COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF SOME MODERN ANTHELMINTICS AND PINEAPPLE LEAVES WITH THEIR EFFECTS ON CERTAIN BLOOD PARAMETERS AND BODY WEIGHT GAIN IN CALVES

Abstract

A twenty five calves of naturally infected with ascarid parasites were treated with different modern anthelmintics and pineapple leaves to study the comparative efficacy during the period from January to September 1997. The calves were divided into five groups. Groups A, B, C, D were treated with ivermectin (200 ?g / kg SC), albendazole (7.5 mg / kg orally), piperazine citrate (200 mg / kg orally) and pineapple leaves extract (1g / kg orally) respectively and group E was kept as untreated control. On the basis of faecal egg count of ascaris in calves, ivermectin was found to be more effective (100%), followed by piperazine citrate (100% at 28th day of post-treatment), albendazole (92.95% at 28th day of post-treatment) and pineapple leaves extract (51.21% at 7th day). Total erythrocyte count (TEC), haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) values significantly (p < 0.05) increased while erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased following treatment. Body weights of treated calves were significantly (p < 0.05) increased in treated calves than the control. Therefore, ivermectin, albendazole and piperazine citate could be used against ascariasis in calves. Although efficacy of pineapple leaves was not encouraging but it may be used as a substitute for other anthelmintics.