Fjölrit RALA - 15.08.1980, Page 161

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Parasites in horses at Kálfholt 1979 in the project;
Utilization and conservation of grassland
resources in Iceland.
Matthlas Eydal
Institute for Experimental Pathology
University of Iceland
Keldur, Reykjavlk.
Materials and Methods.
On the 12th of June, The 20th of July and the 26th
of September 1979 faecal samples from horses at Kálfholt
were collected for a study of parasites. On the same
days all of the horses were treated with anthelmintica (Panacur).
A modified McMaster technique was used for counting
helminth eggs. Cultures were alsq prepared from the samples
and examined for infective (third stage) nematode larvae. One
hundred larvae were counted and identified from each sample.
Results.
The number of Strongylidae helminth eggs per gram faeces
(e.p.g.) is shown in Table 1. Before the horses were brought
to the experimental pastures, the helminth egg number was
high in many of the samples. The mean e.p.g. count on the
first day of sampling was 1083.
In July, approximately five weeks after anthelmintic treatment,
helminth eggs were already appearing in the faeces, the mean
e.p.g. count being 384.
In september, at the end of the experimental oeriod, approximately
ten weeks after the preceding anthelmintic treatment, the
mean e.p.g. number had reached 826.
On the 12th of June, prior to anthelmintic treatment, many
helminth species were found in the faecal samples, but in
July and September the variety of species was much less (Táble 2).
A total of eleven species/genera of nematodes (eggs and/or
larvae) were found, eight of which were members of the
Strongylidae. The remaining three species were the horse
ascarid Parascaris equorum, the pinworm Oxyuris equi and
Trichostronqylus axei.