PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES IN SMALL RUMINANTS SLAUGHTERED IN CENTRAL ABATTOIR, AKINYELE, IBADAN.

This study investigated the prevalence of intestinal parasites in small ruminants (sheep and goat) slaughtered at Akinyele Central Abattoir, Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of 183 feacal samples were collected from the anus of the animal accounting for 90 sheep and 93 goats between February and May 2025. Gastrointestinal parasites were detected from the faecal samples collected from individual study animals by using systemic method of gastrointestinal parasite analysis: Floatation method and Sedimentation methods. The result of the study recorded at all study animals were positive with intestinal parasites at a prevalence rate of 40.44%. Three different genera’s of parasites were isolated which include Strongyle spp, Eimeira spp and Stronglyloides spp. The prevalence rates in male and female were 46.99 and 53.00% respectively. Prevalence rates in breeds West African dwarf, Yankasa, Uda, Red Sokoto and Balami were 25.0, 50.0, 80.0, 75.0 and 17.65% respectively for sheep while West African Dwarf, Red Sokoto, Sahel were 41.94, 40.0 and 40.74% respectively. The prevalence rate in animals age from 1 to 2 and >2 were 35 and 50.79% respectively. In all these observed prevalence rate, statistically there is a significant difference in the Breed, sex prevalence and age (P< 0.05). Thus, it was recommended that small ruminants should be treated with anthelminthic at regular intervals. Adequate preventive measures and prompt care should be given to younger small ruminants since they are more susceptible than older animals.