Comparative Efficacy of Ivermectin and Albendazole Against Gastrointestinal Helminths in Goats in Kwara State

Gastrointestinal helminths remain a leading cause of production losses in small ruminant farming across Nigeria's North Central geopolitical zone, including Kwara State, where goats are extensively reared under range management conditions. Anthelmintic resistance is an emerging concern that necessitates regular evaluation of drug efficacy at the local level. This study compared the efficacy of ivermectin at 0.2 mg/kg and albendazole at 10 mg/kg administered subcutaneously and orally respectively, against gastrointestinal helminths in naturally infected local goats in Ilorin, Kwara State. Forty goats with confirmed helminth infection based on faecal egg count above 300 eggs per gram were randomly allocated to two treatment groups of 20 each. Faecal egg counts were performed by the modified McMaster flotation technique on days 0, 7, 14, and 28 post-treatment. Faecal egg count reduction was calculated to determine drug efficacy. Larval development assay was performed on post-treatment samples to assess resistance. Ivermectin achieved a faecal egg count reduction of 94.7 percent by day 14, while albendazole achieved 88.4 percent reduction. Haemonchus contortus was the predominant species in both groups. Larval development assay indicated early-stage resistance development to albendazole in isolates from one farm. Body condition score improved significantly in both treatment groups by day 28. These results demonstrate that both drugs retain acceptable efficacy in Kwara State goat populations but highlight the need for anthelmintic resistance monitoring as a routine practice. Keywords: anthelmintics, ivermectin, albendazole, gastrointestinal helminths, Kwara State.