Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Small Ruminant Farms in Southern Spain
Pablo José Rufino-Moya,
Rafael Zafra Leva,
Lilian Gonçalves Reis,
Isabel Acosta García,
Diego Ruiz Di Genova,
Almudena Sánchez Gómez,
Francisco García García,
Francisco J. Martínez-Moreno
Affiliations
Pablo José Rufino-Moya
Animal Health Department (Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, Sanidad Animal Building, Rabanales Campus, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Rafael Zafra Leva
Animal Health Department (Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, Sanidad Animal Building, Rabanales Campus, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Lilian Gonçalves Reis
Animal Health Department (Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, Sanidad Animal Building, Rabanales Campus, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Isabel Acosta García
Animal Health Department (Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, Sanidad Animal Building, Rabanales Campus, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
Diego Ruiz Di Genova
COVAP (Cooperativa Ganadera del Valle de los Pedroches) R&D Department, Pozoblanco, 14400 Córdoba, Spain
Almudena Sánchez Gómez
COVAP (Cooperativa Ganadera del Valle de los Pedroches) R&D Department, Pozoblanco, 14400 Córdoba, Spain
Francisco García García
COVAP (Cooperativa Ganadera del Valle de los Pedroches) R&D Department, Pozoblanco, 14400 Córdoba, Spain
Francisco J. Martínez-Moreno
Animal Health Department (Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Córdoba, Sanidad Animal Building, Rabanales Campus, 14014 Córdoba, Spain
The primary population of small ruminants in Spain is concentrated in the southern region, a critical area for the country’s livestock production. Indirect economic losses can occur when this livestock is affected by gastrointestinal parasites. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of these parasites in small ruminant herds (159 sheep and 39 goats) through coprological analyses and conducted a survey on farmers’ management practices related to gastrointestinal parasite control. The survey results revealed some important aspects: monitoring through coprological analyses is not a common practice; veterinarians are not typically involved in deworming plans; anthelmintic treatment in adults is often applied twice a year in sheep and once a year in goats; and finally, drug rotation was higher in sheep farms. Coprological analyses showed Eimeria spp. as the most common parasitic infection, followed by Strongyles infection. Other parasites like Moniezia spp., Trichuris spp., and D. dendriticum were less important, although their prevalence was higher in sheep than goats. This constitutes the first report on the epidemiological status of gastrointestinal parasites in small ruminants in southern Spain. Based on the survey findings, the introduction of certain management measures on farms could potentially mitigate parasite infections.
