The influence of the extent of infestation by helminths upon changes in body weight of sheep in Ukraine
Abstract
Among the following breeds of sheep, Merino, Bleu du Maine, Bluefaced Leicester, Dorper, Clan Forest, Suffolk, Texel and Beltex, helminths of two classes (Nematoda and Cestoda) have been registered in Ukraine (Dnipropetrovsk oblast). Among the nematodes there were: parasites of the digestive system Haemonchus contortus (Rudolphi, 1803), Strongyloides papillosus (Wedl, 1856), Nematodirus sp., Trichuris sp. and parasites of the respiratory system Muellerius capillaris (Muller, 1889). In the excrements of small ruminants, eggs of Moniezia expansa (Rudolphi, 1805) (Cestoda) – helminths of the small intestine, were found. Among all studied animals we found S. papillosus. 58.2% of sheep were infested with H. contortus. The lowest indicators of invasion extensivity were registered for parasitism of Trichuris sp. and M. capillaries. Extensivity of Nematodirus invasion did not exceed 16.3%. This indicator for cestodiasis, specifically monieziasis, among sheep was 25,5%. The range of fluctuation in intensivity of nematode invasion was within 7 to 860 eggs/g of excrement. This indicator for Cestoda invasion did not exceed 350 eggs/g. The highest indicators of average invasion were registered for parasitism by S. papillosus and H. contortus. The lowest average indicators of intensity were found for Trichuris. For Nematoda and Muellerius they were 25.0 and 88.9 individuals/g of feces correspondingly. The greatest influence on changes of body weight in sheep was caused by nematodes of the digestive tract Trichuris sp. and of the respiratory organs M. capillaris. The indicators of Trichuris infection level are the lowest in comparison with other registered helminthiases.References
Bhutto, B., Phullan, M.S., Rind, R., Soomro, A.H., 2002. Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in buffalo calves. Journal of Biological Sciences 2(1), 43–45.
Brygadyrenko, V.V., 2014. Influence of soil moisture on litter invertebrate community structure of pine forests of the steppe zone of Ukraine. Folia Oecol. 41(1), 8–16.
Brygadyrenko, V.V., Svyrydchenko, A.O., 2015. Influence of the gregarine Stenophora julipusilli (Eugregarinorida, Stenopho¬ridae) on the trophic activity of Rossiulus kessleri (Diplopoda, Julidae). Folia Oecol. 42(1), 10–20.
Boyko, A.A., 2015. Gel’mintofauna ovets i koz Dnepropetrovskoj oblasti [Helmintofauna of sheep and goats in Dnipropetrovsk region]. Vìsn. Dnìpropetr. Unìv. Ser. Bìol. Med. 6(2), 87–92 (in Ukrainian).
Boyko, A., Brygadyrenko, V., Shendryk, L., Loza, I., 2009. Estimation of the role of antropo-zoonosis invasion agents in the counteraction to bioterrorism. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology. Springer Science, Dordrecht, Netherlands. P. 309–315. >> doi:10.1007/978-90-481-2342-1_38
Butter, N.L., Dawson, J.M., Wakelin, D., Buttery, P.J., 2000. Effect of dietary tannin and protein concentration on nematode infection (Trichostrongylus colubriformis) in lambs. J. Agr. Sci. 134(1), 89–99. >> doi:10.1017/S0021859699007315
Cabaret, J., Bouilhol, M., Mage, C., 2002. Managing helminths of ruminants in organic farming. Vet. Res. 33(5), 625–640. >> doi:10.1051/vetres:2002043
Charlier, J., Vercruysse, J., Morgan, E., Van Dijk, J., Williams, D.J.L., 2014. Recent advances in the diagnosis, impact on production and prediction of Fasciola hepatica in cattle. Parasitology 141(3), 326–335. >> doi:10.1017/S0031182013001662
Demelash, B., Yilma, J., Hassen, C., 2007. Ovine helminthosis, a major health constraint to productivity of sheep in Ethiopia. Anim. Health Res. Rev. 7, 107–118.
Githigia, S.M., Thamsborg, S.M., Munyua, W.K., Maingi, N., 2001. Impact of gastrointestinal helminths on production in goats in Kenya. Small Ruminant Res. 42, 21–29. >> doi:10.1016/S0921-4488(01)00240-1
Grytsan, Y.I., 2000. Ekologichni osnovy peretvoryuyuchogo vplyvu lisovoy roslynnosty na stepove seredovysche [Ecological bases transformative impact of forest vegetation on steppe environment]. Dnipropetrovsk Univ. Press, Dnipropetrovsk (in Ukrainian).
Jackson, F., Bartley, D., Bartley, Y., Kenyon, F., 2009. Worm control in sheep in the future. Small Ruminant Res. 86, 40–45. >> doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2009.09.015
Kabasa, J.D., Opuda-Asibo, J., Meulen, U., 1999. The effect of oral administration of polyethylene glycol on faecal helminth egg counts in pregnant goats grazed on browse containing condensed tannins. Trop. Anim. Health Pro. 32(2), 73–86.
Lindqvist, A., Ljungström, B.L., Nilsson, O., Waller, P.J., 2001. The dynamics, prevalence and impact of nematode infections in organically raised sheep in Sweden. Acta Vet. Scand. 42, 377–389.
Perry, B.D., Randolph, T.F., 1999. Improving the assessment of the economic impact of parasitic diseases and of their control in production animals. Vet. Parasitol. 84, 145–168. >> doi:10.1016/S0304-4017(99)00040-0
Steelman, C.D., 1976. Effects of external and internal arthropod parasites on domestic livestock production. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 21, 155–178. >> doi:10.1146/annurev.en.21.010176.001103
Vercruysse, J., Claerebout, E., 2001. Treatment vs non-treatment of helminth infections in cattle: Defining the threshold. Vet. Parasitol. 98, 195–214. >>doi:10.1016/S0304-4017(01)00431-9
Voort, M., Charlier, J., Lauwers, L., Vercruysse, J., Huylen-broeck, G.V., Meensela, J.V., 2013. Conceptual framework for analysing farm-specific economic effects of helminth infections in ruminants and control strategies. Prev. Vet. Med. 109, 228–235.
Waller, P.J., Thamsborg, S.M., 2004. Nematode control in ‘green’ ruminant production systems. Trends Parasitol. 20(10), 493–497.
Zajac, A.M., Conboy, G.A. (eds.), 2011. Veterinary clinical parasitology, 8th ed. John Wiley and Sons, UK.
