THE PREVALENCE OF LIVER FLUKE (Fasciola Gigantiga) INFECTION OF CATTLE IN ISOKO NORTH AND SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, DELTA STATE, NIGERIA.

Kperegbeyi, J. I and Onwumere, O.S.

Department of Agricultural Technology

 School of Agriculture, Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Nigeria

E-mail:jameslovekperegbeyi@gmail.com,james_kperegbeyi@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of fascioliasis in cattle slaughtered in Isoko North and South Local Government Areas of Delta State was studied. The species of importance was fasciola gigantica. There were two phases of the study. In the first phase a retrospective analysis was made on the monthly abattoir records from different towns in Isoko North and South Local Government Areas from January 2003 to December 2004 kept by the veterinary division of the Delta State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Production (MAFP). The second phase involves actual meat inspection at the Isoko North and South abattoir from August to October, 2013. In the first phase, the result shows that only seven of the towns in Isoko North and South Local Government Areas had complete figures of cases of fascioliasis in cattle, and the prevalence rates were quite significant ranging 0.06% in Owhelogbo to 0.073% inOleh town in Isoko North and South Local Government Area. The overall prevalence rate of fascioliasis in cattle for the whole area during the one year period was 0.486%. In the second phase 486 of the 1444 cattle examined were infected with fascioliasis giving a prevalence rate of 0.38% for the period. The liver was found to be the predilection site.