COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF JATROPHA CURCAS ON Haemonchus contortus IN YANKASA SHEEP

Abstract

The study was aimed to investigate larvicidal activity of Jatropha curcas on haemonchosis in yankasa sheep. Sixteen sheep of about 5 to 6 months old with average body weight 9 kg per animal were randomly distributed into four treatments consisting four animals per treatment as: T1 (infected-treated with Albendazole) represent positive control, T2 (infected- treated with EEJL), T3 (infected-treated with EEJL) and T4 (infected-untreated) that serve as negative control. The experimental infections were orally administered at 10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/ml ethanolic extract of Jatropha curcas. The sheep were raised on semi-intensive system and fed balanced concentrate ration at 1% live weight with cowpea and groundnut hay. Data generated were analysed using SPSS (version 16.0). Result demonstrated CP, CF, EE and ash composition of Jatropha leave and stem were within the requirement recommended for sheep and 30 mg/ml of Jatropha leaf ethanolic extract had higher (P<0.05) larvicidal effect on H. conturtus than Jatropha stem ethanolic extract. There were large difference between Albendazole and the two plant extracts. It was observed that Albendazole highest larvicidal activity was recorded at 40 mg/ml with 43.6 %. Based on these results, Jatropha curcas showed significant anthelmentic activity against H contortus at 30 mg/ml/ BW by reduction worms load in faecal egg count and can improve health condition of infected sheep.