title: The growth of sheep scab lesions in relation to sheep breed and time of the year.
abstract: Numerically equal groups of between five and ten young Merino and Dorper sheep were artificially infested with sheep scab mites, Psoroptes ovis. Separate groups of sheep were infested during the early winter of two successive years as well as during the early summer of the second year. Lesion growth was measured at two-weekly intervals for a period of six weeks during the first winter and for eight weeks during the second winter and in the summer. The rate of lesion growth and mean lesion size on Merino sheep was significantly greater than that on Dorper sheep at each two-weekly recording during the winter of both years. The rate of growth of the lesions did not differ significantly between the two sheep breeds during summer, although, with the exception of eight weeks post-infestation, the mean lesion size on Merino sheep was significantly larger than that on Dorper sheep at each assessment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, PO Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa. fourielj@sci.uovs.ac.za
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Fourie
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meintjes
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Horak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D008924:Mite Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D040042:Psoroptidae / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D034561:Sheep, Domestic / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary