Survey of haemoparasitic infections in dairy cattle (Friesian breeds) at Nagari integrated dairy farms, Gauta-Nike village, Keffi local government area, Nasarawa state, North Central State of Nigeria

The study was conducted in October, 2012 where 50 dairy cattle (male and females) are kept on semi-intensive system of management were randomly selected. Blood samples were collected in an anticoagulant sample bottle and processed at the Parasitology laboratory of Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna state of Nigeria for parasitological examination. Giemsa stained thin blood smears were examined for hemoparasites and Hematocrit Centrifuge Technique (HCT) was used to determine the presence of motile parasites. An overall prevalence of 90% (82% female and 8% male) was recorded for all samples examined, 21 (42%) were infected with Anaplasma marginale, Theileria mutans shows 20 (40%) prevalence and 4 (8%) were infected by Babesia bigemina. Mixed infection between Anaplasma marginale and Babesia bigemina revealed 2 (4%) while Anaplasma marginale and Theileria mutans was 7 (14%). There was a significant difference (P > 0.05) in infections caused by Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bigemina and Theileria mutans (Table 1) and also between sexes (Table 3), no significant difference (P < 0.05) between any of the mixed infections observed (Table 2). Hemoparasites are endemic in the cattle under study which may result in serious disease conditions when the animals are stressed.