coccidia were found in 77.4 % of calves aged 0-12 months, with heavier and more frequent infections in the North. However, infections of high intensity were generally rare. Tri- churis, Moniezia, Fasciola and paramphistomes were rarely found. Concerning nematodosis, curative treatments and cost-profit studies of deworming programmes should be aimed at toxocarosis in calves aged 0-3 months in the North, and strongylosis in steers aged 6-12 months, in both provinces.