Prevalence and larval burden of Oestrus ovis (Linne 1761) in sheep and goats in northern mediterranean region of France

A slaughterhouse survey to determine prevalence and larval burden of Oestru s olds larvae in sheep and goats was performed monthly during one year in P ezenas, South of France, northern mediterranean region. A total of 1303 she ep and goat heads were selected,at random. O. ovis larvae were found in 274 sheep out of 631 (43.4%), and the prevalence rate varied from 14.3% in Feb ruary to 65% in October. The mean number of larvae in infected sheep heads was 10.86 with 9.24 L1, 0.91 L2 and 0.71 L3. One hundred and ninety-one goats out of 672 were infected (28.4%), and the prevalence rate varied from 6.25% in September to 47.1% in April. In infect ed-goat :heads, the mean parasitic burden was 5.35 with 4.04 L1, 0.73 L2 an d 0.58 L3. These results confirm worldwide observations indicating that the prevalence and the parasitic burdens are less in goats than in sheep. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science B.V. All rights reserved.