Ali Endris A, Abbas Ghazanfar, Beveridge Ian, Baxendell Sandra, Squire Berwyn, Stevenson Mark A, Ghafar Abdul, Jabbar Abdul
Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, 3030, Australia.
Goat Veterinary Consultancies - goatvetoz, Keperra, QLD, 4054, Australia.
Parasit Vectors. 2025 Jan 24;18(1):25. doi: 10.1186/s13071-024-06650-6.
Gastrointestinal parasites such as nematodes and coccidia are responsible for significant economic losses in the goat industry globally. An indiscriminate use of antiparasitic drugs, primarily registered for use in sheep and cattle, in goats has resulted in drug-resistant gastrointestinal parasites. Very little is known about the gastrointestinal parasite control practices used by Australian dairy goat farmers that are pivotal for achieving sustainable control of economically important parasites. The study reported here provides insights into gastrointestinal parasite control practices of Australian dairy goat farmers based on responses to an online survey.
The questionnaire comprised 58 questions on farm demography, husbandry and grazing management, knowledge of gastrointestinal parasites and their importance in dairy goats, diagnosis of infections, antiparasitic drugs and alternate control options. After a pilot survey (n = 15 respondents), a link to the questionnaire was available to all (n = 456) registered members of the Dairy Goat Society of Australia Ltd from 17 April to 16 June 2023. Multiple correspondence analyses (MCA) were performed to explore the association between selected parasite control practices.
A total of 66 (14%) respondents completed the questionnaire. Of these, 74% (49/66) observed parasite-related illnesses in their goats; two-thirds of them assessed worms burden using faecal egg counts (FECs), with 26% (39/149) deworming their goats based on the results of the FECs. Most respondents (97%; 183/188) perceived that gastrointestinal parasites caused production losses and ranked Haemonchus contortus as the most important parasite. Anitparasitic drugs were used by 94% (62/66) of respondents, with the most frequently used anthelmintics being a commercial combination of four anthelmintics (levamisole, closantel, albendazole and abamectin), benzimidazoles and macrocyclic lactones. Most respondents (77%; 51/66) were unaware of anthelmintic resistance on their property. MCA results delineated two clusters of gastrointestinal parasites management.
This study provides insights into the demography of Australian dairy goat farms, the husbandry and grazing practices used by dairy goat farmers, their knowledge regarding gastrointestinal parasites and their practices for internal parasite control, thereby paving the way for tackling drug resistance in gastrointestinal parasites in dairy goats.
线虫和球虫等胃肠道寄生虫给全球山羊产业造成了巨大经济损失。在山羊身上不加区分地使用主要用于绵羊和牛的抗寄生虫药物，已导致产生抗药的胃肠道寄生虫。对于澳大利亚奶山羊养殖户用于控制胃肠道寄生虫的做法，人们了解甚少，而这些做法对于实现对具有经济重要性的寄生虫的可持续控制至关重要。本文报道的这项研究基于对一项在线调查的回应，深入了解了澳大利亚奶山羊养殖户控制胃肠道寄生虫的做法。
问卷包含58个问题，涉及农场人口统计学、饲养与放牧管理、对胃肠道寄生虫的了解及其在奶山羊中的重要性、感染诊断、抗寄生虫药物以及替代控制方法。在进行了一项试点调查（n = 15名受访者）之后，从2023年4月17日至6月16日，问卷链接提供给了澳大利亚奶山羊协会有限公司的所有（n = 456）注册会员。进行了多重对应分析（MCA）以探究所选寄生虫控制做法之间的关联。
共有66名（14%）受访者完成了问卷。其中，74%（49/66）的受访者观察到其山羊患有与寄生虫相关的疾病；其中三分之二的人通过粪便虫卵计数（FEC）评估蠕虫负担，26%（39/149）的人根据FEC结果对山羊进行驱虫。大多数受访者（97%；183/188）认为胃肠道寄生虫会导致生产损失，并将捻转血矛线虫列为最重要的寄生虫。94%（62/66）的受访者使用抗寄生虫药物，最常用的驱虫药是四种驱虫药（左旋咪唑、氯氰碘柳胺、阿苯达唑和阿维菌素）的商业组合、苯并咪唑类和大环内酯类。大多数受访者（77%；51/66）不知道其养殖场存在驱虫抗药性。MCA结果划分出了两类胃肠道寄生虫管理方式。
本研究深入了解了澳大利亚奶山羊养殖场的人口统计学情况、奶山羊养殖户采用的饲养和放牧做法、他们对胃肠道寄生虫的了解以及他们控制体内寄生虫的做法，从而为应对奶山羊胃肠道寄生虫的抗药性问题铺平了道路。
