Occurrence of internal parasites in cattle in various management systems in South-East Poland

Abstract

The changes in the cattle farming system in Poland observed in the last two decades and related to its evolution into massive scale, specialized farming may have an influence on the occurrence of parasitoses. The study was aimed at showing differences in the prevalence of internal parasites in cattle depending on the herd size, management system and production type. In the period of October to December in 2016 and 2017, the study covered 46 farms with a livestock density from 2 to 160 animals (over 1 year of age), including 25 farms with a confined management system, 12 farms using pastures occasionally and 7 farms with animals using pastures during the whole season. Out of these farms, 36 were oriented towards dairy cattle and 10 to beef cattle. The analytical methods involved flotation, sedimentation and the Baermann technique. In total, 276 feces samples were analyzed. The analysis involved a representative number of samples from each farm, depending on the herd size: from 100% of the animals in the smallest farms to 10% in the largest ones. In total, eleven different taxa of parasites were identified, and their general prevalence was as follows: Eimeria spp. 24.6%, Buxtonella sulcata 25.7%, Strongyloides papillosus 7.6%, gastrointestinal nematodes (Trichostrongylidae, Chabertia, Oesophagostomum) 35.1%, Nematodirus spp. 4.7%, Bunostomum phlebotomum 7.6%, Trichuris spp. 6.2%, Fasciola hepatica 6.9%, Paramphistomum spp 2.5%, Moniezia spp. 2.9%, Dictyocaulus viviparus 2.5%. The forms of parasites were found in samples coming from all studied herds. Invasions of protozoa (Eimeria, Buxtonella) were most commonly found in dairy cattle, in large herds managed in a free stall barn system and in beef cattle, in large herds managed in a pasture system. These herds were also most frequently infected with gastrointestinal nematodes. The invasions of trematodes, tapeworms and pulmonary nematodes were detected only in cattle using pastures, most commonly in large herds..