Research Article

Parasitic fauna of gastrointestinal tract of horses and evaluation of deworming effectiveness

Doris Czapla, Beata Seremak, Barna Kruzhel, Stakh Vovk

¹West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland

²Lviv National Agrarian University, Lviv Dublyany, Ukraine

³Institute of Agriculture in the Carpathian Region, National Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Ukraine

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 14(1), 2015, 61‒68

Abstract. The aim of the study was to determine the species composition of parasitic fauna of the gastrointestinal tract of horses and to assess the efficacy of ivermectin. Incidence and intensity of infection was determined based on faecal analyses using Willis–Schlaf and Mc Master methods. Anthelmintic resistance was determined using a faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). Preparation ivermectin (paste) was administered once to all horses individually, in a dose of 120 mg ∙ 600 kg^–1 (0.2 mg ∙ kg^–1). The study found an average infection incidence of horses with gastrointestinal parasites at the level of 92.86%. Incidence of infection with large strongyles (Strongylinae) prior to deworming of horses was 67.86%, while with small strongyles (Cyathostominae) it amounted to 89.29%. This treatment did not result in the removal of Cyathostominae and Strongylinae parasites in all hosts, but significantly reduced infection intensity of the studied horses. The efficacy of ivermectin on day 14 after the treatment of horses was 90.62%.

Keywords: horse, Strongylidae, Strongylinae, Cyathostominae, drug resistance, ivermectin