Epidemiology of parasitic gastrointestinal nematode infections of ruminants on smallholder farms in central Kenya.

In order to establish the infection pattern with gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants in the central Kenya highlands, a study was carried out in 58 smallholder farms. The study involved monthly faecal examinations from sheep, goats and cattle and pasture sampling from eight communal grazing areas. Each month, six Dorper worm-free tracer lambs were introduced and four locally grazed cross-bred sheep were purchased for parasite recovery. The mean faecal egg counts (FEC) for cattle were low throughout the study period, whereas those for sheep and goats showed a seasonal pattern with high levels of infection occurring during the two main rainy seasons, especially in March, April and October. There were significant differences in egg counts over time and among farms. Haemonchus contortus was the most prevalent nematode in the tracer lambs whereas the previously exposed locally grazed sheep had significantly lower numbers of H contortus but significantly higher numbers of Trichostrongylus species The highest levels of infection in the tracer lambs occurred in November 1995 and January, May and June 1996. Based on this study, it is now possible to explore the possibility of using strategic treatments for the control of parasitic gastroenteritis in this area of Kenya.