Prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminths of slaughtered pigs at Bodija abattoir, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

A 3-week study was carried out to determine the prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminths in slaughtered pigs at Bodija Abattoir, Ibadan. Five faecal samples per day were collected for 21 days (105 samples) from the rectum of slaughtered pigs, stored in sterile container, labeled appropriately and then transported in a flask with ice pack to the parasitology laboratory of the department of veterinary parasitology and microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, where they were preserved in 10 % formalin before processing for laboratory analysis. Formalin-ether sedimentation/floatation method was used for identification of the gastrointestinal parasites. The results showed overall prevalence of 62.85 % with the presence of four nematodes (Ascaris suum, Oesophagostomum spp, Metastrongyloides spp and Strongyloides spp) and one protozoan (Isospora spp). Ascaris suum (25.71 %) was the most prevalent, followed by Oesophagostomum spp and Isospora spp (14.29 % each), Metastrongyloides spp (5.71 %) whereas the least was Strongyloides spp (2.86 %) with mean eggs per gram (EPG) of 640±5.23, 500±1.06, 2190±2.34, 400±1.76 and 670±0.23 respectively. With regards to sex, sows had greater prevalence of 63.83 % as opposed to boars with 62.07 % though not significantly different (p>0.05). It can be concluded that there was high prevalence of gastro-intestinal helminthes in the study area. Therefore, strict sanitation and improved management practices as well as quarterly broad spectrum anthelminthics to be administered to the pigs are recommende