Distribution of Bovine Demodicosis in the Forest-Steppe Zone of the Northern Trans-Urals

Abstract

Researchers and veterinarians engaged in animal husbandry constantly note the relevance of the topic of combating ecto- and endoparasites of cattle, since their associative parasitism causes huge economic damage, which consists of a decrease in meat and milk productivity, breeding value, as well as a lack of high-quality tanning raw materials. Today, a special place among the diseases of the parasitic system in cattle belongs to demodicosis, which has a significant distribution in various climatic zones of the Russian Federation and other
countries. In this regard, the research objective was to study the prevalence of demodectic invasion in cattle in the forest-steppe zone of the Northern Trans-Urals. To study the spread of demodicosis in cattle, a clinical examination of 21,554 heads was carried out in 2002-2018 with confirmation of the diagnosis by microscopy of skin scrapings of clinically sick animals and the detection of demodectic mites at various stages of development. Based on the results of the data obtained, we can state the extensive distribution of demodicosis in cattle in the forest-steppe zone of the Northern Trans-Urals. Thus, the average long-term extensiveness of the invasion of cattle by demodectic mange in the northern forest-steppe was 15.67±1.21%, and in the subzone of the southern forest-steppe was 10.88±0.74%.