Determination of gastrointestinal, pulmonary and hepatic parasite population in water buffalos (Bubalus bubalis) at Middle Magdalena river, Colombia

Abstract

This research was held from January to December 2004 at La Suiza; a buffalo ranch located in the Middle Magdalena River, Colombia. This work was part of a macro research project on the buffalo species, which also included physiological constants determination, hematology parameters evaluation, and eggs per gram elimination curves for gastrointestinal parasites. From a total of 4200 buffalos, 150 animals were randomly selected and divided into three age groups ( <12 months, 2-36 months and >36 months). A fecal sample from each animal was taken once per month for a period of 12 months, making the following parasitological tests; sediment-flotation, Baermann, Dennis and coprocultive. These procedures made it possible to determine the lack of presence of Dictiocaulus spp and Fasciola spp; and the presence of parasites like: nematodirus spp, cooperia spp, ostertagia spp, trichuris spp, oesofagostomum spp, bunostomum spp, trichostrongylus spp, strongyloides spp, eimeria spp, moniezia spp, toxacara spp and haemonchus spp in the buffalo population in La Suiza Ranch..