Prevalence and Economic Significance of Caprine Fascioliasis at Sylhet District of Bangladesh

Caprine fascioliasis plays an important role of major constraints to small ruminant production in Bangladesh. This study was conducted in Sylhet district of Bangladesh to determine the prevalence of fascioliasis in Black Bengal goats of different age groups, sex and in seasons. In this study, livers of male and female goats were collected randomly from slaughter house during a period of 1 (one) year (October, 2007 to September, 2008). A total of 318 livers examined of which 66 were found to contain Fasciola gigantica. The overall prevalence rate was 20.75%. Fascioliasis was observed significantly higher in older (58.33%), female goats (36.79%) and during the rainy season (26.16%). The estimated economic losses due to condemnation of liver were 5.59% which amounted to US$ 115.44 per thousand liver of slaughtered goat. The prevalence was significantly different (P≤0.05) in different age groups and sex of the animals. The present study indicates that Fasciola infection in Black Bengal goats associated with age and sex of the animals; and seasons of the year. To control the disease in this area, appropriate preventive control strategies have to be designed to reduce the impact of the disease on goat production in Bangladesh.