Vol. 13 No. 112-123 (2022): Prevalence of haemoparasites and haematological indices of slaugthered Cattle in Ijebu-Ode, Southwest Nigeria

This study investigated the prevalence of haemoparasites and haematological indices of slaughtered cattle in Ijebu-Ode, Southwest Nigeria. A total of one hundred blood samples of slaughtered cattle were randomly collected. Thin smears of blood were prepared for haemoparasite detection, lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and eosinophils. The packed cell volume was determined using microhaemocritic centrifugation method. The red blood cells, white blood and the platelets counts were obtained using the automated machine (Hema Vet® 950) .The overall prevalence was (12%), the two genera of haemoparasites encountered were Theilera sp and Trypanosoma sp, with prevalence of (6%) each. Haematological parameters in the blood of the screened cattle such as Packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBC) and lymphocytes of infected cattle were significantly lower when compared to uninfected cattle (p<0.05) while higher counts of white blood cells, platelets and neutrophils were recorded in the infected cattle compared to uninfected cattle. Though the prevalence of haemoparasites was low, there is the need for frequent investigation in the study area, on haemoparasites and the associated haematological parameters in view of scarcity of information on it, to raise alert in case of incidence in order not to hamper the productivity of the conventional livestock industries and to make protein diet continuously available to the citizens.