Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in finishing pigs related with lodging density and sex

Abstract

The objective was to establish the prevalence and identification of eggs of intestinal parasites in the feces of 54 piglets in the finishing phase, and relate parasitic infection rates with the lodging density of the animals, and their sex. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design, consisting of 3 treatments and 3 replications, each bay considered an experimental unit, and composed by animals of both sexes in equal amounts. The treatments were called treatments, 1, 2 and 3 and represented respectively stalls with densities of 0,16; 0,32; and 0,96 pigs/m². The examinations of eggs per gram of feces revealed the presence of eggs in 62.9% of samples. By the examination of spontaneous sedimentation in water were found prevalences of 57.4% for eggs of Strongylida´s order, 1.85% for eggs of Ascaris suum, 98.1% for cysts of Balantidium coli and 3.7% for cists of Entamoeba spp. In statistical analysis, including the effect of treatment, sex and interaction of the latter on the number of eggs found, no effects were significant. The frequency of parasites in pigs in the finishing phase is high and not influenced by sex and density of animals on the housing.