Establishment rate of sheep gastrointestinal nematodes in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Abstract

To investigate the establishment of sheep gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in red deer, five red deer and five sheep aged 5-6 months were challenged with a mixed burden of sheep GIN at a rate of 327L3/kg bodyweight. The LSmean (SE) establishment rates (%) for Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Cooperia curticei, Trichostrongylus spp. and Oesophagostomum+Chabertia spp. were 18.6 (0.03), 35.5 (0.04), 30.7 (0.04), 74.9 (0.05), 19.9 (0.06), respectively in sheep and 10.5 (0.03), 1.0 (0.04), 0.1 (0.04), 1.0 (0.05), 4.8 (0.06) respectively, in deer. Establishment rates were significantly different (p<0.05) between hosts for all genera. No Trichostrongylus colubriformis or Trichostrongylus vitrinus were seen in any deer but were present in all sheep. Trichostrongylus axei were seen in both hosts but there were relatively more which established in sheep than in deer (p<0.01). No Chabertia ovina were seen in any deer but were present in four of five sheep in low numbers. The only species of Oesophagostomum seen in either host was Oesophagostomum venulosum. These results suggest that the sheep GIN most likely to infect red deer grazing the same pastures are H. contortus, T. axei and O. venulosum.

Relationship between the excretion of eggs of parasitic helminths in roe deer and local livestock density

“…However, only a few experimental studies have shown effective successful cross-infection. For example, certain species of GI nematodes of sheep (administered orally as a solution of larvae) successfully established in farm red deer ( C. elaphus ), whereas others did not (Tapia-Escarate et al ., 2015). The abomasal nematode Ashworthius sidemi that commonly infects bison ( Bison bison ), red deer and roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ) can also infest cattle grazing in the same pasture (Moskwa et al ., 2015).…”

Parasites of farmed marals in Kazakhstan

“…H. contortus is one of the most pathogenic nematode parasites of sheep and is 165 widespread in Kazakhstan (Morgan et al, 2006). This parasite has been hypothesized as one of the most likely parasites to infect red deer if they have access to pasture where sheep have grazed (Tapia-Escarate et al, 2015) . Although our study was limited, there may be some patterns in the data.…”