@article{4142,
  keywords = {Fecal egg count, Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus, ovine strongylids},
  author = {J Schoiswohl and A Joachim and B Hinney and A Tichy and K Bauer and A Stanitznig and R Krametter-Frötscher},
  title = {Influence of communal alpine pasturing in Styria, Austria, on the development of gastrointestinal strongylid infections over the grazing season in sheep – a pilot study},
  abstract = {The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of ovine gastrointestinal strongylids (GiSt) and the influence of communal alpine pasturing during the grazing season on the development of GiSt infections in the region of Styria, Austria. The investigation included 23 adult sheep from 16 different farms pastured on a single communal alpine pasture. Individual fecal samples were taken at different time points. Before deworming and after pasturing fecal samples were examined qualitatively (flotation and larval culture) and quantitatively (fecal egg counting). In addition during pasturing fecal samples were analyzed two times (fecal egg counting). Before deworming and pasturing, the prevalence of GiSt infection in the sheep examined was 4.7%, after pasturing it was 100%; this increase was significant (p  lt; 0.001). In addition, a statistically significant increase (p  lt; 0.001) in egg shedding was observed during the observation period. Animals with low eggs per gram of feces (epg) values before pasturing also had lower values at the end of the grazing season and sheep with higher values had higher values at the end of the grazing season. Trichostrongylus was the most dominant GiSt genus before deworming and pasturing (5.6% of larvae in coproculture) and also after pasturing (38.8%). Haemonchus (H.) contortus was the second most frequent nematode both before and after grazing with 18.4% and 31.2%, respectively, and more commonly found than in previous studies from Austria. The proportions of Trichostrongylus (p = 0.00) and Nematodirus (p = 0.032) decreased and H. contortus (p = 0.005) increased significantly between the two different sampling dates. The results of this survey indicate that communal alpine pasturing management practices for sheep in the investigated area of Austria may promote proliferation of nematode infections during the pasturing season.},
  year = {2017},
  journal = {Berliner und Münchener Tierärztliche Wochenschrift},
  volume = {130},
  edition = {11/12},
  pages = {494-500},
  month = {11/2017},
  publisher = {Schlütersche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG},
  address = {Hannover},
  issn = {0005-9366},
  doi = {10.2376/0005-9366-16058},
  language = {English},
}