A cross sectional study was conducted in the dairy cattle of Al-Rodwan dairy project in Omdurman town during the three different seasons of the year. The results of the faecal examinations (n-290) showed that the prevalence of the internal parasites was 16, 8.42, and 7.36% for dry cool, dry hot, and wet hot season, respectively. The prevalence of coccidiosis was found to be 13, 4.21, and 2.10% for dry cool, dry hot, and wet hot season, respectively, while the prevalence of Fasciolosis was 1, 4.21, and 4.21% for dry cool, dry hot, and wet hot season, respectively. Statistically, no association between season and the prevalence of internal parasites (P&gt; 0.05). A positive association (P&lt; 0.01) between the milk yield and the occurrence of internal parasites was observed (infection with internal parasite reduce milk yield of the animal). Similarly, an association was recorded for the breed and age of the animal with infection of internal parasites (P&lt; 0.05). Application of odds ratio (OR) indicated that breed was considered to be a protective factor (OR = 0.294), while age of the animal was considered to be a risk factor (OR = 3.638) for presence of internal parasites

Atif E Abdelgadir

Awad G Mohammed

Khitma H Elmalik

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Journal of Cell and Animal Biology Vol. 5(9), pp. 196 -199, 15 September, 2011  
Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/JCAB 
ISSN 1996-0867 ©2011 Academic Journals  
 
 
 
 
Full Length Research Paper 
 
Study on prevalence of internal parasites in semi-
intensive dairy production system of Sudan 
 
Awad G. Mohammed1, Atif E. Abdelgadir2* and Khitma H. Elmalik2 
 
1
Private sector, Khartoum, Sudan. 
2
Department of Preventive Medicine and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of 
Khartoum, Sudan. 
 
Accepted 19 August, 2011 
 
A cross sectional study was conducted in the dairy cattle of Al-Rodwan dairy project in Omdurman 
town during the three different seasons of the year. The results of the faecal examinations (n-290) 
showed that the prevalence of the internal parasites was 16, 8.42, and 7.36% for dry cool, dry hot, and 
wet hot season, respectively. The prevalence of coccidiosis was found to be 13, 4.21, and 2.10% for dry 
cool, dry hot, and wet hot season, respectively, while the prevalence of Fasciolosis was 1, 4.21, and 
4.21% for dry cool, dry hot, and wet hot season, respectively. Statistically, no association between 
season and the prevalence of internal parasites (P> 0.05). A positive association (P< 0.01) between the 
milk yield and the occurrence of internal parasites was observed (infection with internal parasite reduce 
milk yield of the animal). Similarly, an association was recorded for the breed and age of the animal with 
infection of internal parasites (P< 0.05). Application of odds ratio (OR) indicated that breed was 
considered to be a protective factor (OR = 0.294), while age of the animal was considered to be a risk 
factor (OR = 3.638) for presence of internal parasites.  
 
Key words: Al-Rodwan dairy project, internal parasites, season.  
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
The high needs for animal proteins in tropical countries, 
especially milk and milk products in recent years, 
oriented the producers to import high milk foreign breeds 
to meet human consumption. However, the high 
susceptibility of crossbred cattle to internal parasites is 
regarded as an important role in dissemination of health 
problems in dairy farms. The effects of parasitic diseases 
on livestock include mortality losses, condemnation of 
meat, weight loss, and depreciation of animal products 
and reduced resistance to other diseases as well as high 
expenditure on drugs. Moreover, helminthes of the 
gastrointestinal tract are a major cause of reduced 
productivity in ruminants throughout the world (El Bihari 
et al., 1974).  
In Sudan, in spite of the large animal population still the 
dairy products do not satisfy the national demand. This  is  
 
 
 
*Corresponding author. E-mail: atifvet@yahoo.com. Tel: 
00249912110534. 
why the dairy industry faces many problems. For 
instance, parasitic diseases were known to exist in the 
country, way back as 1902. However, most cases 
reported were based on the tentative diagnosis, rarely 
supported by laboratory examination. In reviewing the 
available literature of Sudan veterinary services, no 
record was encountered while dealing with parasitic 
infestations or infections in dairy cattle in the different 
seasons of the year in Khartoum State. Therefore, the 
aim of this study was to provide basic information 
regarding the presence of internal parasites of dairy cattle 
in Omdurman district among different seasons (Karib, 
1961). 
 
 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
 
Study area   
 
A cross sectional study was conducted in El-Rodwan Dairy Project 
which was located at the north western periphery of Omdurman 
town  and  regarded  as one of the most important sites of the semi-  
 
 
Mohammed et al.         197 
 
 
 
Table 1. Description of the study population in El-Rodwan dairy project during the three different seasons.  
 
