Abstract
BackgroundPasture management influences the prevalence and impact of the pasture parasites (PP) in cattle herds, which cause production-limiting disease worldwide. Evaluating farmer management strategies is vital when considering sustainable PP control practices. The aim of this questionnaire-based study was to describe the pasture management and control strategies regarding PP in Norwegian beef cattle (BC) and dairy cattle (DC) production systems with a focus on gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) and Fasciola hepatica.ResultsA total of 745 responses from BC (return rate 20.5%) and 1347 responses from DC farmers (30.7%) were included. The mean total pasture time for DC was 4.2 months for first-season grazers and 4.3 months for second-season grazers and cows, while the corresponding finding in BC was 5.4 months. Home pasture was used for most of the pasture period, particularly for first-season grazer dairy heifers (81%), which were also commonly grazed on the same pasture every year (79%). For most farmers it was necessary for grazing areas to be used for cattle for more than one season (77% of BC farmers and 89% of DC farmers). However, changing the pasture during the season was common in both DC (67%) and BC (70%) herds. The majority of DC farmers (60%) stated that they did not consider that they had a problem with PP. Of the remaining 40%, few respondents could specify whether their herds had a problem due to infection by GIN (11%) or liver flukes (12%). Treatment for GIN was performed by 52% of DC and 34% of BC farmers. Diagnostic faecal samples were collected upon suspicion of parasitic disease by 5% of DC and 16% of BC farmers. Veterinarians were stated as a central source of information about parasite management and treatment.ConclusionsPotential risks for exposure to PP were identified, such as use of the same pasture every year for first-season grazers and frequent use of home pasture. The perception of problems related to PP appeared low. Regular anthelmintic treatment without concurrent use of diagnostic faecal samples seems to be common practice.
Highlights
Pasture management influences the prevalence and impact of the pasture parasites (PP) in cattle herds, which cause production-limiting disease worldwide
Studies of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in the 1970s and 1980s found that Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora were the dominant species in Norwegian cattle, potentially impacting the growth rate of grazing calves [4, 5]
Characteristics of the pasture and grazing time Home pasture is agricultural land that can be used as pasture and is not harvested by the use of machines
Summary
Pasture management influences the prevalence and impact of the pasture parasites (PP) in cattle herds, which cause production-limiting disease worldwide. Evaluating farmer management strategies is vital when considering sustainable PP control practices The aim of this questionnaire-based study was to describe the pasture management and control strategies regarding PP in Norwegian beef cattle (BC) and dairy cattle (DC) production systems with a focus on gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) and Fasciola hepatica. Pasture parasite (PP) infections are amongst the most important production-limiting diseases of grazing cattle worldwide. Studies of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in the 1970s and 1980s found that Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora were the dominant species in Norwegian cattle, potentially impacting the growth rate of grazing calves [4, 5]. Its pathogenic effect is often aggravated by co-infection with C. oncophora in the small intestine
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