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A Helminth Survey of Sheep and Goats in Cyprus. Part II. Age Distribution and the Severity of Infection with Gastro-Intestinal Parasites

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2009

P. D. Le Riche ,
G. C. Efstathiou ,
Y. Altan  and
J. B. Campbell
P. D. Le Riche
Affiliation:
Central Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nicosia, Cyprus
G. C. Efstathiou
Affiliation:
Central Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nicosia, Cyprus
Y. Altan
Affiliation:
Central Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nicosia, Cyprus
J. B. Campbell
Affiliation:
Central Veterinary Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Extract

889 alimentary tracts from sheep and goats were examined for worms during 1970 and 1971.

The severity of infection with each of the worm species is discussed and it is concluded that infections with Ostertagia spp. and Trichostrongylus spp. are the most important and that Haemonchus contortus, Bunostomum trigonocephalum and Chabertia ovina are of secondary importance.

The animals were divided into different age groups and a study was made of the severity of mixed infections in each group. The point system adopted by Parnell et al. (1954) was used for the study.

The most unexpected finding was that lambs and kids under 8 months old rarely suffered from infections of any significance. Infections built up slowly after that age. It was therefore presumed that animals remained vulnerable to infections at a much later age than in other countries.

Infections that might cause sub-clinical disease were seen in 31% of all animals and heavier infections were seen in 20% of the animals. This was considered a conservative estimate and shows the importance of gastro-intestinal parasites in sheep and goats in Cyprus.

Adult sheep appeared to be more heavily infected than goats, although some differences in animal husbandry between the two may have contributed to this.

From this study of age distribution, it was found that the autumn peak in the infection rate was not caused by the infection of young animals, which remained low at this time of the year.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , September 1973 , pp. 251 - 262
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

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References

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