Epidemiological survey of parasitic infections of the digestive tract in 4dairy goat farms from the South East of France: consequences on the milk production curves

An epidemiological survey, based on monthly samples, was conducted for one year in 4 dairy goat farms in the South East of France in order to collect informations on the intensity and diversity of the parasitism of the digest ive tract and to examine their consequences on the milk production curves. The objective was also to assess whether analysis of these curves might pro vide a way to decide or not to treat the goats. The results confirm that th e main parasitism is represented by infections of the gastro intestinal tra ct with trichostrongyle nematodes, with Teladorsagia and Trichostrongylus b eing the most prevalent genera. Dicrocoelium lanceolatum and Moniezia sp we re present in 2 out 4 of farms and the highest parasitic diversity was foun d in an organic farm. The intensity of nematode infections was low in the 4 farms including the one with no annual treatment. These data suggest that in dairy goat farms where open rangelands represent a large part of the grazing surfaces, the control of parasitism can be ach ieved with a minimal number of treatments. The variations of milk productio n curves have generally been related to the nutritional management of the f lock. However, due to the low level of parasite infection, it was not possi ble, in the conditions of the survey, to relate changes in the milk curve w ith any peak of parasitism.