China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2023, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (5): 2156-2165.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2023.05.042

• Environmental Safety • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Investigation of Intestinal Parasites Occurrence in Sheep and Environmental Contamination in Large-scale Housing Farms

ZHAO Qianming1,3, QI Meng1, XU Zeli2, GONG Pihong1, LU Chenyang3, PEI Zhiyang1, JIAN Fuchun3, WANG Jiandong4, JING Bo1, NING Changsheng3   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China;
    2. Henan Kunyuan Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd., Ruzhou 467599, China;
    3. College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China;
    4. Institute of Animal Science, Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan 750002, China
  • Received:2022-10-25 Online:2023-05-05 Published:2023-04-28

Abstract: 【Objective】 The purpose of this study was to investigate the digestive tract infection and environmental pollution parasites of sheep in large-scale sheep farms and free-range sheep farms,and provide reference for the comprehensive prevention and control of digestive tract parasites of sheep in large-scale sheep farms in China.【Method】 1 025 sheep feces samples and 712 environmental samples collected from 4 scale sheep farms and 12 free-range households in Henan and Ningxia were examined for parasite infection by centrifugation,Lugol’s iodine staining and saturated sucrose solution floatation methods,and the number of Coccidia oocysts per gram of feces (OPG) in coccidia-positive samples was counted by McMaster’s method.The seasonal dynamic survey was conducted in large-scale sheep farms of Ruzhou to understand the digestive tract infection and environmental pollution parasites of sheep farm in different seasons.【Result】 The total infection rate of digestive tract parasites in sheep was 82.83% (849/1 025),and 8 species (classes) of parasites were detected,including Coccidia,Amoeba,Giardia,Cryptosporidium,Moniezia,Whipworm, Nematodirus and Other Nematodes.The dominant worm species was Coccidia (71.90%),followed by Amoeba (49.07%),and Coccidia and Amoeba were more likely to have mixed infections.The total parasite positivity rate of environmental samples was 38.48% (274/712),and 6 species (classes) of parasites were detected,including Coccidia,Amoeba,Giardia,Whipworm,Nematodirus and other Nematodes,with the dominant species being Nematodes (22.75%).Infection rates of digestive tract parasites and parasite detection rates of environmental samples in Henan scale sheep farms were significantly lower than Ningxia scale sheep farms (P<0.05).Compared with free-ranging sheep,sheep were infected with fewer worm species and lower infection rate.The infection rate of digestive tract parasites in lactating lambs was significantly lower than that of other physiological stages (P<0.05).In Ruzhou large-scale sheep farms,the infection rate of digestive tract parasites of sheep in winter was significantly lower than that in other seasons (P<0.05),The infection rate of Coccidia in suckling lambs was the lowest (14.95%),but the infection intensity was the highest (the average OPG was 105 203),the infection rate of fattening lambs was the highest (88.99%).【Conclusion】 The infection rate of digestive tract parasitic in sheep on large-scale sheep farms was higher,the mixed infections of Coccidia and Amoeba were common,and environmental parasitic contamination was serious.Hygiene measures should be strengthened to prevent environmental parasitic contamination and pathogen dispersal,and planned deworming should be done.

Key words: large-scale sheep farms; digestive tract parasites; environmental contamination; infection rate

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