PREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO TOXOPLASMA-GONDII IN CATTLE AND SWINE IN THE NETHERLANDS - TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED CONTROL OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

Serological surveys of the prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii were carried out amongst swine and cattle in the Netherlands. Data were analysed according to the different categories of animals. T he results show very low seroprevalences of Toxoplasma gondii in finis hing pigs (1.8%) and in fattening calves (1.2%). In sows and dairy cat tle, respectively, seroprevalences of 30.9% and 27.9% respectively, we re found, demonstrating clearly the environmental infection pressure a nd illustrating the importance of housing and management in establishi ng low infection rates. Substantially different seroprevalences were f ound between dairy cattle sampled in the North and in the South of the Netherlands (13.1% and 42.6%, respectively), The infection rates in t he samples from finishing pigs, fattening calves, and dairy cattle dem onstrate that seroprevalences in individual farms or herds may differ considerably, Investigation of the factors involved can be useful in d etermining the causes of infection and for developing measures with re gard to prevention, The very low seroprevalences in finishing pigs and fattening calves indicate, however, that the production of toxoplasma -free meat may be well within reach in modern husbandry, Since farm an imals easily are infected, serological screening of individual farms o r herds for the absence of T.gondii infection, as a part of the Integr ated Quality Control programme, can be helpful in determining the qual ity of livestock production and in developing certain standards of hyg iene for individual farms.