Journal of Parasitic Diseases: June 2006, Vol. 30, No. 1, 64–67J P DImpact of anthelmintic therapy on live weight gain ingastrointestinal nematode-infected goats*A. K. Jayraw and Y. V. RaoteDepartment of <strong>Parasitology</strong>, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Parbhani.ABSTRACT. A trial was conducted to assess the effect of anthelmintic therapy on live weight gainin gastrointestinal (GI) nematode-infected goats using three anthelmintics, viz. tetramisolehydrochloride, morantel citrate and albendazole. Twenty four goats with heavy natural infection ofStrongyle, Strongyloides papillosus and Trichuris spp. were selected and divided into four groups ofsix animals each. Group-I served as untreated control group, whereas Group-II, III and IV were-1treated with tetramisole hydrochloride @ 15 mg kg body weight (b.w.), morantel citrate @ 5.94 mg-1 -1kg b.w. and albendazole @ 7.5 mg kg b.w., respectively. Animals were weighed at weekly intervalsand their live weight was recorded <strong>for</strong> a period of 28 days post-treatment (PT). On 28 day PT,overall live weight gain recorded was 9, 7.44 and 8.78% in animals of Group-II, III and IV,respectively, whereas only 3.73% weight gain was recorded in goats of untreated control group. <strong>The</strong>net profit obtained by the end of experimental study was Rs. 206, 138 and 174 in animals of Group-II, III and IV, respectively, as against a profit of Rs. 94 obtained in animals of untreated controlgroup.Keywords: anthelmintic therapy, gastrointestinal nematode, goat, weight gainINTRODUCTIONOwing to the growing demand <strong>for</strong> high quality animalproteins <strong>for</strong> human consumption, small ruminantsoccupy a special place as they are extremely efficientin converting the indigestible cellulose andhemicellulose to animal protein. India has apopulation of 120 million goats, which contributegreatly to rural economy (Abraham, 2001). Control ofgastrointestinal (GI) nematodosis is one of the mostserious challenges, as it poses a major constraint in thegrowth of highly profitable animals due to the chronicand insidious nature of parasitism (Sanyal, 1996). In*Part of M.V. Sc. thesis by first author, Marthwada AgriculturalUniversity, Prabhani.Corresponding author: Dr. A. K. Jayraw, Department of<strong>Parasitology</strong>, Nagpur Veterinary College, Nagpur-440 006,Maharashtra, India.the absence of a potent prophylactic agent,chemotherapy continues to play a vital role against GInematodosis. <strong>The</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e, the present investigation wasundertaken to evaluate the live weight gain response ingoats following chemotherapy with commonlyavailable anthelmintics, viz. tetramisolehydrochloride, morantel citrate and albendazole.MATERIALS AND METHODS<strong>The</strong> experimental study was conducted at the Collegeof Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Parbhani duringmonsoon. A total of 49 female goats were maintainedunder a semi-intensive system and each animal wasprovided with 250 g concentrate daily. <strong>The</strong> helminthicburden of each animal was ascertained after countingeggs per gram (EPG) of faeces using Stoll's dilutionmethod (Soulsby, 1982). Out of 49 goats, 1-2 year oldnaturally infected 24 animals were selected, showing
Effect of antihelmenthic therapy on live weight gain65the mean EPG counts of 3783 ± 1106.96; 404.16 ± albendazole (Rs.174) and morantel citrate (Rs. 138)127.54 and 212.5 ± 55.01 <strong>for</strong> strongyle species, S. treated groups. On the other hand, the net profitpapillosus and Trichuris spp., respectively. <strong>The</strong> recorded in infected untreated control group wasexperimental animals were equally divided into four Rs. 94 in comparison with the treated groups (Table I).groups (Gr.), where, Gr.-I served as infected, untreatedcontrol group, Gr.-II animals were treated withDISCUSSIONtetramisole hydrochloride (Nilverm soluble powder, GI nematode infection is recognized as a major-1M/S ICI India Ltd., Kolkata) @ 15 mg kg body constraint to small ruminant production worldwide. Itweight (b.w.) and Gr.-III animals with morantel citrate is well known to cause huge economic losses due to(Banminth Tab., M/S Pfizer Ltd., Ahmedabad) @ 5.94 mortality incidental to the severe parasitism and high-1mg kg b.w. <strong>The</strong> animals in Gr.