Parasite control in Miranda Donkeys as a way of keeping animal welfare

Abstract

In Portugal, donkeys (Equus asinus) are important in rural areas, like Trás-os-Montes region, where they play a significant role in agriculture and are also companion animals of old-aged people. Leisure activities as ecotourism, races and parades, promoted a sustainable development of the region and have renewed the interest in a local donkey breed, Miranda do Douro Donkey Breed (MDDB). In order to preserve the MDDB in Trás-os-Montes, the Association for the Study and Protection of Donkeys (AEPGA) was created. Field data show that MDDB gastrointestinal parasites have a negative impact on health and animal welfare and their control is important to improve body condition, work capacity, reproductive function as well as life expectancy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence rate (PR), the parasitic intensity (PI) and parasite biodiversity (PBD) of donkeys from MDDB. Between July 2005 and February 2010, 62 adults of MDDB of AEPGA's rehabilitation centers were dewormed every six months (spring and autumn) with ivermectin 2% (1 ml/50 kg BW subcutaneous). Faecal tests were performed before and after each deworming. During this period we observed a decrease of PR (87% to 32%), a decrease of PI [In 2005, 70.4% with strong PI (>1000 EPG) and 29.6% with medium to weak PI (0-1000 EPG); in 2010, 25% with medium PI and 75% with weak PI], and also a decrease in PBD (15 genera in 2005 to Cyathostomum sense latum in 2010). These results showed that a constant monitoring of MDDB parasitism is needed in order to adjust therapeutic measures and reduce the negative impact of parasitism on health and animal welfare. This will allow a better performance of their activities, contributing for an improvement of the owners households and to a sustainable development of this less favored region of Portugal.