Prevalence and seasonal variation of gastrointestinal nematodes and coccidia infecting ovine grazing on communal rangelands in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Nematodes and coccidia are major pathogens causing parasitic infections in livestock production. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and seasonality of gastrointestinal helminths and coccidia in communal sheep grazing in humid, semi-humid and arid zones of the Eastern Cape Province. A total of 3299 faecal samples were collected from sheep between January 2012 and December 2015. Of the collected roundworm species (faecal eggs and faecal cultures),Haemonchus contortuswas the only species found. The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was significantly higher in the humid zone (H. contortus81% and coccidia 37%), followed by a semi-humid zone (H. contortus75% and coccidia 22%) and the arid zone was the lowest (H. contortus71% and coccidia 14%).Haemonchus contortushad significantly higher faecal egg counts (FEC) during spring (1465.73 +/- 143.56) and summer (1418.73 +/- 160.73)and the lowest during autumn (496.67 +/- 219.13) and winter (352.05 +/- 164.44) in all agro-ecological zone. The humid zone had significantly higher FEC in seasonal occurrence ofH. contortusand coccidia compared with other agro-ecological zones (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) observed in the seasonal occurrence ofH. contortusspecies in arid zone. Surprisingly, higher coccidia counts (352.17 +/- 43.58) during 2012 winter season in humid zone and in summer season (0.00 +/- 559.72) of 2013 in the semi-humid zone than other agro-ecological zones. However, agro-ecological zone differences and seasonal variations had an influence onH. contortusand coccidia distribution and abundance. This study confirms that helminths and coccidia are major causative agents causing parasitic infections in livestock production, and therefore, good animal health management practices including proper hygiene should be followed to prevent parasitic infection in small ruminants.