Journal article
Severity and prevalence of small lungworm infection on three South Australian farms and associations with sheep carcass characteristics
Jenny E Hanks, Angus JD Campbell, John WA Larsen
VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY | ELSEVIER | Published : 2021
Abstract
This field and abattoir study assessed the association of the severity and prevalence of small lungworm lesions with the carcass characteristics of 1332 lambs and adult sheep bred on three farms in southeast SA. Liveweight and measures of lungworm infection were measured on farm, then lung lesions and carcass characteristics assessed at slaughter. The overall prevalence of small lungworm lesions at slaughter was 79 % (928/1177; 95 % CI 76, 81), with a prevalence of 87 % (569/658; 95 % CI 84, 89) in lambs, and 69 % (359/519; 95 % CI 65, 73) in adults, respectively. Small lungworm infected lambs and adults had a similar hot standard carcass weight and dressing percentage compared to non-infect..
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Funding Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Scobie and Claire Mackinnon Trust, and Meat and Livestock Australia. The Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship supported the involvement of Jenny Hanks in this study. The authors gratefully acknowledge the farm owners and managers for their time and involvement, and for making this study possible. Our colleagues from the Mackinnon project are also gratefully acknowledged for their technical assistance (Dianne Rees, Tabita Tan, Daniel Brookes and Ben Linn). Thank you to Cameron Patrick from the Melbourne Statistical Consulting Platform for helpful advice. The authors wish to acknowledge the Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) Enhanced Abattoir Surveillance (EAS) program, JBS Australia, Wagstaff, and Ararat Meat Exports for access to their premises to complete sampling.