Unit 
Season frequency (%) 
Dry cool Dry hot Wet hot 
Total No. of animals examined breed 100 95 95 
local breed 11 (11%) 11 (11.58%) 10 (10.53%) 
cross breed 89 (89%) 84 (88.42%) 85 (89.47%) 
Age (years)    
<1 33 (33%) 28 (29.47%) 28 (29.47%) 
1-3 4 (4%) 4 (4.21%) 40 (42. 10%) 
> 3 63 (63%) 63 (66.32%) 27 (28.42%) 
    
Milk yield (kg)    
< 4 39 (39%) 34 (35.79%) 34 (35.79%) 
4-8 39 (39%) 39 (41.05%) 39 (41.05%) 
>8 22 (22%) 22 (23.16%) 22 (23.16%) 
 
 
 
intensive systems for milk production in Khartoum State. The 
climate of the study area is an arid type which is characterized by a 
wide range in daily and seasonal temperature. A temperature of 
45°C may occur during the summer with hot dry weather and low 
humidity. During winter the weather is cool and dry with a mean 
daily temperature of 24°C. The maximum rainfall is from mid July to 
mid September, in this season there is an increase in relative 
humidity with a maximum of 68% in August.  
 
 
Sampling 
 
The study animals were cattle kept in El-Rodwan Dairy Project. For 
the purpose of sampling selection of pens was done according to 
cluster sampling method (two stage cluster) as described by 
Thrusfield (1995). Selection of clusters (10 pens) was done 
randomly and within each pen only 10% of the herds were sampled 
randomly. Description of the study population is shown in Table 1. 
 
 
Faecal samples collection 
 
Two hundred and ninety faecal samples were collected during the 
three seasons of the year. Accordingly, 100 faecal samples were 
collected during the dry cool season, 95 during the dry hot season, 
and 95 during the wet hot season). Samples were collected straight 
from the rectum of the animal or from the ground only if the animals 
were seen passing out their faeces. The faeces were then collected 
in plastic bags, labeled and immediately transferred to the 
laboratory for fecal examination (Angus and Todd, 1978).  
 
 
Faecal examinations 
 
Flotation method 
 
This test was used to detect the presence of the eggs of nematodes 
and cestodes, as well as oocysts protozoa. Two to three grams of 
faeces were taken in a mortar and emulsified with 42 ml salt 
solution. The suspension was then poured through a tea sieve into 
a beaker to remove the large particles. The sieved suspension was 
then poured in a test tube. More of salt solution was added into the 
test tube until it was completely filled and then covered with a cover 
slip. The cover slip was removed after 20 min and it was placed into 
a clean slide and examined under the microscope (Angus and 
Todd, 1978). 
 
 
Sedimentation method 
 
This test was used for detecting those eggs which do not float well 
in available flotation solutions. Those are the operculate eggs such 
as fluke infestation, Fasciola, Paramphistomes and Schistosoma. 
Two to three grams of faeces were taken in a mortar and emulsified 
with 42 ml tap water. They were grounded with pestle and mixed 
well. The suspension was then poured through a tea sieve into a 
beaker to remove the large particles. The sieved suspension was 
then poured in a centrifuge tubes and centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 
two min (this was the first wash). The dirty supernatant was poured 
off and re-suspended in water and centrifuged at 1500 rpm for two 
min. This was repeated four times till the supernatant fluid was 
clear. A bit of the deposit was taken and smeared on slide covered 
and examined under the microscope (Angus and Todd, 1978). 
 
 
Data analysis  
 
Stata 6.0 for Windows 98/95/NT was used for data analysis. Chi-
square (χ
2
) was used for assessing the statistical associations of 
various factors with presence of internal parasites. Logistic 
regression model was employed only for those factors which gave 
statistical significant by using chi-square (χ
2
). Student t-test was 
employed to find out the relationship between milk yield and 
infection with internal parasites. 
 
 
RESULTS 
 
The results of microproscopic examinations from dairy 
cattle at El-Rodwan dairy project using flotation and 
sedimentation tests (n = 290) showed that the presence 
of internal parasites was 16% (n = 100) during the dry 
cool season, 8.42% (n = 95) during the dry hot season 
and 7.36% (n = 95) during the wet hot season.  
 
 
198         J. Cell Anim. Biol. 
 
 
 
 
Table 2. Prevalence of internal parasites infection detected during the study period. 
 
Season 
No. 
examined 
 
Results 
 
 
Over all prevalence 
n (%) 
Coccidia species 
(%) 
Fasciola 
species n (%) 
Parmphistomum 
species n (%) 
Dry cool 100  13 (13%) 1 (1%) 2 (2%)  16 (16%) 
Dry hot 95  4 (4.21%) 4 (4.21%) 0 (0.0%)  8 (8.42%) 
Wet hot 95  2 (2.10%) 4 (4.21%) 1 (1.05%)  7 (7.36%) 
 
 
 
Prevalence of coccidiosis was observed during the three 
different seasons of the year given high prevalence of 
13% (n = 100) during the dry cool season. While, 
prevalence of fasciolosis was low 1% (n = 100) during the 
dry cool season (Table 2). There was no effect of the 
season on the presence of internal parasites (P >0.05). A 
positive association (P <0.01) between the milk yield and 
the occurrence of internal parasites was observed. An 
association was obtained for the breed and age of the 
animal with infection of internal parasites (P <0.05). 
Application of odds ratio (OR) indicated that breed was 
considered to be a protective factor (OR = 0.294), while 
age of the animal was considered to be a risk factor (OR 
= 3.638) for presence of internal parasites. 
 
