Prevalence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium ssp. in females of the Holstein breed during the post weaning phase in the herd in the southern state of Minas Gerais during the fall-winter season of 2008

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of the species of Giardia duodenalis species and the genus Cryptosporidium spp. in dairy calves at different ages during the post-weaning phase in a herd located in Boa Esperança, South of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, during the fallwinter season. It were analyzed 254 samples from 37 cows of Holstein breed, aged between three and 10 months in the period from May to September 2008, collected directly from the rectum every 30 days. To search cysts or trophozoites of Giardia duodenalis was used the flotation in zinc sulfate solution to 33% technique, and for detection of Cryptosporidium was used the Ziehl-Neelsen modified technique. Of the 254 samples, 37.79% were positive for cysts or trophozoites of Giardia and 8.93% for Cryptosporidium spp. The comparison of age and positivity to G. duodenalis and Cryptosporidium, it was observed that for both parasites, the age between three and four months is the most affected in the post-weaning phase in cattle. Whereas the post-weaning is a critical point in the growing cattle, this would indicate the pathogenic potential for these parasites in dairy cattle in southern Minas Gerais.

Keywords

• bovinocultura leiteira
• endoparasitos
• sanidade animal