e-ISSN 1828-1427 |
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Rivista trimestrale di Sanità
Pubblica Veterinaria edita dall'Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale
dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G.
Caporale'
A quarterly journal devoted to veterinary public health, veterinary science and medicine published by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise ‘G. Caporale’ in Teramo, Italy |
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ISSUES ONLINE
2007
- Volume 43 (3)
July-September |
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Stefania
Perrucci, Eleonora Pinello, Gianluca Fichi, Edoardo Ciardi, Paolo
Bārberi, Camilla Moonen, Giorgio Ragaglini & Carlo Bibbiani |
Parasitic
infections in an organic grazing cattle herd in Tuscany using geographic
information systems to determine risk factors |
415-424 |
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Summary
An
organic grazing cattle herd in Tuscany (Italy) was monitored for parasites
between 2002 and 2006. Every two to three months, faecal samples from
cattle of different breeds and age were collected and examined for
endoparasites, using both qualitative and quantitative parasitological
techniques. Several environmental parameters were monitored and data
on biodiversity and field margin biodiversity of grazing areas were
also collected. All data were geo-referenced and plotted on a vectorial
map using geographic information systems (GIS) software. Soil was
classified as silt and clay/sand. The hydraulic drainage was poor
and water pooling was observed frequently. The biodiversity of field
margins was relatively high. Cattle were infected by coccidia, gastrointestinal
nematodes, cestodes and trematodes. Prevalence and intensity of infestations
were highly variable. In most cases, this variability was related
to cattle breed, age, season and meteorological data. The Pisana breed
was most commonly infected by Fasciola hepatica and Paramphistomidae.
These infestations were associated with more frequent flooding and
water pooling in the areas grazed by this breed.
Keywords
Cattle,
Climate, Endoparasites, Environment, Geographic information system,
Grazing, Italy, Risk, Tuscany.
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Full article
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