Ecology of zoophilic flies in livestock biocenoses of Ukraine

In modern animal husbandry of Ukraine, there are still some unresolved issues related to the high number of zoophilic flies in the territories of facilities and the spread of animal infectious and parasitic diseases. A detailed study of bioecological peculiarities of the dominant zoophilic fly species contributes to improving the effectiveness of measures to control ectoparasites. 27 zoophilic fly species have been found in animal breeding complexes. The maximum number of parasitic Diptera species was recorded on cattle-keeping premises. The biological properties of Neomyia cornicina (Fabricius, 1781) (size, shape, colour, duration of preimaginal phase development) were studied. Also, we studied the dynamics of the number and daily activity of dominant fly species (Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758, M. autumnalis De Geer, 1776, Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus, 1758)). When studying the intraspecies competition, a high-degree survival of M. domestica and M. autumnalis was determined in the conditions of critical nutritional deficiency (0.5 g of nutrient medium per larva) and increased density of individuals (the imago emergence was 38.6% and 34.0%, respectively). In similar maintenance conditions, the emergence of N. cornicina imago was low (14.6%). With a two-fold increase in the insectarium volume and in the amount of nutrient medium (1 g per larva), the imago emergence of M. domestica, M. autumnalis and N. cornicina increased to 64.0%, 39.2%, and 24.0%, respectively. With an even greater increase in the amount of nutrient medium (2 g per larva), the maximum emergence of imagoes of all the studied fly species was observed (M. domestica, M. autumnalis, and N. cornicina: 96.6%, 91.2% and 72.6%, respectively). In the conditions of interspecific competition, M. autumnalis suppressed N. cornicina even in conditions of a sufficient amount of nutrient substrate. In the competition between M. domestica and M. autumnalis, house fly dominated. Increasing the nutrient medium volume narrowed the gap between the competing species

Distribution, bioecological peculiarities of staphylinids (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) in livestock biocenoses of forest-steppe and steppe Ukraine

As a result of research in the territory of livestock farms, 103 species of predatory Coleoptera were found, including Staphylinidae accounting for 51.4%, Histeridae – 27.3%, Carabidae – 21.3%. A total of 39 species of the Staphylinidae family were identified, belonging to 5 subfamilies: Oxytelinae, Steninae, Staphylininae, Tachyporinae, Aleocharinae. Species composition of staphylinids varied in relation to the types of animal rearing premises. In cowsheds and calf pens species diversity was higher (35 species). To study the peculiarities of feeding in laboratory conditions, we monitored 9 species of Staphylinidae: Philonthus addendus Sharp, Ph. cruentatus (Gmel.), Ph. rectangulus Sharp, Ph. varians (Payk.), Ph. spinipes Sharp, Ph. nitidus F., Creophilus maxillosus (L.), Ontholestes murinus (L.), Oxytelus sp. Feeding specialization of imagoes and larvae of different ages was studied. We determined that the mass of food consumed per day is higher than the weight of the beetles. Large species of staphylinids prefer feeding on average-aged larvae of flies and can eat puparia. Peculiarities of the development of coprophilous staphylinids were studied on the example of Ph. spinipes Sharp. During 24 h a female laid 1–3 eggs (in +28°С). Duration of the egg phase depends on the temperature regime (in +20 °С – 4–5, +28 °С – 3–4 days). Cessation of egg laying was observed with decrease in the temperature to +14 °С. The development takes part in three larval stages. Duration of the larva phase at +28 °С was 8–10 days, at +20 °С – 13–14 days. The first moulting was observed on the 2–3th days (in +28 °С) after the larvae emerged from the eggs. At +28 °С the pupa phase lasted 8–10 days. Decrease in temperature prolonged the rate of the development. At +24 °С it practically did not change (9–10 days), at +18 °С – increased to 13–15 days

Distribution of poultry ectoparasites in industrial farms, farms, and private plots with different rearing technologies

