Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections are major constraints to goat production and can cause reduced growth, anaemia, hypoproteinaemia, and mortality. Haemonchus contortus is among the most pathogenic and economically important strongyle nematodes of small ruminants because of its blood-feeding habit in the abomasum, high fecundity, and rapid life cycle. The present study aimed to identify and morphologically characterise Haemonchus contortus recovered from indigenous goats (Capra hircus) in Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh. Two indigenous female goats that died following illness suggestive of gastrointestinal parasitism were examined by post-mortem necropsy in February 2026. The gastrointestinal tracts were ligated, removed, and processed by sectional washing, mucosal scraping, and sedimentation. Recovered nematodes were fixed in 70% ethanol, cleared in lactophenol, and examined by light microscopy using standard morphological keys. Haemonchus spp. was recovered exclusively from the abomasum of both animals and constituted 72.8% of the total gastrointestinal nematode burden recovered. Females showed the characteristic barber's-pole appearance, a small buccal capsule with a dorsal chitinous lancet, and a linguiform vulvar flap. Males were characterised by a well-developed bilobed copulatory bursa, an asymmetric dorsal lobe, a Y-shaped dorsal ray, and long brownish spicules (0.47–0.51 mm) with fused barbed tips. Body lengths were 15–20 mm in males and 24–30 mm in females. These morphological and morphometric features supported identification as H. contortus rather than H. placei. The findings indicate that classical morphological examination remains a practical and economical method for identification of H. contortus and support the need for targeted and sustainable parasite-management strategies in goat production systems in Uttar Pradesh.

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