Archives of Current Research International

Gastrointestinal nematode infection remains an important constraint to small-ruminant production in tropical livestock systems. This study evaluated the field performance of three commonly used anthelmintics, albendazole, levamisole and ivermectin, in sheep and goats from eight villages within Zaria and its environs, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Animals were assigned to treatment groups and received albendazole at 7.5 mg/kg, levamisole at 5 mg/kg or ivermectin at 0.2 mg/kg. Body weight and faecal samples were collected before treatment and 14 days after treatment. Faecal egg counts were determined using the modified McMaster technique, and faecal egg count reduction was used to assess anthelmintic performance. Body weight increased slightly after treatment in both sheep and goats across the three treatment groups, although these changes were not statistically significant. In contrast, faecal egg counts decreased significantly after treatment in all groups. Levamisole produced the highest overall faecal egg count reduction in sheep and goats, with mean reductions of 88.7% and 75.3%, respectively. Ivermectin produced reductions of 82.8% in sheep and 68.7% in goats, while albendazole produced the lowest reductions, with values of 47.9% in sheep and 53.4% in goats. These findings indicate variable anthelmintic performance among drugs, villages and host species. Routine efficacy monitoring and integrated parasite control are recommended to support sustainable management of gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants.