Survey of internal parasitism and anthelmintic use in farmed deer

Faecal samples and questionnaires from 115 and 130 farms respectively were used to survey the internal parasite status of the national deer herd and examine current drenching practices. The survey included farms with red deer and wapiti-red deer crosses (Cervus elaphus), and fallow deer (Dama dama). Gastrointestinal nematode eggs were recorded from 84% of all farms, Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae from 85% of all farms, and Elaphostrongylus cervi larvae from 35% of the farms with C. elaphus. Faecal egg and larval counts were generally low. There was a significant relationship between the presence of Elaphostrongylus and the introduction of deer from Southland/Fiordland. Fenbendazole, oxfendazole and albendazole were the most frequently used anthelmintics of the 14 reported. Drenching programmes were extremely varied.     

Feline gingivitis

AIM: To discover whether cross infection between red deer (Cervus elaphus) and cattle is possible with either a bovine isolate of the cattle lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparus, or with a cervine isolate of the lungworm, Dictyocaulus eckerti.

METHOD: Twelve cattle and 12 red deer were reared parasitefree from birth. At 3–4 months of age, half of each group (n=6) were experimentally infected with D. viviparus and the other half with D. eckerti. The course of infection was monitored for 34 days, after which the animals were slaughtered and the lungs removed to assess levels of infection.

RESULTS: Faecal larval counts demonstrated that patent Dictyocaulus infections occurred in all groups. At necropsy, adult worms were found in the lungs in all groups except the cattle that were infected with D. eckerti. The largest numbers of adult worms were found in the lungs of the red deer infected with D. eckerti.

CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated that both cattle and red deer could be infected with either D. viviparus or D. eckerti. However, D. eckerti larvae that originated from deer established more successfully in deer and D. viviparus larvae that originated from cattle established more successfully in cattle.     

Mycobacteria isolated from deer in New Zealand from 1970–1983

Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from 504 deer from 1970 to 1983. It was first isolated from feral red deer (Cervus elaphus) in New Zealand in 1970, and from farmed deer in 1978. Cervine tuberculosis has emerged as a significant problem in farmed deer and in 1983 M. bovis was found on 40 different farms. Thirty-five isolates of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare have been cultured from deer but were associated with clinical disease in only four cases. Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum, Mycobacterium diernhoferi, Mycobacterium gastri, Mycobacterium chelonei, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium vaccae were isolated from deer but were not considered to be pathogenic.     

Field studies investigating anthelmintic resistance in young cattle on five farms in New Zealand

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of pour-on anthelmintics against field strains of parasitic nematodes in young cattle on five farms in New Zealand.

METHODS: Faecal nematode egg count (FEC) reduction (FECR) tests were carried out on five calf-rearing farms using pour-on formulations of levamisole, ivermectin, eprinomectin, and the simultaneous administration of levamisole and ivermec- tin. Faecal samples were collected per rectum before treatment and about 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment, for FEC and faecal nematode larval culture.

RESULTS: Resistance (i.e. <95% reduction in FEC) of Cooperia oncophora to ivermectin and eprinomectin was identified on all five farms. There was limited evidence of possible emerging resistance in Ostertagia spp to ivermectin but not eprinomectin, in short-tailed larvae of Cooperia spp to ivermectin and eprinomec- tin, and in Trichostrongylus spp to ivermectin, eprinomectin and levamisole used separately. Levamisole was effective against C. oncophora, but had variable efficacy against Ostertagia spp in the calves in this study. Simultaneous treatment with levamisole and ivermectin pour-on formulations were effective against all genera on all farms.

CONCLUSIONS: To effectively manage roundworm parasites in their calves farmers need to be aware of the resistance status of the parasites on their farms. Levamisole is likely to be an effective anthelmintic on most farms at times of the year when the impact of Ostertagia spp is not high. Simultaneous administration of levamisole and ivermectin pour-on anthelmintics to cattle is likely to control both ML-resistant C. oncophora and stages of Ostertagia spp that are not controlled by levamisole alone.     

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis recovered from the faeces of clinically healthy deer

Extract

Sir:— A recent paper by Henderson and Hemmingsen(1) reported the recovery of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis from the faeces of 5 of 3810 (0.13%) clinically healthy deer in a national survey conducted on 122 farms. The isolates were obtained from animals on four (3.27%) different farms. The authors concluded on the basis of these results and unpublished data that Y. pseudotuberculosis was only rarely recovered from faeces of healthy deer.     

Benzimidazole resistance in Nematodirus spathiger and N. filicollis in New Zealand

AIM: To determine the prevalence of benzimidazole resistance in Nematodirus spathiger and N. filicollis from a sample of New Zealand farms.

METHODS: The efficacy of albendazole (ABZ) against Nematodirus spp. was assessed by faecal nematode egg count reduction (FECR) tests undertaken in lambs aged 3–8 months old on 27 sheep farms throughout New Zealand. On each farm, groups of 10–16 lambs were either treated with ABZ (4.75?mg/kg) or remained as untreated controls. Faecal samples were collected from all animals at the time of treatment and 7–10 days later. Faecal nematode egg counts (FEC) were performed using a modified McMaster technique. Larvae were cultured from pooled faecal samples, collected 7–10 days after treatment from each group, by incubation at 20°C for 6 weeks, 4°C for 26 weeks then 13°C for 2 weeks. The resulting third stage larvae were identified to species using a multiplex PCR assay, that identified species-specific sequences in the second internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA. The efficacy of ABZ for N. spathiger and N. filicollis was calculated from the proportion of the two species in culture and the group mean FEC before and after treatment. Only farms with a mean of 10?epg for each species in untreated samples were included for analysis. Resistance was defined as an efficacy <95%.

RESULTS: On farms that met the threshold of 10?epg in faecal samples, benzimidazole resistance was found on 20/21 (95%) farms for N. spathiger compared with 4/10 (40%) farms for N. filicollis (p<0.05). In samples collected following treatment, a mean of 83 (min 46, max 100)% of Nematodirus spp. larvae recovered from the untreated groups were N. spathiger, compared with 94 (min 45, max 100)% in the ABZ treated groups (p=0.03). This change in percentage was not influenced by the overall efficacy of treatment based on the FECR test (p=0.324).

CONCLUSION: The results confirm the high level of resistance in N. spathiger in New Zealand and that benzimidazole resistance was more common in N. spathiger than N. filicollis. While resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics has been reported previously in New Zealand, this is the first report of N. filicollis being resistant to benzimidazole anthelmintics.     

Faecal bacteria of wild ruminants and the alpine marmot

Faecal samples from 60 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 13 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 7 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 41 alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) and soils mixed with deer faeces from the Stelvio National Park were examined forCampylobacter sp. andSalmonella sp. with negative results.The same material, especially deer faeces, was a habitat highly suitable forYersinia sp.:Y. enterocolitica (two biotypes) was isolated twice,Y. kristen-senii (two serotypes) was isolated 19 times,Y. frederiksenii andY. intermedia were isolated once.Antibiotic-resistantEscherichia coli were isolated from 16 specimens from wild ruminants, one from marmot and two from feeding places.This article was presented as a paper at the 8th International Symposium Enteric Infections and their Control of the World Association of Veterinary Microbiologists, Immunologists and Specialists in Infectious Diseases (Perth, Western Australia, 20 August 1983).     

Traumatic myositis ossificans in a dog

AIM: To determine the distribution of the three common Trichostrongylus spp. infecting sheep and their resistance status on farms throughout New Zealand, using PCR.

METHODS: Cultures were prepared from faecal samples from 70 farms while conducting faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) in lambs between 2010 and 2012. Trichostrongylus-type infective stage larvae (L3) were recovered from cultures, derived from untreated control and albendazole-, levamisole- and ivermectin-treated groups of lambs on each of the farms involved, and these were identified to species using PCR analysis of the second internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA. The species composition of the larvae present in cultures from the untreated control groups was examined across all farms to assess any potential differences in geographical distribution. In addition, the species composition of larvae cultured from the untreated and anthelmintic-treated lamb groups were compared to determine which species exhibited resistance to each of the anthelmintics used in the FECRT.

RESULTS: Of 67 farms with Trichostrongylus spp. present, 42 (63%) cultures from the untreated control groups contained all three Trichostrongylus spp. and no significant geographical patterns in their distribution were detected. Seven samples contained only one species. Irrespective of the anthelmintic efficacy levels, Trichostrongylus colubriformis dominated cultures prepared from lambs following treatment with albendazole (99.1 (95%CI?=?97?100)% of larvae) or levamisole (81.6 (95%CI?=?75.3?87.9)% of larvae), indicating the presence of widespread resistance in this species. In cultures prepared from levamisole-treated lambs, small numbers of T. axei larvae were also frequently present (5.4 (95% CI?=?1.3?12.4)% of larvae). Resistance to ivermectin was not found in any of the three Trichostrongylus spp. after PCR identification. Although larvae were identified, based on length, as being Trichostrongylus spp., for 24 of the 48 samples cultured following treatment with ivermectin, 100% of the larvae present were identified as Teladorsagia circumcincta.

CONCLUSIONS: As in previous surveys, all three Trichostrongylus spp. were common throughout New Zealand and no geographical patterns were detected in the current study. On all farms where resistance to albendazole and/or levamisole was indicated (i.e. efficacy <95%), the species identified as being resistant was T. colubriformis. Even where efficacies were >95%, T. colubriformis still tended to dominate in post-treatment cultures. While this could reflect a lower susceptibility of T. colubriformis to these anthelmintics, it seems more likely to indicate the presence of resistant genotypes in these populations. Similarly, T. axei also tended to be present after treatment with levamisole, which likely reflects a known lower susceptibility of this species to these anthelmintics.     

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boar and deer in Brandenburg,Germany

Consumption of game in Germany has increased during the past 10 years. Wild boar (Sus scrofa), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) are the most frequently hunted and consumed game animals in Germany, yet information on the occurrence of zoonotic pathogens in these animal species is scarce. To better estimate the public health risk emanating from handling and consumption of game, this study investigated seroprevalences of Toxoplasma gondii in game hunted in the German federal state of Brandenburg during two hunting seasons from 2017 to 2019. Toxoplasma gondii‐specific antibodies were detected in 24.4% (44/180, 95% CI: 18.4%–31.4%) of wild boar, 12.8% (16/125, 95% CI: 7.5%–20%) of roe deer and 6.4% (3/47, 95% CI: 1.3%–17.5%) of red deer using a commercial ELISA kit. Seroprevalences were similar in the two hunting seasons. Correlation between sex and seropositivity could not be observed. A rise in seroprevalence was seen with increasing age in all studied game species. Observed seroprevalences suggest that T. gondii is endemic in the sylvatic environment in the German federal state of Brandenburg and imply that game could represent a relevant source for human T. gondii infection.     

Serological surveillance for Tahyna virus (California encephalitis orthobunyavirus,Peribunyaviridae) neutralizing antibodies in wild ungulates in Austria,Hungary and Romania

A serosurvey for Tahyna virus (TAHV), a mosquito‐borne California encephalitis orthobunyavirus (Peribunyaviridae) endemic to Europe, was performed to estimate the activity of TAHV on a broad geographic scale. Sera from wild boar (Sus scrofa), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) were collected from Austria, Hungary and Romania. Samples were tested for neutralizing antibodies against TAHV using a virus microneutralization assay. The results demonstrate that TAHV transmission to mammals is widespread in Europe, particularly in the wild boar population where the mean rate of seroconversion is 15.2%.     

Immunoglobulin G Class Identification from Wild Ungulates by Cross‐reactivity with Antisera to Domestic Animals

Seven species of Spanish ungulates were tested for the presence of homologous immunoglobulin G (IgG) with a gel‐diffusion test using bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine IgG antisera. Homologous ovine and caprine IgG were detected in sera from chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica), mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon), red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Homologous porcine IgG was detected in wild boar (Sus scrofa) serum. Immunoelectrophoretic assays were performed to compare the electrophoretic mobility of IgG from domestic and wild species.     

