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The use of FAMACHA in estimation of gastrointestinal nematodes and total worm burden in Damara and Barbados Blackbelly cross sheep

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Abstract

The prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes and total worm burden of Damara and Barbados Blackbelly cross sheep was investigated among smallholder farms in Salak Tinggi district of Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 50 sheep raised in smallholder farms comprising of 27 Damara cross and 23 Barbados Blackbelly cross were categorized based on their age into young and adults. Fecal samples were collected and examined for strongyle egg count by using modified McMaster technique. Severity of infection was categorized into mild, moderate, and heavy, based on egg per gram (EPG). Five sheep were randomly selected and slaughtered to examine the presence of adult gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes through total worm count (TWC). Faffa Malan Chart (FAMACHA) score was used for investigation of worm load based on the degree of anemia. The study revealed an overall EPG prevalence of 88 %, of which 84.1 % had mild infection. There was a significant difference (p = 0.002) in EPG among the two breeds. Based on age, significant difference (p = 0. 004) in EPG was observed among Barbados Blackbelly cross, but not for Damara cross (p = 0.941). The correlation between severity of infection and the FAMACHA score was significant (r = 0.289; p = 0.042). Haemonchus spp. were the most predominant nematode found in the gastrointestinal tract, followed by Trichostrongylus and Oesophagostomum spps. EPG and TWC for Haemonchus were positively correlated, but not significant (r = 0.85, p = 0.066). From regression analysis, 73 % of the variability in TWC for Haemonchus could be explained by EPG. Thus, it can be concluded that FAMACHA score correlates well with severity of infection of a nematode and can be used to assess the strongyle nematode burden in the different sheep crosses.

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Acknowledgments

We are most grateful to the technical staff of Parasitology laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, for providing all the necessary assistance during processing and identification of samples collected.

Authors’ contributions

MM and MAO conceived the project; NSBR, ELTC, and AT conducted the work; KM, YA, JFFA, and MAS provided consumables and wrote the manuscript; and MAML, AWH, and AAS provided financial assistance. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Malaysia

    Konto Mohammed

  2. Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

    Konto Mohammed & Abdulnasir Tijjani

  3. Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia

    Yusuf Abba, Muhammad Abubakar Sadiq, Abdulnasir Tijjani & Mohammed Azmi Mohammed Lila

  4. Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

    Yusuf Abba

  5. Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia

    Nur Syairah Binti Ramli, Murugaiyah Marimuthu, Mohammed Ariff Omar, Faez Firdaus Jesse Abdullah & Eric Lim Teik Chung

  6. Research Centre for Ruminant Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

    Murugaiyah Marimuthu, Faez Firdaus Jesse Abdullah & Eric Lim Teik Chung

  7. Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, PMB1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

    Muhammad Abubakar Sadiq

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  1. Konto Mohammed
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  7. Muhammad Abubakar Sadiq
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  8. Abdulnasir Tijjani
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  10. Mohammed Azmi Mohammed Lila
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Yusuf Abba or Faez Firdaus Jesse Abdullah.

Ethics declarations

The experiment was conducted according to the guidelines of the international animal care and use committee, Universiti Putra Malaysia. The experimental procedure was conducted under the approval of the Animal Care and Use Ethics Committee (UPM/IACUC/AUP-FYP30/2014), Universiti Putra Malaysia, as required in Malaysia by the Animal Welfare Act 2014.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Mohammed, K., Abba, Y., Ramli, N.S.B. et al. The use of FAMACHA in estimation of gastrointestinal nematodes and total worm burden in Damara and Barbados Blackbelly cross sheep. Trop Anim Health Prod 48, 1013–1020 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1049-y

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