Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitism in pigs of Tripura, India

Abstract Pig is an important livestock species mostly reared by economically weaker section of people. In North-Eastern (NE) states of India, pig husbandry is very much popular and is a main stay to maintain the livelihood of the rural native population. Gastrointentinal (GI) parasitic infection is one of the major constrain in profitable pig production in this area. In the present study, the GI parasitism in pigs was investigated in the three districts of Tripura, a NE State of India. The examination of fecal samples revealed the overall prevalence of 61.65% with detection of 6 GI parasitic species including 4 nematodes and 2 protozoa. Ascaris sp. was found to be the most prevalent GI parasite in pigs in the study. The age, sex, season, breed, area and farming system wise study showed the highest prevalence of GI parasites in grower pigs, female pigs, monsoon season, non-descript breeds, Khowai district and free ranging farming system, respectively. Overall, our study provides a baseline data for further investigation and formulation of strategies for control of GI parasitism in pigs in Tripura.