Cooperia pectinata (Nematoda: Trichostrongylidae) in New Zealand

Cooperia pectinata, a nematode parasite hitherto undetected in New Zealand, was recovered from the small intestine of a six-month-old red deer (Cervus elaphus) born on a deer farm in Taihape. The source of this infection is unknown but it seems likely that it originated from feral stock.     

Efficacy of slow-release albendazole capsules in controlling lungworms and gastro-intestinal nematodes in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

One hundred and fifteen young red deer (Cervus elaphus), heavily infected with lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus) and lightly infected with gastro-intestinal nematodes, were divided into three groups. One group of 50 animals was treated with one adult sheep dose of a slow-release albendazole capsule, another group of 50 was dosed orally five times with liquid albendazole and 15 were left as untreated controls. The capsule eliminated faecal lungworm larvae during the 103-day trial period There was a highly significant difference in faecal larval counts between the capsule-treated and control group. Over the trial period, the mean body weight gain of the untreated, liquid albendazole and capsule-treated animals was 0.1 kg, 4.5 kg and 7.8 kg respectively.     

An introductory survey of helminth control practices in south africa and anthelmintic resistance on Thoroughbred stud farms in the Western Cape Province

Fifty-one per cent of 110 questionnaires, designed for obtaining information on helminth control practices and management on Thoroughbred stud farms in South Africa, were completed by farmers during 2000. The number of horses per farm included in the questionnaire survey ranged from 15 to 410. Foals, yearlings and adult horses were treated with anthelmintics at a mean of 7.3 +/- 3.0, 6.6 +/- 2.7 and 5.3 +/- 2.3 times per year, respectively. An average of 3.4 different drugs were used annually, with ivermectin being used bymost farmers during 1997-2000. On 43% of farms the weights of horses were estimated by weigh band and 45% of farmers estimated visually, while both were used on 7% of farms and scales on the remaining 5%. Doses were based on average group weight on 50% ofthe farms and on individual weights on 46%. Forty-three per cent of farmers performed faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT). Most farmers rotated horses between pastures and treated new horses at introduction. Faecal removal was practiced on 61% of farms and less than 50% of farmers used alternate grazing with ruminants. Faecal egg count reduction tests were done on 283 horses, using oxibendazole, ivermectin and moxidectin on 10,9 and 5 farms, respectively, in the Western Cape Province during 2001. While the efficacy of oxibendazole was estimated by FECRT to range from 0-88% and moxidectin from 99-100%, ivermectin resulted in a 100% reduction in egg counts. Only cyathostome larvae were recovered from post-treatment faecal cultures.     

Observations of leptospirosis in farmed deer

AIMS: Slaughterhouse and on-farm surveys were undertaken to investigate some aspects of leptospirosis (Leptospira interrogans) in farmed deer in the lower North Island of New Zealand. METHODS: Blood samples and kidneys were collected at slaughter from 601 l-year and older red and red X Wapiti stags and 21 adult hinds from 53 farms (10 or 12 deer per farm). Serum samples were analysed for up to seven Leptospiral serovars. Gross and histological examinations of kidneys were undertaken. Kidneys from 202 deer were cultured for leptospires. A follow-up postal questionnaire (68% response) indicated one herd had been vaccinated prior to the survey. Serological analyses were also carried out on serum bank samples from a previous on-farm survey involving male and female weaner, yearling and adult red deer from 16 commercial deer farms in March and November. RESULTS: Serological reactions at titres > or = 96 to serovar hardjo were present in 73.6%, pomona in 41.5%, copenhageni in 11.3% and tarassovi in 15.1% of farms from the slaughterhouse survey. Antibodies to serovars australis, ballam and balanica were present in three, one and four of six herds studied, respectively. Titre prevalence to hardjo was higher than that of pomona and other serovars within farms. Cultures for Leptospira were positive in 10 stags from six lines with similar prevalence across age groups. Histological examination showed many gross lesions were associated with mild interstitial cellular infiltration characteristic of subclinical Leptospiral infections. Some sections from culture-positive kidneys contained spirochetes in renal tubules. The on-farm survey showed a 10-30% within-herd prevalence of pomona and hardjo titres in 56% of 3-month-old deer herds, but by 11 months of age, 100% of herds were titre-positive with high prevalences to one or both serovars. Concurrently, herds of 1-year-old and adult deer on the same farms were all seropositive. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that Leptospiral infections are common in farmed deer in the survey area.     

