Faecal water content and egg survival of goat gastro-intestinal strongyles under dry tropical conditions in Guadeloupe.
Faeces from naturally infected goats were deposited on a natural grassland during the dry season in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) at different times throughout the day. The grass was either 7 or 20-30 cm tall. After a period of between several hours and 7 days, the number of viable strongyle eggs and the faecal water content were measured. Faecal temperature was recorded continuously. Faecal temperature was greater than 40 degrees-45 degrees C at midday and dehydration was rapid between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Egg mortality was greater on short than on tall grass and higher in morning than in evening deposits. Minimal faecal water content during the first 36 h explained the 74%, 55% and 38% mortality rate for eggs of Oesophagostomum columbianum (OC), Haemonchus contortus (HC) and Trichostrongylus colubriformis (TC), respectively. In all, 5%-22% of the eggs of the latter species remained viable in a state of anhydrobiosis after 7 days on the ground. A delay of only 2 days between goat departure and irrigation would be sufficient to ensure that greater than 95% of O. columbianum and H. contortus eggs and 70% of T. colubriformis eggs are destroyed.
Berbigier
P
P
INRA, Station de Bioclimatologie, Guadeloupe, French West Indies.
Gruner
L
L
Mambrini
M
M
Sophie
S A
SA
D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis / Q000469:parasitology*; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D006041:Goats; D006188:Haemonchiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D006189:Haemonchus / Q000254:growth & development*; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D009814:Oesophagostomiasis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D009815:Oesophagostomum / Q000254:growth & development*; D010063:Ovum; D011891:Rain; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature; D014251:Trichostrongyloidea / Q000254:growth & development*; D014253:Trichostrongylosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D014254:Trichostrongylus / Q000254:growth & development*; D014329:Tropical Climate; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014900:West Indies
D014867:Water