-IV were drenched with morbidity, reduction and/or spoilage of wool, meatalbendazole (Albomar suspension, M/S Glaxo India and milk production in chronic cases (Chowdhury,-1Ltd., Mumbai) @ 7.5 mg kg b.w. <strong>The</strong> experimental 1994). <strong>The</strong> continued presence of GI nematodes isgoats were denied access to water and feed <strong>for</strong> responsible <strong>for</strong> anorexia, reduced feed intake,approximately 18 h, prior to recording their live alterations in protein metabolism, low levels ofweight (weekly) using a weigh-bridge. <strong>The</strong> net profit minerals, depressed activity of some intestinalin terms of rupees (Rs.) was calculated taking into enzymes and diarrhoea (Soulsby, 1982). <strong>The</strong>account the final difference in body weight of the parasitism is also associated with loss of blood andexperimental goats be<strong>for</strong>e and after chemotherapy, plasma proteins into the GI tract (Jayraw and Raote,cost of medication including cost of drug (tetramisole 2004a) thereby lowering the weight gain in untreatedhydrochloride - Rs. 10, morantel citrate - Rs. 29 and control group. Reduced skeletal growth brought aboutalbendazole - Rs. 24) and labour cost (Rs. 60 per head by mineral deficiency affects growth rate, because<strong>for</strong> one day), except <strong>for</strong> the animals belonging to Gr.-I, skeletal size ultimately determines the capacity ofwhich served as infected untreated control and were growing animal to accumulate muscle (Sykes et al.,not treated with any anthelmintic. <strong>The</strong> average rate of 1977). In addition, reduced levels of amino acid-1chevon was considered as Rs. 120 kg at Parbhani incorporation in muscle protein results in reduceddistrict of Maharashtra. <strong>The</strong> data obtained were weight gains (Soulsby,1982). Reduced weight gain inanalysed following standard statistical procedures GI nematode-infected goats was also reported by(Snedecor and Cochran, 1994).Howlader et al. (1997) and Githigia et al. (2001). <strong>The</strong>RESULTShigher weight gain recorded in tetramisole treatedanimals is attributable to its higher efficacy againstAnimals were weighed at weekly intervals and their Trichuris spp. and strongyle species when comparedlive weight recorded <strong>for</strong> a period of 28 days. <strong>The</strong> mean to efficacy of albendazole and morantel citrate againstEPG counts recorded at 28 days post-treatment were these parasites (Jayraw and Raote, 2004b). <strong>The</strong>found to be 345.84 ± 290.47, 4.165 ± 4.165 and 154.16 present finding is in agreement with Sakhawat et al.± 37.50 <strong>for</strong> strongyle species, S. papillosus and (1997), who also observed that levamisole treatedTrichuris spp., respectively. A maximum of 9% (mean sheep gained more weight than albendazole and1.97 kg) live weight gain was recorded in tetramisole morantel treated animals. <strong>The</strong> mean weight gain ofhydrochloride treated animals (Gr.-II) followed by 1.97 kg recorded in the present study corroborates well8.78% enhancement (mean 1.82 kg) in experimental with the findings of Sathianesan and Peter (1972), whogoats belonging to albendazole treated group (Gr.-IV). recorded 1.7 kg weight gain in tetramisole treated<strong>The</strong> morantel citrate treated group (Gr.-III) exhibited goats over 30 days of observation. <strong>The</strong> 8.78% weight7.44% weight gain (mean 1.56 kg). <strong>The</strong> lowest weight gain observed in albendazole-treated animals is ingain of 3.73% (mean 0.79 kg) was evident in animals general agreement with Faizal et al. (1999) andof infected untreated group (Gr.-I). <strong>The</strong> mean daily Githigia et al. (2001). Rajangam and Balchandranweight gain recorded is presented in the descending (1989) earlier reported a mean weight gain of 38.3 g-1 -1-1order as 70 g day in animals of Gr.-II, 65 g day in Gr.- day in morantel citrate treated goats.-1 -1IV, 55 g day in Gr.-III and 28 g day in animals of Gr.- Correspondingly, a mean daily weight gain of 55 g-1I. <strong>The</strong> net profit obtained at the end of experimental day in morantel treated group was also evident in thestudy was higher (Rs. 206) in tetramisole present study. Das et al. (2004) recorded the per headhydrochloride treated group, when compared with loss of Rs. 351 and 377 in 3-6 and 6-12 months old GI
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