Gastrointestinal Helminths Of Goats Sold At Umuahia-North L.G.A Of Abia State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

Developing countries are known to produce 94% of the world's goat population (Holmes, 1991 and yet there is still a tremendous demand for small ruminants in Africa for meat, milk and ritual sacrifices (Ogwu, 1992). The constraints ( goat production in Nigeria have been documented and these include: diseases, Jack of adequate feed and adverse climatic factors (Jagun, 2)00). Sheep and goat are highly prolific, multipurpose and are important contributors to the rural household economies (Ate and Umoh, 2001). They have been estimated to contribute about 20% of animal protein in Africa (Mukasa Mugerwa, !998). Nigeria's sheep and goat population is put at 22.1 million(FDLPCS, 1991) and yet demand for mutton and goat meat are on the increase. Gastrointestinal helminthes affecting goats include nematodes, cestodes and trematodes (Conner, 1990) .