Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in slaughterhouse horses and donkeys from the North and Northeast of Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15649/2346075X.4917Keywords:
Parasites, Gastrointestinal, Horses, Donkeys, Slaughterhouse, ColombiaAbstract
Introduction. Gastrointestinal parasites represent one of the most significant health problems in equines, affecting welfare, production, and performance. Objective. The objective of this study was to report the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in horses (Equus caballus) and donkeys (Equus asinus) from different regions of Colombia. Materials and methods. A random sampling design was implemented on animals slaughtered at a processing facility located in Piedecuesta, Santander, Colombia. A total of 292 fecal samples from the digestive systems of the slaughtered horses and donkeys were collected. Fecal samples were processed using the McMaster coprological technique. In addition, the same number of livers was inspected for adult forms of Fasciola hepatica. Results and discussion. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 96.9% (283/292), with the highest values for Strongylus sp., followed by Strongyloides sp., Trichostrongylus sp., and Parascaris equorum. No significant differences were found according to sex, species, municipality, or department. In the present study, no adult forms of Fasciola hepatica were observed in the inspected livers. Conclusion. The high prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites found in this research could be controlled through effective health plans and antiparasitic control in animals from the regions under study.
Key words: parasites, gastrointestinal, horses, donkeys, slaughterhouse, Colombia
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