|
Horses Shed More Than Just Hair
At Horsemen's Laboratory,
helping horse owners understand the most effective way to use fecal egg counts (FECs) is part of
our mission; as such, we're constantly on the lookout for new information and
research we can share with our customers.
Most horse
people are familiar with shedding when it comes to dog, cat, and horse hair,
but what about equine parasite shedding? That's a new concept for most, and yet
it's an important one to know about when it comes to equine parasite resistance
and developing an effective worm control program.
Horses
'shed' eggs when internal parasites mature and begin to reproduce by laying
eggs. It's a natural part of the equine ecosystem, and trying to keep a horse
completely parasite-free is not only unreasonable, it's pretty much impossible.
During
bowel movements, parasite eggs are passed out of the horse, inside the manure.
If not removed from the pasture or stall, the egg-infused manure provides the
perfect environment for the parasitic lifecycle to continue, contaminating the
environment with larvae that the horse ingests by mouth.
___________________
Some horses 'shed' more parasite eggs into the environment than others, and they should be dewormed more frequently.
___________________
When it
comes to parasite egg shedding, we're finding that all horses are not created equal. Some horses simply shed
more eggs into the environment; they might naturally carry a higher parasite
load, or perhaps have more parasites due to age, immune system, or other
factors. Controlling parasites in the environment, and preventing
re-contamination, is the best thing you can do for your horses.
Determining the level of shedding of any particular
horse requires conducting a fecal egg test; the below chart illustrates the egg
shedding markers, and we've included a general guideline for how frequently
each type of shedder should be dewormed. Climate and other environmental
variables could require a different approach for your own horses, so be sure to
consult your veterinarian to develop a sound program. You can also call our
office if you have questions.
While it's not 100% clear
why some horses shed more parasite eggs than others, what is clear is that
high-shedders need to be dewormed more frequently to reduce environmental and
pasture contamination. Focusing on the high-shedders also reduces your risk of
developing drug-resistant parasites on your property and in your horse
population, and it minimizes the amount of dewormer you need to buy and feed
horses with lower parasite populations.
Coming
next month: Using
'before and after' fecal egg tests to identify parasite resistance and other
issues.
Return to the June issue of Worm Control News
Visit the Horsemen's Laboratory Web site
Worm Control News is written and produced by KempEquine.com.
Copyright 2010 Horsemen's Laboratory. Please contact us at hlab@horsemenslab.com for reprint permission. Linking to Worm Control News is acceptable, and we would appreciate notification of links so we can acknowledge them in future issues.
|
