Prevalence of tapeworms (anoplocephalidae) in horses in Northern Germany

Prevalence of tapeworms (anoplocephalidae) in horses in Northern Germany wa s examined collecting faecal samples of horses from different stables of Lo wer-Saxony and Schleswig-Holsatia. If possible, all animals of an individua l facility and 20 g faeces as minimum were examined using a routine method (sedimentation-flotation). Additionally, data about pasture management, dew orming and hygiene of the facility were collected using a questionnaire. A total of 1127 faecal samples of 54 different facilities were exmained and a prevalence of 3.0 per cent is calculated for individual samples. As tapewo rm infections in horses affect all horses grazing on the same pasture and n ot all infected horses are coproscopically positive, thus positive faecal s amples have to be regarded as indicator for a contaminated pasture. Every s table with individual positive faecal samples was regarded as at risk for t apeworm infections. Calculation of prevalence on a herd basis showed that A noplocephala infections occured in 35.2 per cent of the investigated stable s and, therefore, at a more sensitive level of slaughterhouse or necropsy s tudies.