Prevalence and associated risk factors of worm infestation in Sahiwal calves kept under different management conditions in Faisalabad Pakistan

Abstract

AbstractDairy business depends upon calf progeny and successful calf rearing is vital for livestock production and sustainability. Early life of calves is challenging and demands good husbandry practices. In dairy farming, male calves are usually reared for beef production and ignored as compared to female calves. Worm infestation is major threat in early life for survival in calves. The current study was designed to find out risk factors (age, sex and husbandry practices) responsible for worm infestation in Sahiwal calves. Sahiwal calves were selected from different farms in Faisalabad for this study. With the help of pretested & well validated questionnaire, information regarding age, sex, drinking water, mangers, water troughs condition, animal bedding, condition of floor, housing, feeding, skin condition, belly condition, history regarding diarrhea, pica, teeth grinding, hydration status and deworming were collected. Using McMaster technique, fecal samples were examined for number of eggs per gram (EPG). It was observed that age had significant effect on worm infestation while sex had non-significant effect. Mud floor, grazing, unclean mangers and water troughs, cracks and crevices in walls, dung heaps were the associated risk factors of worm infestation.