RISK-FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OCCURRENCE OF SARCOCYSTOSIS IN WESTERN-AUSTRALIA - RESULTS OF A POSTAL SURVEY

A postal survey was conducted to identify important risk factors assoc iated with the presence or absence of bovine sarcocystosis in a sample of 127 Western Australian cattle farmers. Seventy-three replies were received and analysed using the odds ratio (OR) method. A smaller prop ortion (P < 0.0001) of herds were infected in the northern area (31.2% ) than in the southern area (84.2%) and a significantly (P < 0.025) hi gher stocking rate was found in herds infected by Sarcocystis (xBAR = 1.2 beast ha-1) than in non-infected herds (xBAR = 0.67 beast ha-1). H erds infected by Sarcocystis spp. had higher odds (OR = 5.4) (P < 0.05 ) of reporting one or more cases of bovine abortion than non-infected herds. Positive associations were found between infected herds and dog s fed raw meat, the presence of working dogs and the practice of leavi ng carcases in the field. Foxes were found to be strongly associated ( OR = 9.17, P < 0.01) with Sarcocystis infection in those herds where c arcases were not properly disposed of, whereas dingoes and feral dogs (OR = 0.20) and feral cats (OR = 0.32) were found to be associated wit h low odds of Sarcocystis infection.