Botanical Anthelmintics for Sustainable Sheep Production: In Vivo Efficacy of Carica papaya Seeds and Moringa oleifera Leaves Against Haemonchus contortus and Moniezia spp. in Ghana

Abstract Gastrointestinal helminths, particularly Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) and Moniezia spp., continue to constrain sheep productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. Increasing reports of reduced efficacy of conventional anthelmintics underline the need to evaluate sustainable alternative control options. This study assessed the in vivo anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous extracts of Carica papaya seeds (CPS) and Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) in naturally infected sheep under field conditions in Ghana. Thirty-three sheep were allocated to four treatment groups: CPS, MOL, conventional dewormer, and distilled water. Treatments were administered orally on Day 0, and faecal egg counts (FEC) were determined on Days 0, 5, 10, and 30 using the McMaster technique. Anthelmintic efficacy was evaluated using the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT), and body weight changes were monitored over the study period. By Day 30, MOL achieved a mean FECRT of 92.1% against Moniezia spp. and 60.9% against H. contortus , while CPS achieved reductions of 82.4% and 51.3%, respectively. The conventional dewormer showed lower efficacy (≤ 50%) for both parasites. Sheep receiving MOL exhibited the greatest mean body weight gain (4.7 kg), although differences among treatments were not statistically significant. Egg counts increased markedly in the distilled water group. The findings indicate that MOL and CPS exhibit moderate to high anthelmintic activity under field conditions and may offer complementary options for helminth control in sheep production systems where resistance to conventional anthelmintics is of concern, which may contribute to integrated parasite management. Further studies with larger sample sizes and standardized extract characterization are warranted.