GASTROINTESTINAL AND PULMONARY NEMATODE INFECTIONS DECREASE GOAT PRODUCTIVITY IN MOROCCAN SEMIARID CONDITIONS

A herd of goats naturally infected with lungworm and gastrointestinal nematodes was divided into three groups and treated with either morant el tartrate or fenbendazole at strategic periods, i.e. in June (at pre -mating), in November (at pre-kidding) and in January (at early lactat ion) or left untreated. Morantel tartrate treatment (8 mg kg(-1)) was efficient in reducing the gastrointestinal nematode egg output and fen bendazole treatment (15 mg kg(-1)) was efficient in reducing the gastr ointestinal nematode egg and small lungworm larvae faecal output. Redu ctions in mortality of adult goats and their progeny and improvement o f rearing percentages were recorded in both treated groups, with fenbe ndazole showing a greater response than morantel tartrate. A relative risk analysis showed that mortality in goats and kids was significantl y reduced in treated kids and goats. Reduction of 6.6% in kidding rate s, 0.21 in prolificacy, and an increase of 1.3 in abortion rates, 8.3% in kid and 2.2% in goat mortalities, could be attributable to the sma ll lungworm infection. Small lungworm infections seem therefore to be one of the main causes of indirect kid mortality and inadequate breedi ng performance of goats in the semi-arid Middle Atlas region of Morocc o.