Effect of breeding conditions, phenology, and age on the occurrence of helminths in pigs. A preliminary study

Comparative faecal analysis-based research on the occurrence of helminths in pigs was conducted in two farms, which differ in their breeding system; in one, the pigs were kept indoors, while the pigs reared on the other had access to outdoor facilities. An examination of 118 faecal samples revealed the presence of the following four helminth species: Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis, Strongyloides ransomi, and Oesophagostomum sp. The helminth prevalence was very low (14.41%) and the mean number of eggs per sample being low as well (8.91%). The values of the basic parasitological indicators, and the richness of the species in the free- ranging herd proved significantly (P<0.007) higher than in the stock lacking access to outdoor facilities. The differences between the two pig farming systems compared were also found to be related to the age and phenology of the pigs studied.