Gastrointestinal infection in goat farms in Lombardy (Northern Italy): Analysis on community and spatial distribution of parasites

We conducted a study with the aim of setting out the composition of gastrointestinal parasite communities within the goat farm system in Lombardy, a region in northern Italy. A GIS was set and all the goat farms in the study area were geo-referenced. Our investigation for gastrointestinal parasite infections involved 110 farms where 2554 individual per rectum faecal samples were collected and tested. Almost all the examined goats resulted to be positive to parasites (P = 96%, 95% CI: 95.1–96.7%). The taxa identified are Moniezia benedeni, Strongyloides spp., Strongylida, Nematodirus spp., Skrjabinema spp., Trichuris spp., Capillaria spp., Marshallagia spp. and Eimeria spp. Co-infection supported by more than a single parasite was observed in almost all the farms; goats could even harbour 6 taxa simultaneously. A highly positive correlation emerged between the number of parasite taxa per farm and pasture as well as extensive breeding (both showing p < 0.001). When considering our data spatially, we found a clustered pattern distribution of M. benedeni, Strongylida, Skrjabinema while Strongyloides spp., Nematodirus spp., Trichuris spp. and Eimeria spp. resulted to be randomly distributed among the farms. We also assessed spatially the positive relationship of M. benedeni, Trichuris spp. and Strongylida to the pasture. As to Nematodirus, this taxon showed to be particularly linked to altitude. Assessing the widespread distribution of gastrointestinal parasites in the goat farms of Lombardy, was of particular interest to our study. In fact, even if the parasitic risk mainly derives from pasture, in some areas the role of goats as biological control agents for the renovation of pastures is getting more and more important. Nevertheless, several autochthonous goat breeds can survive in different areas of both western and eastern Lombardy where farming on extensive pasture is still carried out. In order to support the smallest farmers with keeping such breeding, we think that the control of parasites should be emphasized in these farms. Eradication of gastrointestinal parasites from the environment is generally impractical; though, infections can be limited, and control programmes should mainly minimize the deriving economic losses. For such purpose, we would suggest a regional project of permanent sanitary monitoring of goat farms all over Lombardy.