47 Effect of Summer Heat Stress on Internal Parasite Populations in Lebanese Baladi Goats

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections affecting ruminants pose serious problems whenever management systems are deficient with inappropriate nutrition and sanitation. The Lebanese Baladi goat, reared under very challenging transhumant conditions, is recently being challenged with nutrient availability due to the recent economic crisis. Therefore, prevalence of helminth parasites was studied in 90 Baladi does raised under three different management systems (Man) of intensive/managed (M), extensive/pastoral (P) or semi-intensive/agro-pastoral (AP). A 5-point score assessment of fat and muscle covering using Body Condition Score (BCS), anemic state revealed by conjunctivae mucosal color using FAMACHA, nostril discharge, stool character and bottle jaw edema were recorded twice for each system at two predetermined summer periods of heat stress (HS) with THI of 20 and 24 respectively, and fecal samples collected. Fecal nematode eggs (FEC) and protozoan oocyst count (FOC) were analyzed using a modified McMaster method. Results showed that BCS were not altered (P > 0.05) between heat stress periods, but decreased in M. FAMACHA did not differ (P > 0.05) between M, P and AP. All fecal samples tested showed strongyles nematodes, while 98% showed Eimeria spp. with occasional occurrence of Scrjabinema and Moniezia. Parasitic burden of GIN was low at 17%, while Eimeria was high at 98 %. Further, there was a significant (P < 0.001) Man x HS for HOTC, with 5-fold (P < 0.05) greater in AP but not M or P in late summer, indicating a contaminated and overgrazed agro-pastoral land. Though summer heat stress effect was not obvious on endoparasite prevalence in Lebanese Baladi goats, the confounding effects of resilience to GIN, nutritional and heat stress in these locally resilient goats require further investigation. This study reports, for the first time in Lebanon, the prevalence of GIN using the McMaster method and 5-point score in Local Baladi goats, and therefore these methods require further validation for on-farm use.