Occurrence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Cattle Slaughtered at Central Abattoir in Katsina Metropolis, Katsina State, Nigeria

Background and Objective: Gastrointestinal GI parasitic infection is a serious concern to cattle breeding and affects the meat yield after slaughter in various tropical regions of the world, especially in Nigeria, where animal health issues are not given needed attention. This study aimed to assess gastrointestinal parasite’s occurrence in cattle slaughtered at the Central Abattoir of Katsina. Materials and Methods:Faecal samples were collected directly from the rectum of 373 sampled freshly slaughtered cattle at the abattoir and examined microscopically following standard procedures. The occurrence of GI parasites was analyzed concerning the sex, age, breed and body condition scores of the cattle. Occurrence is expressed in percentage and its association is tested using Chi-square analysis, at a p = 0.05 level of significance. Results: Out of the 373 sampled cattle examined, there was an occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in 224 (60.1%). Regarding the sex, age group, breed of cattle and condition of body scores, female cattle (75.00%), Adamawa Gudali (66.67%) and poor body condition score (75.47%) had the highest occurrence. Chi-square analysis revealed that the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in cattle is not significantly associated with the sex and breeds of cattle (p>0.05), while, it is significantly associated with the age and body condition scores of the cattle (p<0.05). Fasciola hepaticahad the highest occurrence (13.7%) while Nematodirusspp.,had the lowest occurrence (0.5%) among the species recorded. Conclusion: In conclusion, there is a high occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites among cattle slaughtered in Katsina Central Abattoir and Fasciola hepaticais the most common gastrointestinal parasite found.