The presence of endoparasites in cattle in Salzburg, Austria

Publikationen als Autor:in / Herausgeber:in der Vetmeduni

Krametter-Frötscher, Reinhild; Eibl, Cassandra; Tichy, Alexander; Schoiswohl, Julia

Abstrakt

Endoparasitoses in cattle represent a significant global challenge, resulting in substantial economic losses in milk and meat production and raising concerns regarding animal welfare. To gain insights into the parasite burden in pre-Alpine regions, we conducted a clinical examination of 260 dairy cows from 26 farms in Salzburg during July and August 2020. We collected individual faecal samples and analysed them for gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), Dictyocaulus viviparus and Fasciola hepatica. We also analysed milk samples by ELISA to test for antibodies against Fasciola hepatica. We paid particular attention to the prevalence of endoparasites in the Flachgau region (Salzburg) and to the correlations between their occurrence and the clinical symptoms exhibited by the animals. The prevalence of GIN was 23.80%. Coprological examination revealed a prevalence of 28.46% for Fasciola hepatica, while 3.20% of milk samples tested positive in the ELISA assay. The prevalence of Dictyocaulus viviparus was 3.10%. There was no significant correlation between endoparasitosis and altered faecal consistency (p=0.981). The likelihood of an GIN infection decreased with increasing Body Condition Score (BCS). There was a significant correlation between the detection of Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae and coughing (p=0.011) but we found no statistically significant associations between the detection of Fasciola hepatica and BCS, reproductive issues, the presence of natural water sources or feeding practices. We conclude that parasite management in the Flachgau region is satisfactory and that current practices are effective.

Dokumententyp

Originalarbeit

Open Access Type

Diamond

DOI

10.5680/wtm000043