Singh, V.S.Yadav, Mukesh Kumar2019-09-162019-09-162019-07http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810128439The present study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in backyard and commercial chickens as well as to determine the comparative efficacy of standard drug and certain herbal formulations against Ascaridiosis in naturally infected backyard chicken reared in U.S. Nagar, district of Uttarakhand for a period one year from June, 2018 to May, 2019 whereas efficacy trial was evaluated for 28 day from 2, March, 2019 to 30 March 2019. A total of three thousand three hundred and thirty five (3335) samples comprising of 1618 (1392 droppings and 226 gastrointestinal tract) from backyard and 1717 (1180 droppings and 537 gastrointestinal tract) commercial chickens were collected randomly from eight (8) tehsils (Kichha, Rudrapur, Sitarganj, Kashipur, Gagarpur, Bazpur, Jaspur and Khatima) of U.S. Nagar, district of Uttarakhand. However, efficacy trial were conducted in seventy five backyard chickens, randomly divided into 5 groups, each groups have 15 birds of 3 replicates and each replicates have 5 naturally infected chicken with ascaridiosis. Chickens of Group I was kept as Control and untreated. Chickens of Group II were treated with piperazine @ 80mg/kg body wt orally for 3 consecutive days. Chickens of Group III were treated with a combination of Neem, Papaya, Vaividang and Bathua powder (25% each) @ 2gm/kg body wt. Chickens of Group IV were treated with a combination of Bathua and Vaividang powder (50% each) @ 2gm/kg body wt while those of group V were treated with Bathua powder 2gm/kg body wt for 3 consecutive days. Collected sample were examined for gastrointestinal parasites using standard techniques. Eight (8) different gastrointestinal parasite eggs and oocytes were identified. Out of these parasites, four species were related to nematodes such as Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum, Capillaria spp., Trichostrongylus spp: three species were of cestodes such as Raillietina spp., Cotugnia sp. and Hymenolepis sp. and none of the chicken was infected with trematodes. In gastrointestinal protozoa, Eimeria spp. were recorded. Prevalence of different species of gastrointestinal helminths was higher in backyard chicken (60.44%)) as compare to commercial (18.25%). However prevalence of Eimeria spp. was higher in commercial chicken (62.02%) than backyard (33.62%). In backyard chicken as well as comercial chicken, higher overall prevalence of nematodes (24.46%) were found as compare to cestodes (8.57%) and mixed infection (5.42%). Seasonal prevalence of helminths and Eimeria spp. was recorded highest in Rainy followed by summer and Winter, in both backyard and comercial chicken. In monthly data analysis, maximum prevalence was recorded in August and least in Januay. In vivo trials revealed that Ascaridia galli infection caused significant decrease in the body weights of chicken. Group II was found to be most effective in which weight gain was increased 9.79 % of the initial body weight. This was further followed by group III, IV and V increasing 7.41, 6.51, and 6.02 % of the initial body weight. However, in efficacy trial, EPG count were found significantly decreased (p<0.05) in all treated groups and significantly (p<0.05) increased in control group during the whole experimental period. Group II was found to be most effective (100%) at 7th day onward. This was further followed by group V with 21.07, 56.01, 67.12 and 83.04% reduction in EPG on days 7, 14, 21 and 28 days, respectively. Group III showed minimum effect among the herbal formulation against feacal egg reduction count with 12.87, 45.90, 64.88 and 77.89% on days 7, 14, 21, and 28th days, respectively. Signicant increase in fecal egg reduction counts was recorded in group I (control) with 3.30, 6.06, 8.97 and 14.10% on 7, 14, 21, and 28 day respectively. Comparative study of morphology of Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum was carried out by scanning electron microscopy and light electron microscopy. In male, caudal end A.galli has precloacal sucker, two equal sized spicules emerged from anal opening and ten pairs of caudal papillae. However, Female had a simple straight tail with a ventrally located anal opening. Caudal end of male Heterakis gallinarum have well developed preclocal sucker, two unequal sized spicules emerged from cloacal opening and 12 pairs of caudal papillae. Whereas tail of female was straight, long; narrow and pointed. Therefore, prevalence study may be helpful to develop strategies for treatment and control of these gastrointestinal parasites of chicken in particular study area. Herbal formulations may be used as moderate anthelmintics against ascariodiosis.ennullThesis