PARASITES OF STOMACH AND SMALL-INTESTINE OF 70 HORSES SLAUGHTERED IN THE NETHERLANDS

The prevalence of metazoan parasites in the stomach and small intestin e was investigated in 70 horses slaughtered in the period February 199 4 - July 1994, R/Iost horses were young (1.5 - 3 years) and in good co ndition, Trichostrongylus axel was the most prevalent parasite species in the stomach (51.4%), followed by Gasterophilus intestinalis (41.4% ) and Habronema spp, (4.3%), In the small intestine, Parascaris equoru m (28.6%) and Paranoplocephala mamillana (1.4%) were found, The mean w orm burden of T. axei was 957 (max, 8502), of G, intestinalis 21 (max, 84), of Habronema spp, 3 (max, 5), and of P, equorum 32 (max, 308), O ne single specimen of P, maxillana was seen, All bets of G, intestinal is were in the third instar stage, No seasonal pattern and no influenc e of the parasites on the condition of the horses could be observed.