HELMINTH AND ARTHROPOD PARASITES OF INDIGENOUS GOATS IN THE NORTHERN TRANSVAAL

Helminth and arthropod parasites of 60 female indigenous goats of thre e age groups on a farm in the northern Transvaal were collected, ident ified and counted. Anoplocephalid tapeworms were present in the two yo unger groups of goats, while larvae of Taenia hydatigena were recovere d from all three groups. Eight species and two genera of nematodes wer e found in the youngest goats, five species and three genera in the mi ddle group and six species and two genera in the oldest goats. Strongy loides papillosus was the most numerous and most prevalent nematode in the youngest goats, while Haemonchus contortus was most numerous and most prevalent in both older groups. Adult H. contortus was most abund ant during the summer months, while S. papillosus occurred in the youn gest goats during the cooler months (April to September). No pattern o f seasonal abundance could be established for the other nematodes. Onl y ixodid ticks were recovered and of the nine species present, the imm ature stages of Amblyomma hebraeum were most numerous and prevalent. B oophilus decoloratus was present from October to January and in August , and the adults of a Rhipicephalus sp. (near R. pravus) from January to March and during May. Rhipicephalus simus was present from October to January.