Prevalence of Major Gastrointestinal Parasites of Horses in and around Mekelle (quiha and Wukro)

The prevalence of major gastrointestinal parasites of horses in and around Mekelle (Quiha and Wukro) was carried out from November 2009 to March 2010. Fresh fecal samples collected from 400 horses and examined by coproscopic (direct, flotation and sedimentation) methods. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was found to be 59.3%; including mixed parasitic infections. Among the parasites determined, the prevalence of strongyles spp, Oxyuris equi, Anoplocephala spp, Parascaris equirem, Gstrophilus sp.,Strongyloid westeri, Fasciola spp, Eimeria species and mixed infections was 108(27%), 35(8.8%), 8(2%), 7(1.8%), 5(1.3%), 3(0.8%), 2(0.5%), 2(0.5%), and 67(16.8%), respectively. From the identified gastrointestinal parasites, Strongyles spp 108(27%), has the maximum and Fasciola and Eimeria species 2(0.5%) has the minimum prevalence values obtained. The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic egg with the age group was not significantly associated but a strong World Journal of Animal Science Research Vol. 3, No. 3, May 2015, pp. 1 10, E-ISSN: 2333 8946 Available online at http://wjasr.com/ 2 significant association was observed in body condition of the animals and months of the study period. As the result indicated the infections caused by helminthes, especially strongyles were common in the study area, so greater emphasis should be given to this situation.