Common Parasitic Diseases of Pigs, Cattle and Sheep and Their Prevention and Treatment Methods, Farmers Must Know

Pigs, cattle and sheep were livestock used for sacrifices in ancient times, and they are also widely farmed domestic animals. During the breeding process, it is inevitable that pests and diseases will occur and cause losses. Below is an introduction to the common parasitic diseases of pigs, cattle and sheep and their prevention and treatment methods! The vast number of farmers should read carefully.

Common parasitic diseases of pigs and their prevention and treatment:

1. Common parasitic diseases of pigs

1. Swine ascariasis. Adult worms parasitize the small intestine, while larvae develop in the intestinal wall, liver and lungs in a migration process that can cause pneumonia and liver damage. Some migrate into the stomach, causing vomiting, and in severe cases can lead to intestinal obstruction. On necropsy, worms can be seen in the intestinal tract.

2. Swine sarcoptic mange. Affected pigs itch at the affected areas and frequently rub against pen walls, fences and other places. After one week, red rashes appear on the skin, and some form pustules. After a slightly longer time, the pustules rupture and form scabs. The skin at the affected areas becomes dry and cracked. Severe cases can be fatal, but most cause poor development and slow growth.

3. Toxoplasmosis. Affected pigs are depressed, with reduced or complete loss of appetite, yellow urine and dry feces, continued fever, and difficulty breathing with abdominal breathing. In the later stage, cyanosis can be seen on the ears, under the abdomen and on the limbs of affected pigs.

4. Trichinellosis. Adult Trichinella parasitize the intestinal tract, and larvae parasitize striated muscle. It can infect humans, and human infection can be fatal. Humans are mainly infected by eating raw or undercooked pork containing Trichinella cysts.

2. Main prevention and treatment measures

1. Strengthen environmental hygiene.

2. Regular deworming. Generally, deworming is carried out in spring and autumn each year, and piglets are dewormed at weaning.

3. Commonly used deworming drugs

1. Levamisole, orally, 7-10 mg per kg body weight, generally used for pig roundworms, pig lung nematodes, pig kidney worms, etc.

2. Ivermectin and avermectin, 0.3 mg per kg body weight, one subcutaneous injection, repeated once after one week for ideal results.

3. Trichlorfon for external use needs to be prepared as a 1% concentration medicinal solution to clean the affected areas, once a day, for one week. For internal use, it can be mixed into feed at 100 mg per kg body weight, taken orally once.

Common parasitic diseases of sheep and their prevention and treatment:

1. Sheep fascioliasis

This disease is a parasitic disease caused by Fasciola parasitizing the liver bile ducts of sheep and other ruminants. It mostly parasitizes cattle, water buffalo, sheep and goats. It mostly occurs in summer and autumn, with June to September being the peak season.

Main prevention and treatment measures: (1) Regular deworming should be carried out every year, once in spring and once in autumn, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of this disease. (2) Commonly used deworming drugs: closantel, 4-6 mg per kg body weight, orally once; albendazole, 20 mg per kg body weight, orally, effective against adult worms, with poor effect against immature worms.

2. Sheep mange

Sheep mange is a chronic, contagious and highly infectious skin disease caused by Sarcoptes scabiei var. ovis or Psoroptes ovis parasitizing the body surface of sheep. Sarcoptic mites mostly parasitize less hairy areas such as the lips, nose, around the eyes, ears, head, inner sides of the legs and tail base of sheep, while psoroptic mites mostly parasitize the densely haired rump and back, then spread to the whole body.

Main prevention and treatment measures: (1) Use a 0.25% solution of mange net for medicated bathing, once each in spring and autumn every year, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of sheep mange. (2) Commonly used deworming drugs: use 1% ivermectin injection, at a dose of 0.02 ml per kg body weight, one subcutaneous injection.

This disease is mainly caused by several tapeworms such as Moniezia, Thysaniezia and Avitellina parasitizing in the small intestine, and it is especially harmful to lambs, even causing death in groups.

Main prevention and treatment measures: (1) Regular deworming. Deworm sheep before changing from housed feeding to grazing. Deworm twice within one month of grazing, and deworm three times after one month. (2) Commonly used deworming drugs: albendazole 10 mg per kg body weight; niclosamide 100 mg per kg body weight. (3) After deworming, sheep feces should be promptly gathered and piled for fermentation, and at least 2-3 months are needed to kill the eggs.

Common parasitic diseases of cattle and their prevention and treatment:

1. Fascioliasis

This is a parasitic disease that parasitizes in the liver bile ducts of cattle and can cause cholangitis, hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Main prevention and treatment measures: (1) Try not to graze or water in low-lying, damp areas to reduce the chance of infection.

(2) Deworm cattle once each in spring and autumn every year. (3) Commonly used treatment drugs: closantel, 3-4 mg per kg body weight, orally. In addition to this class of drugs, albendazole is also effective.

2. Piroplasmosis

This is a seasonal parasitic disease caused by piroplasms. This disease can be transmitted by blood-sucking insects.

Main prevention and treatment measures: (1) Eliminate ticks on cattle. (2) Commonly used treatment drugs: diminazene, 4-7 mg per kg body weight by intramuscular injection, used 3 times consecutively, once every 24 hours; piroplasm, 1 mg per kg body weight, by intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, with each interval of 24 hours.

3. Neonatal calf ascariasis

This is a parasitic disease caused by Neoascaris vitulorum parasitizing the small intestine of calves, causing digestive tract symptoms such as enteritis, abdominal pain and diarrhea in calves.

Main prevention and treatment measures: (1) In addition to strengthening feeding management and doing a good job in pen hygiene and manure treatment, the main measure is timely deworming of infected calves. (2) Commonly used treatment drug: levamisole, orally, 20 mg per kg body weight.