Abstract

A study on the prevalence and intensity of internal parasites in pigs under Indigenous Micro-organism (IMO) and conventional pig farming was conducted in Greater Mbarara, Uganda. The farmers kept Cambrough, Landrace and Large White cross breeds of pigs. The study was carried out in 6 farms (Katojo, Birongo, Ruti, Isingiro, Kwatotyo, Mbazardi) and adopted a cross sectional design. One hundred and forty eight (148) pigs were randomly selected irrespective of age and sex from the study area. The faecal samples from the pigs were processed for microscopic examination. The morphology and quantitative estimations of the ova, oocysts, and cysts per gram of faeces were done by applying the McMaster egg counting technique. The study established significant differences in the prevalence rates for Hyostronglyus rubidus under the two systems. Furthermore there were differences in the prevalence of Dicrocaelium spp., Trichuris suis, Hyostronglyus rubidus as well as the epg of Ascaris suum among the three age groups of pigs (piglets, growers and adults). 

The prevalence of Dicrocaelium spp. in male pigs was significantly higher than for females. The overall prevalence of the endo-parasites particularly Dicrocaelium spp., Hyostronglyus rubidusand Trichuris suis as well as the epg for Ascaris suum were significantly different in the various farms and localities. Pigs of various age groups, sex and from different farms with mean epg>500 required urgent treatment against endo-parasites (Trichuris suis, Hyostronglyus rubidus) to reduce production losses. Overall, the study established that management system, the 

age group, farm and location were risk factors to the prevalence of worms and their egg counts in rearing of pigs in Greater Mbarara.