METAGENOMIC PROFILING OF GASTROINTESTINAL HELMINTHS IN FREE RANGING CAPRINES OF SUB HIMALAYAN FORESTS

Gastrointestinal helminths remain a significant health burden for small ruminants, particularly in free-ranging populations within ecologically sensitive regions like the Sub Himalayan forests. This study employed high-throughput metagenomic sequencing to identify and characterize helminth communities in caprine hosts under natural grazing conditions. Fecal and intestinal content samples from 75 goats across three forest divisions were analyzed using Illumina MiSeq platforms. Our findings revealed complex helminth assemblages, with Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, and Oesophagostomum venulosum dominating the parasite landscape. Alpha and beta diversity metrics indicated significant variation across sampling sites, possibly reflecting microclimatic influences on helminth ecology. These results underscore the potential of metagenomic tools in unveiling hidden parasitic diversity and guiding sustainable parasite control in vulnerable goat populations.