Goat parasites control using watery extract of Neem seeds (Azadirachta indica A Juss)

Abstract

The therapeutic effectiveness of the Watery Extract of Nim Seeds (WENS) against goat endoparasites was evaluated in two typical extensive commercial herds of the semi-arid environment of Falcon State, Venezuela. The average of annual rainfall and temperature for the area is about 600 mm and 26 °C’s, respectively. In each herd, two groups of 13 randomly selected does were classified as Control (T0) and Treated (TI). The WENS was prepared by adding 750 g of Neem seed flour into 1000 ml of water, letting the solution rest in a refrigerator until the next day. The WENS was administered via oral in a dose of one ml/kg of body weight, chronologically at the days’ 1, 21 and 30 of trial. A coprological test was done in both T0 and TI six days after the administration of the product. Records of the parasitical load transformed to Log10 (PL) and the prevalence (P) of Strongylidos and of Coccidia sp were classified by the herd (H); age group (A): x < 3, 3 ≤ x, and x < 4; treatments (T); and sampling day (D): 0, 6, 27, 37, 71, and 101. The Proc GLM of SAS was used and the model included Hi for i = 1, 2; Aj for j = 1,. . ., 3; and TDk for k = 1,. . ., 11, the combination T0D101 was missed. Differences statistically significant (P<0.05) in PL and P between T0 and TI were observed at days 6, 27, and 37. The efficiency of the WENS against Strongylidos was 87 at days 6 and 27, and less than 50% afterward. There was no statistically significant difference between T0 and TI (P>0.05) for any of the variables of Coccidia. Results are indicative that the WENS should be considered by commercial goat producers as an alternative to control some endoparasites.