Prevalence and risk assessment of gastrointestinal helminthoses in dairy animals of Bikaner, Rajasthan.

A total of 715 faecal sampleswere collected fromdairy animals ofeight tehsils ofBikaner district, Rajasthan during March 2015 to January 2016. An overall prevalence rate of 54.12 % was recorded for gastrointestinal helminthoses with highly statistical difference among dairy animals (p < 0.01). Quantitative analysis revealed mild to high severity of strongyle and Strongyloides sp. infections in cattle population, respectively whereas, mild severities of same infections were reported from the buffalo population of the region. Seasonal analysis revealed a non-significant difference with highest prevalence in rainy season (59.18 %). The tehsil wise analysis revealed a significant difference (p < 0.05) among tehsils with highest prevalence in Chhatargarh (69.70 %). Multivariate binary regression model revealed rainy season as the most favorable season and Chattargarh as the tehsil with maximum risk for GI helminth infections.On coproculture of positive samples, the nematode infections in decreasing order of prevalence were Haemonchus sp. (36.33 %); Oesophagostomum sp. (26.33 %); Strongyloides sp. (13.67 %); Trichostrongylus sp. (11.67 %); Bunostomum sp. (7.33 %) and Cooperia sp. (4.67 %). Thebaseline data on the prevalence of various GI Helminths of dairy animals generated in the current study would be of immense help in formulating control strategies against infections inBikaner district.