Are gastrointestinal parasites a possible threat to an endangered autochthonous portuguese sheep breed?

• Autor(a) principal: Ruano, Zita Martins
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.26/18654
• topic: Strongyle; Eimeria; Dicrocoelium; Fasciola; Churra Galega Mirandesa; Portugal; Sheep; Estrongilídeo; Ovinos; Strongilídeos; Pertual; Obinos

In the Northeast of Portugal, the sheep system production is extensive, with use of stubble cereals, natural pasture and other poor forage resources. Churra Galega Mirandesa autochthonous sheep breed is well adapted to geographic and climatic conditions of the plateau and cliffs of the Douro River, Portugal. Sheep reared in extensive system are affected by a diversity of gastrointestinal parasites, causing an enormous impact on its health and productivity, which can be especially threatening in an endangered breed like this. The aim of the present study was to determine the diversity, prevalence and burden of gastrointestinal parasites in Churra Galega Mirandesa sheep breed from their local breed, the Planalto Mirandês (Northeast of Portugal). A questionnaire to farmers was also designed to assess deworming practices, cohabiting animals on the farm and food management. In total, 49 questionnaires were obtained and 512 faecal samples were collected from September to December of 2016. Each sample was analysed by qualitative and quantitative techniques. Parasitic forms were identified in 100% of the flocks. In 97% of the samples gastrointestinal parasites were identified from eleven different families, genera or species: strongyle (85.4%), Eimeria spp. (75.4%), Nematodirus spp. (33.2%), Dicrocoelium spp. (22.5%), Trichuris spp. (6.4%), Eimeria intricata (4.3%), Moniezia benedeni (2.3%), Fasciola hepatica (1.8%), Moniezia expansa (0.8%), Capillaria spp. (0.2%) and Skrjabinema spp. (0.2%). This is the first report of Skrjabinema spp. in Portugal. The prevalence of Trichuris spp. (P<0.05) increased when animals grazed in the early morning and late in the day. On the other hand, the prevalence of Nematodirus spp. (P<0.05) and Dicrocoelium spp. (P <0.01) increased, when animals grazed during all the day. The non-deworming only influenced the prevalence of Nematodirus spp. (P<0.05). The results show great biodiversity in parasites found and a parasite burden apparently low for the three most prevalent parasite, strongyle (mean: 415.5; range: 50-6250), Eimeria spp. (mean: 670.1; range: 50-17550) and Nematodirus spp. (mean: 90.9; range: 50-550) suggesting some parasite adaptation capacity and resilience similar to the host. Among the parasites identified were trematodes of zoonotic importance that may have health implications for farmers and local communities.