Scatological examination of some cattle breeds for trematode infections and other associated risk factors in Oke-Ogun Area of Oyo State, Southwestern Nigeria

Studies on parasite burden in livestock are mainly based on abattoir surveys, while little is known about the parasite burden in live cattle, which are sources of faecal contamination of water bodies that aid in the further spread of the disease. This study was conducted to investigate the occurrence and intensity of trematode infection and the related risk factors in live cattle kept in designated farms in Oke-Ogun environs of Oyo State, Southwestern Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 20 selected farms located in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the Oke-Ogun environs (Atisbo, Saki East, and Saki West) between July and October 2024. A total of 369 cattle faecal samples were collected, and parasites were extracted using standard methods. Schistosoma, paramphistomes, and Fasciola were the parasites detected. Of the total faecal samples, 75.3% had at least one trematode, and the specific prevalence of Fasciola, Paramphistome, and Schistosoma was 56.4%, 32%, and 46.1%, respectively. 56.1% had co-infections, of which 39.6% were infected with the three, 17.4% were infected with Fasciola and Schistosoma, 15.9% were infected with Paramphistomes and Schistosoma, and the most common mixed infection was Fasciola and Paramphistomes, with a prevalence of 27.1%. The age and body condition of the animals were significantly (P<0.05) correlated with the prevalence of each trematode found in this investigation. Fasciola, paramphistome, and Schistosoma had respective mean (±SD) Egg Per Gram (EPG) faeces of 13.5 (± 10.7), 9.8 (± 8.9), and 8.8 (± 8.4). The mean EPG of faeces was associated with body condition. In the Oke-Ogun region of Oyo State, the high rate of mixed diseases and poor body condition in cattle, together with the predominance of trematode infections, lead to significant economic losses.