Senanayake Nipuna Sahan, Boyle Laura, O'Driscoll Keelin, Menant Ophélie, Butler Fidelma
Pig Development Department, Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, Co, Cork, Ireland.
School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Ir Vet J. 2025 May 4;78(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s13620-025-00297-0.
Outdoor farming offers pigs considerable behavioural freedom and better consumer acceptance than intensive, indoor systems. However, gastro - intestinal (GI) parasites pose a significant health and welfare challenge for pigs reared outdoors. The aim of this study was to ascertain effects of management, season and animal factors such as age, on a range of different GI parasites in Irish pigs farmed outdoors. Sixty-five pig faecal samples (a mix from at least 2-4 animals per paddock) were collected from 65 paddocks across 20 outdoor pig farms, over two visits (1 visit - February/May-December 2023, n = 37, 2 visit- July/October 2023, n = 28). Samples were collected and mixed thoroughly to achieve a paddock level sample. Data were also collected related to pig characteristics (grower/fatteners or sows and boars), anthelmintic usage (Yes/No) and paddock rotation (Yes/No) and categorized at paddock level. Samples were analysed using the McMaster floatation method, faecal egg count (FEC) was calculated, and GI parasites were identified by morphology. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyse the effect of season, age, anthelmintic usage and paddock rotation on FEC. Four parasite taxa were identified (Eimeria/Isospora spp., strongyles, Ascaris suum and Trichuris suis). Infection rates were > 80% for Eimeria/Isospora spp. and strongyles, 31% for A. suum and 9% for T. suis for both visits. Eimeria/Isospora spp. FEC was higher at the 2 visit (P < 0.001) and strongyles FEC was higher at the 1 visit (P < 0.05). Fattener pigs had higher FEC for Eimeria/Isospora spp. (P < 0.01) and sows/boars had higher strongyle counts (P < 0.05). Strongyle count was lower with anthelmintic use (P < 0.05) and Eimeria/Isospora spp. count was lower (P = 0.05) with paddock rotation when anthelmintics were used. Lower winter temperatures may have influenced the seasonal variation in strongyle FEC. This study provides a comprehensive picture of GI parasites in outdoor pig farms in Ireland in terms of the taxa, their prevalence and risk factors.
与集约化室内养殖系统相比，户外养殖能给予猪更多的行为自由，且更易为消费者所接受。然而，胃肠道（GI）寄生虫给户外养殖的猪带来了重大的健康和福利挑战。本研究的目的是确定管理方式、季节以及年龄等动物因素对爱尔兰户外养殖猪的一系列不同GI寄生虫的影响。在两次考察期间（第一次考察——2023年2月/5月至12月，n = 37；第二次考察——2023年7月/10月，n = 28），从20个户外养猪场的65个围场中收集了65份猪粪便样本（每个围场至少2 - 4头猪的粪便混合样本）。样本收集后充分混合，以获得围场水平的样本。还收集了与猪的特征（生长育肥猪或母猪和公猪）、驱虫药使用情况（是/否）和围场轮作情况（是/否）相关的数据，并在围场水平进行分类。样本采用麦克马斯特漂浮法进行分析，计算粪便虫卵计数（FEC），并通过形态学鉴定GI寄生虫。使用广义线性混合模型分析季节、年龄、驱虫药使用情况和围场轮作对FEC的影响。鉴定出四种寄生虫类别（艾美耳属/等孢球虫属、圆线虫、猪蛔虫和猪鞭虫）。两次考察中，艾美耳属/等孢球虫属和圆线虫的感染率均> 80%，猪蛔虫的感染率为31%，猪鞭虫的感染率为9%。第二次考察时艾美耳属/等孢球虫属的FEC较高（P < 0.001），第一次考察时圆线虫的FEC较高（P < 0.05）。生长育肥猪的艾美耳属/等孢球虫属FEC较高（P < 0.01），母猪/公猪的圆线虫计数较高（P < 0.05）。使用驱虫药时，圆线虫计数较低（P < 0.05），使用驱虫药且进行围场轮作时，艾美耳属/等孢球虫属计数较低（P = 0.05）。较低的冬季温度可能影响了圆线虫FEC的季节变化。本研究就寄生虫类别、流行情况和风险因素，全面呈现了爱尔兰户外养猪场的GI寄生虫情况。
