Prevalence and impact of gastrointestinal parasites in equines of Haryana: Insights from body condition scores

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites (GIP) in equines across Haryana. A total of 1500 fecal samples were collected and analyzed, including samples from horses (967), donkeys (178), and mules (355) from three distinct agro-climatic zones of Haryana. The findings revealed that horses had the highest prevalence of GIP at 68.00% among those with a poor body condition score, compared to 53.41% in those with a good body condition score. Conversely, donkeys exhibited a higher prevalence of GIP in animals with a good body condition score (58.28%) compared to those with a poor body condition score (55.56%). Similarly, mules showed a higher prevalence of GIP in individuals with a good body condition score (60.85%) versus those with a poor body condition score (52.70%). This study highlights the varying prevalence of GIP in equines across different body condition scores and emphasizes the need for targeted parasite management strategies in equine populations.