 
DISCUSSION 
 
The presence of internal parasites in El-Rodwan dairy 
project was mostly due to the poor hygiene in the pens 
resulting from crowd of animals in the center of the pen 
where there was a partial shade and this made it difficult 
to achieve thorough removal of animal dung. Moreover, 
animals were fed on fodder purchased from the market 
which increased the risk of infection with internal 
parasites as contamination with the infective stages can 
happen at any point as well as introduction of new 
animals particularly from areas known to be endemic for 
internal parasitic infections such as Gezira and White Nile 
areas. 
Our study revealed that there was no relationship 
between the season and the occurrence of internal 
parasites. This result is not in line with a study conducted 
in Central Kenya by Waruiru et al. (2000) who stated that 
the season had a significant influence on the prevalence 
and intensity of helminth and coccidial infections in dairy 
cattle and they indicated that the higher intensity of 
infection with helminth and coccidia was found in the wet 
season. Similarly, the same authors stated that the total 
worm burden in the animals were highest during the rainy 
season and lowest during the dry season. This 
disagreement was attributed to the type of husbandry and 
management of the dairy cattle as most of these studies 
were  conducted in pastoral production systems while our 
study was done in closed or semi-intensive production 
system. A positive association was obtained between the 
age of the animal and the presence of internal parasites. 
This result was confirmed by Duval (1997) who stated 
that the age as well as the weight of animal determines 
susceptibility to infection with parasites. Young animals 
do not have strong immunity to parasitic infection during 
the first year in pasture. He also revealed that adult 
animals are much less susceptible to most parasites, 
unless they are in poor living conditions. A significant 
association was obtained for the breed of the animal and 
the presence of internal parasites. This result was 
confirmed in Uganda by Magona and Mayende (2002), 
who explained that infections with fasciola and 
gastrointestinal nematodes were higher in the exotic 
breed compared to the local breeds. Furthermore, 
another study conducted by Duval (1997) revealed that 
an animal which had never been exposed to infections 
with worms cannot develop resistance and immunity. 
Local breeds have strong ability to prevent the 
establishment or limit the subsequent development of 
parasitic infection due to the previous continuous 
exposure to worm infection. 
However, the limited number of local breed included in 
this study could not be taken a definite reflection of breed 
susceptibility. Also the cross–bred animals have varying 
ratios of foreign blood. There was a highly significant 
association between the milk yield and the presence of 
internal parasites. This result was confirmed by Bliss and 
Todd (1976) who demonstrated increased milk 
production after treatment of dairy cows, thereby passing 
fewer than 10 epg of faeces. Also they demonstrated that 
milk production was suppressed in cows given 200.000 
trichostrongylid larvae when the larvae were administered 
in the first 90 days of lactation.  
In conclusion the results of this study showed that 
infections with internal parasites were common during the 
different seasons of the year in the selected dairy cattle in 
the study area. Many investigations on internal parasites 
in dairy cattle had been documented from different 
production systems in Sudan. Saad (2004) reported 
infection with fascioliasis in White Nile and Gezira states. 
He also stated that paramphistomiasis was common in 
White  Nile and Gezira States.  Based  on  results  of  this
 
 
 
 
 
 
study it could be concluded that infections with internal 
parasites were prevalent in the dairy cattle of Al Rodwan 
dairy project. The seasonal variations had no influence 
on the prevalence of internal parasites in a closed dairy 
production system if other factors such as good 
management and adequate nutrition were controlled. 
Reduced milk production level is the most important 
feature for infection with internal parasites.  
 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  
 
The authors thank Mr. Ahmed Abdel Wahid for his keen 
help in the laboratory.  
 
 
REFERENCES 
 
Angus D, Todd D (1978). Veterinary Helminthology, 2
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Tanner Ltd, Frome and London, Great Britain. 
Bliss DH, Todd AC (1976). Milk production by Vermont dairy cattle after 
deworming, Vet. Med. Small Anim. Clin., 71: 1251-1254. 
Duval J (1997). The control of internal parasites in cattle and sheep, 
MSc thesis, Mt Gill University, Canada.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mohammed et al.         199 
 
 
 
El Bihari S, Gadir FA , Suleiman H (1974). Incidence and behavior of 
microfilariae in cattle. Sud. J. Vet. Anim. Husb., 15(2): 82-85.  
Karib AA (1961). Animal trypanosomiasis in the Sudan. J. Vet. Sci. 
Anim. Hus., 2: 39-46.  
Magona JW, Mayende JS (2002). Occurrence of current 
trypanosomiasis, theileriosis, anaplasmosis and helminthosis in 
Friesian, Zebu and Sahiwal cattle in Uganda, Onderstepoort J. Vet. 
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Saad AA (2004). Investigation of Diseases in Diary Cows in the White 
Nile and Gezira States, Sudan, MSc thesis, University of Khartoum.  
Thrusfield M (1995).Veterinary Epidemiology, 2
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Ltd. UK. 
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Study on prevalence of internal parasites in semi- intensive dairy production system of Sudan

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Study on prevalence of internal parasites in semi- intensive dairy production system of Sudan

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