Helminth Control as a Part of Animal Welfare Measure Protocol in Grazing Cattle in Slovenia

Abstract

The national regulation on animal welfare measure under the Rural Development Programme 2014–2022 identified grazing and helminth control as important measures to improve the welfare of cattle in Slovenia. The aim of the study was to evaluate these measures in terms of improving animal welfare and helminth control. Compositional fecal samples for coprological analysis were collected in the region of central Slovenia. Samples were qualitatively analysed for the presence of endoparasites using the flotation and sedimentation methods. During a seven-year period, 4480 compositional fecal samples were collected from cattle herds in the central Slovenia. In all seven years, the most prevalent helminths at the cattle herd level were Strongylida (ranging from 45.49% to 74.22%) and Paramphistomum sp. (ranging from 21.12% to 28.46%). After the treatments against helminths in grazing cattle, the prevalence of positive herds decreased from 83.63% to 63.64%. The calculated cross-correlation values showed significant positive association of the percentage of helminth-positive cattle herds with the prevalence of Fasciola hepatica (0.975), Nematodirus sp. (0.859), Strongylida (0.986), Strongyloides sp. (0.879) and Trichuris sp. (0.835). Hence, the efficient helminth control and improved animal welfare, as well as financial support of 53.40 EUR per livestock unit, contributed to a positive outcome of the programme.