Caracterização das propriedades de mangalarga marchador no sul de Minas Gerais, quanto a prevalência e resistência das helmintoses

Abstract

The recurrent infections in equine and the indiscriminate use of vermifuges have been selecting resistant populations which make parasite control hard and cause economic loss. This study aimed at evaluating the socio-economic-cultural and management factors associated to the prevalence of equine gastrointestinal helminthes and its resistance to the chemical basis, fenbendazole and ivermectin. We visited 40 Mangalarga Marchador (MM) ranches in southern Minas Gerais, Brazil, randomly chosen, in which we performed interviews. This studies’ sample for calculating the prevalence corresponds to 40 properties, and for the resistance study, 20 properties. We collected feces from randomly chosen animals in all 40 properties for posterior analysis. In the properties in which we performed the resistance study, in addition to collecting the feces, we weighed the animals and performed vermifugation. We returned one week after the treatment and collected the feces of the treated animals. Parasitological exams were performed in laboratory in order to quantify the infection and identifying the parasites. For the treated animals, these exams were conducted to determine the efficiency of the anti-helminthic used. The data were tabulated in the Epidata and analyzed in the SPSS 18.0 software. Descriptive analyses were performed for all variables. In order to evaluate the factors related to the dependent variables we used the qui-square test, seeking the association between the qualitative variables, Mainn-Whittney and Kruskal-wallis, for the quantitative variables which did not follow normal distribution, and t test and Anova, for the quantitative variables with normal distribution. The odds ratios were calculated with its confidence intervals and a level of significance of 95%. We observed a large similarity in the breeders’ profiles, as well as in the property characterization, management and parasite control. Most breeders are characterized as presenting high degree of instruction, experience in equineculture and possessing an alternative main income source. The cyathostomes were the most prevalent helminthes, followed by the Oxyuris and the large strongylus. Most of the animals and properties presented moderate to solid infections. The properties which prioritize equineculture had smaller chance of presenting animals with solid infection. The rainy season favored solid infections. The resistance profile was similar in most MM properties in southern Minas Gerais, presenting populations resistant to fenbendazole and sensitive to ivermectin.