Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and intensity of infection with gastrointestinal nematodes in farmed fallow deer, and to assess the effectiveness of ivermectin used to control them. Faeces samples were collected from fallow deer (n = 468), raised on an organic farm. The study showed an average prevalence and intensity of infection with gastrointestinal nematodes in an annual cycle at 57.33 % and 529 EPG, respectively. Nematodes of the Trichostrongylus (13.33 %) and Chabertia (10 %) species were recorded most frequently, while Strongyloides sp. (3.33 %) had the lowest prevalence. Deworming was performed twice, in December and in March, during which a 1 % ivermectin injection was applied. The efficacy of the first deworming with ivermectin was 94.44 % and of the second deworming 95 %. The deworming did not result in removal of gastrointestinal nematodes in all hosts, but significantly reduced the intensity of infection in these animals. Ivermectin, administered by subcutaneous injection, was highly effective against gastrointestinal nematodes in fallow deer. However, the deer were kept in a limited area, which caused the accumulation of eggs of gastrointestinal nematodes in the pasture sward, creating perfect conditions for reinvasion (ingestion of invasive forms with food).Cilj istraživanja bio je odrediti prevalenciju i jačinu invazije želučano-crijevnim oblićima u jelena lopatara i procijeniti učinkovitost liječenja ivermektinom. Pretraženo je 468 uzoraka izmeta ekološki uzgojenih jelena lopatara. Prevalencija je iznosila 57,33 % s intenzitetom od 529 jaja po gramu izmeta. Najčešće su bila dokazana jajašca oblića roda Trichostrongylus (13,33 %) i Chabertia (10 %), a najrjeđe jajašca oblića roda Strongyloides (3,33 %). Jeleni su bili dvokratno dehelmintizirani i to u prosincu i ožujku ubrizgavanjem pripravka koji je sadržavao 1 % ivermektina. Učinkovitost prve dehelmintizacije iznosila je 94,44 %, a druge 95 %. Dehelmintizacija ivermektinom nije uklonila parazite iz svih životinja, ali je značajno smanjila intenzitet invazije. Supkutana primjena ivermektina bila je vrlo učinkovita. Ipak valja napomenuti da su jeleni bili držani na ograničenom prostoru što je dovelo da nakupljanja jajašaca na pašnjaku i stvorilo uvjete za reinvaziju