Congenital contraction of the gastrocnemius and superficial digital flexor muscles in a friesian calf

The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is a host for two louse species, Damalinia longicornis and Solenopotes burmeisteri. Little is known of their prevalence or population dynamics; numbers are likely to peak in winter. Numbers may increase secondarily to malnutrition or disease. Lice are unlikely to seriously affect deer health under most conditions. “Pour-on” insecticides have been used for treatment but their efficacy has not been critically assessed. Animals can be sprayed using garden spray equipment, providing that such equipment has not been used for other toxic chemicals such as weed killers. Little is known of the toxicity of insecticides for deer, so they should be used with care and not used on stressed animals. No lice have been recorded from the fallow deer (Dama dama) in New Zealand.

Dictyocaulus viviparus infects red and fallow deer and can cause high mortalities of young farmed red deer in their first autumn and winter. In clinical cases respiratory signs are seldom obvious but loss of condition and dullness of coat may be evident. Clinical evidence and lung lesions suggest that the pathogenesis of disease may differ from that in cattle. Anthelmintics effective against D. viviparus in cattle are not necessarily effective in deer. Little is known of the significance of lungworm to farmed fallow deer. Research on lungworm in deer is urgently needed.     

Winter Scours' in sheep — An oibsolete term

We recently published a paper⁽¹⁾ documenting the success of head-only electrical stunning in red deer (Cervus elaphus). This work has now been extended to fallow deer (Dama dama) to determine whether there are differences between this species and red deer in terms of behavioural responses and effectiveness of electrical stunning.     

Wild fallow deer (Dama dama) as definitive hosts of Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke) in alpine New South Wales

To determine the extent to which wild deer are contributing in the transmission of Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke) livers from deer shot by hunters, farmers undertaking population control on their farms and vertebrate pest controllers were collected and frozen. The livers were later thawed, sliced and examined for the presence of adult flukes or evidence of past infection. Livers from 19 deer were examined (18 fallow [Dama dama] and one sambar [Rusa unicolor]). Seventeen of the fallow deer were animals collected on farms near Jindabyne, New South Wales. The remaining fallow deer was collected in the Australian Capital Territory and one sambar deer was collected in north-eastern Victoria. Nine of the 17 deer (53%) from the Jindabyne area were either infected with Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke) or had thickened bile ducts indicating past infection. Infection levels in the infected animals varied widely from 3 liver fluke to over 50 per liver. No sign of infection was present in the deer from the Australian Capital Territory or Victoria. Fallow deer are wide-spread in the Jindabyne area and their population is increasing. It is likely their contribution to the maintenance and distribution of F. hepatica to livestock in the Jindabyne area, and in other livestock rearing areas of south-eastern Australia, is important and increasing.     

The identity and prevalence of coccidia species in sheep and cattle in New Zealand

The results of a national survey of faeces from clinically normal deer for Salmonella sp. and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis are reported. Five isolates of Y. pseudotuberculosis and none of Salmonella sp. were made from 3810 faeces representing 122 farms.     

The complete mitochondrial genome of the domestic red deer (Cervus elaphus) of New Zealand and its phylogenic position within the family Cervidae

We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the semidomestic red deer (Cervus elaphus) of New Zealand. The genome was 16 357 bp long and contained 13 protein‐coding genes, 12SrRNA, 16SrRNA, 22 tRNAs and a D‐loop as found in other mammals. Database homology searches showed that the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence from the New Zealand semidomestic deer was similar to partial mtDNA sequences from the European, Norwegian (C. e. atlanticus) and Spanish red deer (C. e. hispanicus). Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial protein‐coding regions revealed two well‐defined monophyletic clades in subfamilies Cervinae and Muntiacinae. However, red deer and Sika deer were not found to be close relatives. The analysis did identify the red deer as a sister taxon of a Samber/Sika deer clade, although it was more closely related to the Samber than the Sika group.