Abstract

A study on the prevalence of intestinal parasites in local chickens slaughtered at Abubakar Musa Market, Soba Kaduna state was conducted between May-July 2016 in Soba local government area Kaduna state. A total of 150 faecal Samples from the intestinal tract of already slaughtered chicken were examined for intestinal parasite using Mix of sucrose and zinc sulphate floatation methods for the presence of ova or eggs of intestinal parasite. The samples of chicken examined were positive with different types of intestinal parasite namely: nematodes, cestodes and protozoan. Nematodes species implicated are; Ascaridia (21%), Heterakis (28.33%), Dispharynx (20%), Syngamus (13.33%), Capillaria (5.33%) and Strongyloides (5.33%). The intestinal cestodes discovered were Raillietina (5.33%) and Hemenolepis (5.33%), While the intestinal protozoan isolated is Coccidia species representing the high parasitic infection with (43%).The examined samples shows the following percentage for sexes, 51(68%) males and 45(60%) females were infected with intestinal parasite. Mixed infection was 45 (30%), while 51 (34%) had single infection. The conclusion of this research showed the high prevalence of intestinal parasite is (100%) as observed in this area has a strong relationship with their mode of feeding and living condition which was lead to the reduction body weight, decreased in egg production and death, thus affecting the meat quality and nutrient content of the chicken. There was no statistically significantly difference (P>0.05) in the infection rate between the sexes.