One of the problems in growing and keeping poultry, both in industrial and farm and kitchen garden environments is ectoparasites, which are responsible for lowering the productivity of poultry and causing economic losses. The study of the prevalence and diagnosis of bird ectoparasites on poultry farms with different maintenance technologies is important for the further development of integrated methods for combating them. Our research was conducted during 2006–2017 in 16 regions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. In total, 38 poultry farms specializing in egg production with poultry kept in battery cages, 18 poultry houses specializing in egg production with poultry kept on the floor and more than 150 farm and kitchen garden poultry houses for keeping chickens, turkeys, quails, guinea fowl and pigeons were examined. We found that, both with battery cages and when poultry are kept on the floor in poultry farms, the most common ectoparasites are chicken mites (Dermanyssus gallinae), which causes the disease of dermanyssiosis. It was determined that the extensivity of the invasion was, on average, from 56% to 80%. Also, in the chickens and turkeys, mallophages (Menopon gallinae, Menacanthus stramineus), which cause mallophagoses, were detected, and the extensivity of the invasion ranged from 27% to 45%. In farms and kitchen gardens where chickens, guinea fowl and quails were kept, the number of chicken mites in 1 g substrate was more than a thousand live mites, in dovecotes chicken mites were found in 50% to 100% of nests. In chickens and turkeys, besides the chicken mite, bird lice were found. In chickens, extensivity of invasion of M. gallinae, M. stramineus, Lipeurus variabilis, ranged from 15% to 22%, in turkeys, extensivity of invasion of M. gallinae and M. stramineus ranged from 16% to 25%. The scaly leg mite (Knemidocoptes mutans), which causes the disease knemidocoptiasis ("lame leg"), was detected in incubating hens over the age of two years, the extensivity of the invasion ranged from 5% to 7%. It was established that in poultry farms, both in battery cages and when the birds were kept on the floor, the main ectoparasite in chickens, guinea fowl and quail is red chicken mite (D. gallinae), and on poultry farms and kitchen gardens in addition to the chicken mite, three types of bird lice (M. gallinae, M. stramineus, L. variabilis) and K. mutans were found

Contamination of animal-keeping premises with eggs of parasitic worms

Today, one of the important problems in the cultivation and maintenance of agricultural and domestic animals, both in industrial and private farms, is the spread of ecto- and endoparasites, which cause a significant decline in animal productivity, endanger their health and cause economic losses. The study of the level of distribution and conducting of diagnostic studies on parasitoses of animals in farms with different production orientation is an important and integral part of the overall complex of preventive and health-improving measures. The research was carried out during 2007–2017 in livestock enterprises of Kharkiv Oblast. As a part of the research work, 540 samples were collected from livestock farms, of which 180 were from the premises for keeping pigs, 100 from premises for keeping sheep, 120 from premises for keeping cattle, 80 from premises for dogs and 60 – from the surrounding territories of the livestock enterprises. We found that the objects of livestock rearing (pig complex, sheep farm, dairy farm, cynological center) in Kharkiv Oblast have a significant level of sanitary contamination with exogenous forms of helminths (21.7–45.6%) and the soil of the territories (20.0–36.6%). From samples taken from premises for pigs, eggs of four morphotypes were isolated (Ascaris suum – 5.3%, Trichuris suis – 14.6%, Oesophagostomum dentatum – 60.6%, Strongyloides ransomi – 19.4%), from premises for sheep – three morphotypes (Dicrocoelium lanceatum – 3.8%, Trichuris ovis – 29.3%, Strongylata spp. – 46.9%), from premises for cows – three morphotypes (Neoascaris vitulorum – 2.7%, Trichuris skrjabini – 12.9%, Strongylata spp. – 34.5%), premises for dogs – four morphotypes (Toxocara canis – 6.1%, Toxascaris leonina – 5.4%, Trichuris vulpis – 20.6%, Ancylostoma caninum – 17.5%). It should be noted that the places most contaminated with eggs of helminths were manure gutters (100%) and the floor of livestock buildings (50.0–86.7%). It has also been determined that, in the conditions of the cynological center, the Musca domestica was the source of environmental contamination with exogenous forms of Toxocara canis and Trichuris vulpis, and that the Muscina stabulans and Stomoxys calcitrans can be the source of spread of larvae of Ancylostoma caninum and eggs of Trichuris vulpis respectively