Effect of Crude Extracts of Viscum Verrocosum Treatment on Nematode Parasite Faecal Egg Count in Female Tswana Goats

The present study was carried out at Notwane Farm of Botswana College of Agriculture with local Tswana goats. Goats graze and browse on a mixture of Acacia savanna with broadleaved middle layer trees with no or little supplementation. Infestation with nematode parasites is one of the factors that impinge on growth of goats and also increase healthcare costs. Various concentrations of traditional medicine derived from mistletoe (Viscum verrocosum) extracts were orally administrated to nematode infested goats. The excreta of control animals (dosed with distilled water) had significantly (P < 0.05) high worm eggs than those dosed with an anthelmintic drug (Valbazen) and crude extract of V. verrocosum at concentration rates of 130, 260 or 500 g/l (1828, 913, 780, 1089 and 945epg respectively). There was also a highly significant (P < 0.001) treatment x time interaction for faecal worm eggs due to higher faecal egg counts, at various time points, from control goats than other treatment groups. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in live weight of goats from different treatments probably indicating resilience of Tswana goats to nematode parasites. This plant was previously found to contain high concentration of condensed tannins which may be responsible for its action on nematode parasites. This preliminary dosing trial confirms previous studies on the efficacy of V. verrocosum in reducing feacal egg count in Tswana goats.