Bovine fasciolosis: prevalence, effects of treatment on productivity and cost benefit analysis in five districts of Punjab, Pakistan.

The present study reports the prevalence, effects of treatment and cost benefit analysis of bovine fasciolosis in five districts of Punjab Province viz Sargodha, Jhang, Muzaffargarh, Lodhran and Layyah. From each of the five districts, 80 animals were selected and fortnightly screened through standard coprological procedures for a period of one year for the presence of eggs of Fasciola species. Of 4800 faecal samples analyzed, 1222 (25.46%) were found positive for fasciolosis. The occurrence of Fasciola (F.) gigantica (22.40%) was higher (P<0.05) than F. hepatica (3.06%). Highest month-wise prevalence (P<0.05) of fasciolosis was found in winter (39.08%) followed in decreasing order by spring (29.50%), autumn (20.33%) and summer (12.92%). District-wise prevalence of fasciolosis was highest (P<0.05) in Sargodha (40.31%) and lowest in Layyah (11.77%) while other districts were having intermediate values of prevalence of fasciolosis. Species-wise prevalence of fasciolosis was found higher (P<0.05) in buffaloes (30.50%) as compared to cattle (20.42%). However, there were no age and sex-related differences (P>0.05) in prevalence of fasciolosis. A strong positive association of grazing (OR=1.81), mixed farming of small and large ruminants (OR=1.39), stagnant pond bathing (OR=2.24) and river/canal bathing (OR=2.06) was found with the prevalence of fasciolosis as compared to stall feeding, separate farming of small and large ruminants and rivers/canal/tap water bathing, respectively. Post-treatment average milk increase of 0.62 L per animal per day with 0.35% higher fat was observed in fasciolicide-treated animals with the cost benefit ratio of 3.9. The results provided significant data on the epidemiology of five districts of Punjab province which may be helpful for the planners and small holder dairy farmers for control of fasciolosis in the study districts.