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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Parasit Dis / Ectoparasites of feral horses [Equus ferus caballus (Linnaeu...
Journal of parasitic diseases : official organ of the Indian Society for Parasitology2020; 44(3); 590-596; doi: 10.1007/s12639-020-01234-4

Ectoparasites of feral horses [Equus ferus caballus (Linnaeus., 1758)] on Karadağ Mountain, Karaman, Turkey.

Abstract: Approximately 250 feral horses [ (Linnaeus, 1758)] living on Karadağ Mountain near Karaman City were caught by Kazakh horse herdsmen with permission of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and brought to a farm in Karkın village in Konya Province, 70 km from Karadağ, in November, 2017. This study was carried out to determine the presence of ectoparasites infesting a subsample of 36 feral horses. The horses were visually inspected, and then their bodies were checked by hand for ectoparasites. Thirty-five (97.2%) were infested with at least one of five species of ectoparasites: (Linnaeus, 1758), (Linnaeus, 1758), (Neuman, 1897), (Koch, 18449), (Sulzer, 1776). Most of the horses were coinfested with two ectoparasite species. Prevalence of infestation with was 80.6% and with 72.2%. In addition, prevalence of was 25.0%, 13.9%, and was 5.6%. This is the first systematic examination for external parasites of feral horses in Turkey. Further studies are needed to determine ectoparasites of greater numbers of feral horses in different localities.
© Indian Society for Parasitology 2020.
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Publication Date: 2020-06-11 PubMed ID: 32801511PubMed Central: PMC7410871DOI: 10.1007/s12639-020-01234-4Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article examines the presence of external parasites, known as ectoparasites, on a group of 36 feral horses living on Karadağ Mountain in Turkey. The study found that 97.2% of these horses were infested with at least one species of ectoparasite.

Objective and Methodology

  • The main aim of this research was to identify the presence and prevalence of different species of ectoparasites on a subset of feral horses from the large population of 250 horses living near Karaman City in Turkey.
  • To facilitate this, the researchers caught the needed subset with the help of local horse herdsmen and appropriate permissions from the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
  • The study was conducted in November 2017 where these horses were taken to a farm in Karkın village for further inspection.
  • The researchers followed a simple inspection procedure, visually examining each horse, followed by a closer, hands-on check for ectoparasites to assess the severity and type of infestation.

Findings

  • The study discovered that a high percentage (97.2%) of the 36 feral horses were infested with at least one type of ectoparasite out of the five identified species.
  • Furthermore, many horses were found to be co-infested, meaning they were hosting more than one species of ectoparasite.
  • The prevalence of the different types of ectoparasites varied. The highest prevalence was found to be of with an infestation rate of 80.6%, followed by with 72.2%.
  • Other species like , , and boasted prevalence rates of 25.0%, 13.9%, and 5.6% respectively.

Significance and Future Research

  • This research marks the first systematic examination of ectoparasite infestation of feral horses in Turkey, adding valuable data to the existing body of knowledge in the field of equine parasitology.
  • The researchers acknowledge the limited scope of their study, with the subject subset being 36 out of around 250 horses. They therefore recommend additional research to observe greater numbers of feral horses in different localities. Such studies would generate a more accurate and complete understanding of ectoparasite prevalence in the feral horse population of turkey.

Cite This Article

APA
Dik B, Ceylan O, Ceylan C, Tekindal MA, Semassel A, Sönmez G, Derinbay Ekici Ö. (2020). Ectoparasites of feral horses [Equus ferus caballus (Linnaeus., 1758)] on Karadağ Mountain, Karaman, Turkey. J Parasit Dis, 44(3), 590-596. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01234-4

Publication

Journal of parasitic diseases : official organ of the Indian Society for Parasitology
ISSN: 0971-7196
NlmUniqueID: 9713059
Country: India
Language: English
Volume: 44
Issue: 3
Pages: 590-596

Researcher Affiliations

Dik, Bilal
  • Department of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Selçuk University, 42250 Selçuklu, Konya Turkey.
Ceylan, Onur
  • Department of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Selçuk University, 42250 Selçuklu, Konya Turkey.
Ceylan, Ceylan
  • Department of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Selçuk University, 42250 Selçuklu, Konya Turkey.
Tekindal, Mustafa Agah
  • Department of Zootechnics and Husbandry, Veterinary Faculty, Selçuk University, 42250 Selçuklu, Konya Turkey.
Semassel, Asma
  • Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Selçuk University, 42250 Selçuklu, Konya Turkey.
Sönmez, Gonca
  • Department of Zootechnics and Husbandry, Veterinary Faculty, Selçuk University, 42250 Selçuklu, Konya Turkey.
Derinbay Ekici, Özlem
  • Department of Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Selçuk University, 42250 Selçuklu, Konya Turkey.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no competing interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
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