Abstract:

An experimental study was conducted between December, 2010 and April, 2011 at the
National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute, Serere, Uganda, to compare the response of
Boer crosses (male =11, female = 15), Mubende (male = 14, female = 13) and Small East
sampled for blood and feces at four week intervals for a period of 16 weeks and gastro-intestinal
nematode prevalence, fecal egg count (FEC) expressed as eggs per gram (EPG), third stage
larvae (L3) count, packed cell volume (PCV) and eosinophil (EOS) count were determined.
Simultaneously, the goats were scored for body condition, anemia and body weight changes
(BWC). These dependant variables were compared among goats of the same sex across breeds.
For each of the three goat breeds, strongyle nematodes were most prevalent (> 80%). FEC did
not differ significantly (p 0.05) when male goats of different breeds were compared; although
highest in Boer crosses and lowest in Mubende. FEC differed significantly (P 0.05) when
female goats of different breeds were compared; higher in Boer crosses than in Mubende. Boer
crosses had the highest percentage of goats (22.6% ± 0.94) with heavy degree of gastro-intestinal
nematode infection, while Mubende goats had the lowest proportion (11.9% ± 0.87).
Haemonchus species accounted for the highest proportion of nematodes in each of the three goat
44.48, p 0.05) in proportions among goat breeds:
highest in Boer crosses (96.85%) and lowest in Small East African goats (56.4%). PCV, EOS
count, BCS and BWC were significantly different (p 0.05) in goat breeds, but FAMACHA eye
scores for anemia was not different. PCV values and BCS were highest in Mubende goats, while
EOS count and BWC were highest in Boer crosses. The Small East African goats had the lowest
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African (only male = 11) goats to gastro-intestinal nematode (GIN) infections. The goats were
values for PCV. BCS, body weight gains and EOS count. FEC and PCV were negatively
correlated in Boer crosses (R = -0.106. p > 0.05) and Mubende (R - -0.09, p 0.05), but positive
for Small East African goats. FEC and FAMACHA eye scores were positively correlated in
Mubende (R = 0.069), Small East African (R = 0.115) and the correlation was significant in Boer
0.05). It crosses (R = 0.28, p was concluded that Mubende goats were most tolerant and
resilient to GIN infections on the basis of FEC, degree of infection, PCV and BCS. The Boer
crosses were least resistant on basis of highest FEC and highest percentage of goats with heavy
degree of infection. Small East African goats were least resilient on basis of lowest PCV, BCS,
BWC and EOS count.