Validation of the FAMACHA^© system for detecting anaemia and helminthosis in West African Dwarf sheep in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria

Gastrointestinal helminthes are a major cause of unproductiveness in the sub-Saharan Africa livestock industry. The use of anthelmintic has been the most reliable means of preventing losses due to gastrointestinal parasitism. Due to the challenge of anthelmintic resistance, however, the concept of targeted selective treatment (TST) using the FAMACHA^© system was developed. The system has been validated in several countries and in West African Dwarf goats in Nigeria. There is, however, limited information on the use of the FAMACHA^© system in West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep in Nigeria. A total of twenty WAD sheep were weekly screened for 5 months using McMaster faecal egg counting technique, and the FAMACHA^© score (FS) was also obtained. Blood samples were collected from each animal and checked for packed cell volume (PCV). The results obtained were analysed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the FAMACHA^© system were calculated. There was a significant correlation between the FAMACHA^© score and the PCV. The correlation between FAMACHA^© and FEC, however, was insignificant. There was a weak correlation between PCV and faecal egg count (FEC). The accuracy of the FAMACHA^© in detecting anaemic sheep was 84.27% for the FAMACHA^© categories of FS 1–3 and 67.9% for PCV threshold of 22%. The sensitivity of the FAMACHA^© system was highest in the categories of FS 1–3 and PCV threshold of 19%. These results indicate the validity of the FAMACHA^© system in the identification of WAD sheep that are anaemic and in need of gastrointestinal parasite treatment. The FAMACHA^© system is probably a suitable indicator of anaemia and may provide an additional part of integrated anthelmintic control of WAD sheep in Nigeria, and its use may reduce chances of anthelmintic resistance development.