Journal of Animal Health and Behavioural Science

Pench Tiger reserve, Nagpur, Maharashtra is 25th Tiger reserve of India, having 71 mammal species, including Indian spotted deer (Axis axis axis: Erxleben). The Indian spotted deer (Axis axis axis: Erxleben) is a general feeder, feeding on more than 160 plant species consisting grasses, forbs and leaves of woody plants. Osteophagia term denotes about gnawing on bones, antlers by ungulates mainly due to the phosphorus and Calcium deficiency. Ungulates show such behaviour for fulfilment of nutrition requirements in particular periods as antler growth and lactation. This observation is first reporting of osteophagia behavior by free ranging Indian spotted deer (Axis axis axis: Erxleben) in wild.

Background: Lungworms are parasitic nematode round worms that infest the lungs of ruminants. The aims of this study were to determine the current prevalence, identify the lungworm species, and assess the possible risk factors of lung worm infection in cattle and sheep at Gondar Elfora abattoir. The study populations were cattle and sheep body condition score, age category, and no sex difference at the Gondar Elfora abattoir, which is male animal used for slaughter. In this abattoir, on average, 85 cattle and 165 sheep are slaughtered per day. The sampling method applied in this study was random sampling techniques from the sampling frame. The total of 500 sampled animals (240 cattle and 260 sheep), both coprological and postmortem examinations were conducted.

Results: Coprological examination; overall occurrence of lungworm infection in cattle and sheep was 3.75% and 7.31%, respectively. The prevalence of infection in young and adult age groups of cattle was 7.04% and 2.37%, and in sheep it was 6.8% and 7.9%, respectively. With regard to body condition (poor, medium and good) having the prevalence of 13.64%, 3.3% and 0.00% in cattle and 16.2%, 5.35% and 8.33% in sheep respectively. Body condition score in cattle has a statistical significant difference (p<0.05). Dictyocaulus viviparous the only prevalent lungworm in cattle (3.75%). In sheep, Dictyocaulus filaria (52.63%) was higher than Muellerius capillaries (36.84%) followed by Protostrongylus rufescens (10.53%). Post-mortem examination; Over all prevalence in cattle and sheep was 1.67% and 8.08%, respectively. The finding with respect to young and adult age groups of cattle was 4.23%, 0.59%, and in sheep it was 7.48% and 8.85% respectively. Age group in cattle has statistical significant difference (p<0.05). The identified lung worm species in sheep, mixed infection (42.85%) was higher than Dictyocaulus filarial (28.57%) followed by Muellerius capillaries (19.05%) and Protostrongylus rufescens (9.52%). Generally, lungworm infection is prevalent in the study site; so it needs emphasis on prevention and control to overcome this problem.