The peri‐parturient rise in sheep. Faecal worm egg counts in normal and late lambing ewes

Abstract

SUMMARY The trichostrongylid and strongylid egg output in a group of ewes lambing in March, the middle of the usual lambing time in the Netherlands, was compared with counts in groups of older ewes and yearling ewes lambing in May-June and with counts in a group of barren ewes. The groups lambing in March showed only a rise related to parturition date as normally seen in the Netherlands. A few of the late lambing ewes showed a slight rise in spring, but all of them showed a peri-parturient rise related to parturition date. In the late lambing ewes and in the barren ewes egg counts due to reinfection were seen in summer.It is concluded that under the present circumstances a true spring rise, the calendar phenomenon, occurs very irregularly, while a peri-parturient rise related to the parturition date is a common phenomenon. The occurence of high egg counts in summer, excluding consideration on the barren ewes, in the late lambing ewes only, suggests that changing the traditional husbandry system may influence the epidemiological pattern of the trichostrongylid infections.

Dynamics of infestation of tracers lambs by gastrointestinal helminths under a traditional management system in the North of Tunisia

“…These values are comparable with those reported in Northwest Spain (87.9 %) (Martinez-Gonziilez et al , 1998), but higher than those of Pallargues (2007) in Morocco (60 %). The high values of ewes’ FEC compared to lambs can be explained by a decrease of ewes’ immunity (Kerboeuf, 1978; Herd et al , 1983; Gibbs, 1986; Jansen, 1987; Mage, 1998). Indeed, in the study region, the lambing season spread throughout all the 2004, ewes are either pregnant or lactating.…”

“…This peak was the cause of high disease risk in all age categories. The second peak was exclusively observed in ewes during November-December; it could be explained by: (i) acquisition of an increased number of third stage in autumn as revealed by tracer lambs; (ii) the peak coincided with the lambing season (from November to January); during this period the prolificity of the nematodes increases; this phenomenon is known as periparturient rise (Kerboeuf, 1978; Gibbs, 1986; Jansen, 1987; Mage, 1998).…”

Susceptibilidade a nematóides em ovelhas Santa Inês, Bergamácia e Texel no Noroeste do Paraná

“…Em geral, o periparto (terço final da gestação e início da lactação) é o período em que as ovelhas se tornam mais susceptíveis às infecções por nematódeos gastrintestinais. Isso pode ocorrer devido à queda de imunidade (JANSEN, 1987;GREER, 2008), e também pelo aumento da exigência nutricional nessa fase (NRC, 1985;HOUDIJK, 2008). Amarante et al (2004) ao avaliarem a resistência contra infecções por nematóides em animais das raças Santa Inês, Ile de France e Suffolk por 9 meses apartir do inverno de 2000, observaram dois picos na contagem de ovos para os animais Santa Inês, um sendo em janeiro e o outro em maio.…”

Moxidectin use in Scottish sheep flocks suggests a need for clearer product labelling and communication of updated SCOPS guidelines

“… 8 , 16 Where ewes graze alongside lambs, the impact of treating all lambs may be mitigated by leaving some ewes untreated. However, immunity in ewes is re‐established in the first 6 weeks or so following lambing when treatment is not given, 28 and the ability of immune competent ewes to seed the pasture with sensitive parasites of T. circumcincta is reduced. 29 Due to the persistent action of MOX against T. circumcincta and H. contortus , it is anticipated that AR might develop more rapidly than for short acting compounds.…”