Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) parasites especially helminthes cause severe damage and great economic losses to ruminants. Management systems of ruminants play a role in exposing them to continuous worm infestation. The aim of the study was to identify GIT parasites of cow and small ruminants as well as study the effect of Carica papaya and Dryopteris kribii on the immature stages of the most occurring worm. Excrement samples were collected from 337 animals (130 sheep, 96 goats and 111 cows) from different areas in Bamenda. Aqueous and methanol extracts were made from the seeds of C. papaya and roots of D. kribii. Eggs and larvae were introduced in different concentrations of each of the extracts. The obtained results showed that 73.29% of tested animal excrements were found positive with one or more GIT helminthes. Sheep recorded the highest prevalence of GIT helminthes with 82.31%, followed by goats 69.79%, and the least prevalence was observed in cow 65.77%. Seven species of parasites were identified and Trichostrongylus spp was the most prevalent species (29.67%) in all 3 groups of animals followed by Haemonchus spp. with 15.13% prevalence. With C. papaya, a maximum egg mortality percentage of 40.00% was caused by the methanol extract at the concentration of 0.2 g/mL while the aqueous extract registered 87.50% larval mortality. The highest mortality percentage of 47.78% in eggs and 91.67% in larvae were recorded in 0.2g/mL of the methanol extract of D. kribii. This study provides an important step to minimizing economic losses in ruminants by providing information that will help farmers to enhance their productivity and manage the health of their animals cost effectively using cheap and readily available remedies.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal helminthes, Prevalence, Immature stages, Carica papaya, Dryopteris kribii, bio-efficacy.