[Spectrum of species and incidence of endoparasites in foals and their mother mares from breeding farms with and without anthelmintic prophylaxis in upper Bavaria].

This research study focuses on the variation in species and incidence rates of endoparasites (parasites that live inside the body) in foals (young horses) and their mother mares (adult female horses) from breeding farms across upper Bavaria, which either used anthelmintic prophylaxis (a practice of administering drugs to prevent parasitic worm infections) or did not. The study discovered no significant differences in the types and incidences of parasites between prophylaxis and non-prophylaxis farms, but notable differences were found between foals and mares.

Research Methodology

• The study was conducted on 37 horses which comprised of foals and mares, all of which were regularly tested for parasitical infections over a period of up to 13 months. The sample of horses came from nine different breeding farms.
• Out of the nine farms, three had never used any anthelmintics, whereas the remaining six had been conducting routine prophylactic treatment with anthelmintics for at least three years.

Key Findings

• The research revealed there were no detectable differences in both the kind and incidence of endoparasites between farms that used or didn’t use anthelmintic prophylaxis. However, significant differences were observed when comparing foals and mares.
• In foals, a minimum of nine parasite species was found to be prevalent. These included Strongyloides westeri (found in 54.1% of animals), Parascaris equorum (64.9%), small strongyles (83.8%), Anoplocephala perfoliata (16.2%), Eimeria leuckarti (64.9%), Giardia (5.4%), Cryptosporidium parvum (2.7%), and Gasterophilus intestinalis (21.6%). Moreover, multiple parasitic infections from two or more species were discovered in 83.8% of the foals.
• Similar to foals, the mares from farms with no anthelmintic prophylaxis also had a spectrum of endoparasites, with at least three types of small strongyles being found. However, in mares from farms using regular anthelmintic prophylaxis, at least seven species were identified, including the same small strongyles, P. equorum, A. perfoliata, E. leuckarti, and G. intestinalis.

Implications

• The results of this study challenge the conventional understanding of using prophylactic anthelmintics in breeding farms, as no significant difference in terms of parasitical prevalence was noticed between farms using and not using such medications.
• The significant difference in infection rates and species variety between foals and mares could provide valuable insights for targeted prophylactic treatment and health management in farm environments.