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How effective is pre-release nematode control in farm-reared red-legged partridges Alectoris rufa?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2007

D. Villanúa
Affiliation:
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain:
L. Pérez-Rodríguez
Affiliation:
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain:
O. Rodríguez
Affiliation:
EBRONATURA S.L., c/ General Aguilera 3, 13001 Ciudad Real, Spain
J. Viñuela
Affiliation:
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain:
C. Gortázar*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain:
*
*Author for correspondence Fax: +34 426 29 54 51 E-mail: christian.gortazar@uclm.es

Abstract

Game bird farming is associated with high parasite levels that reduce farm productivity, reduce survival after releasing, and may pose a health risk for natural populations. The efficacy of albendazole (orally, 20 mg kg− 1) was evaluated in farmed red-legged partridges naturally infected with the nematodes Aonchotheca caudinflata and Heterakis gallinarum. In treated birds body condition improved, nematode egg deposition was reduced and the proportion of gravid A. caudinflata females was reduced, but not the overall worm burdens. Albendazole was found to be 36.8% and 17.1% effective against A. caudinflata and H. gallinarum, respectively. These results indicate that the anthelmintic treatment used normally in Spanish partridge farms is not effective enough to avoid the introduction of parasites into the field after release.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 Cambridge University Press 2007

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