BENZIMIDAZOLE RESISTANCE IN AN ORGANIZED GOAT FARM IN KERALA – A CASE STUDY

Abstract

Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) was employed for the in vivo detection of benzimidazole resistance in an organized farm in Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala. The farm had over 150 animals reared under semi intensive management which were dewormed once in two months with benzimidazoles. The percent reduction in FECRT was 60 per cent with 81 and 15 being the upper and lower 95 per cent confidence limits indicating high level of benzimidazole resistance. Coproculture on pooled fecal samples from the farm revealed that predominant gastrointestinal nematode species were Haemonchus spp. (53.73 per cent), Trichostrongylus spp. (22.39 per cent) and Oesophagostomum spp. (23.88 per cent). Haemonchus spp. was the most predominant species identified with coproculture of the post treatment samples (98 per cent). The resistance status could be correlated with the high frequency of usage of benzimidazoles in the farm.

Keywords

• benzimidazole resistance
• fecrt
• goats
• haemonchus contortus