Seasonal assessment of welfare and Endoparasitic infections in Balkan donkeys.
Authors: Nadaškić Marko, Ilić Tamara, Jovanović Nemanja M, Petrović Tamaš, Bugarski Dejan, Radojković Jelena Aleksić, Vučinić Marijana, Nenadović Katarina
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Seasonal Welfare and Parasite Burden in Balkan Donkeys With Serbian donkey farming expanding primarily for milk production, little is known about the health and welfare of animals under these commercial systems. Researchers assessed 160 Balkan donkeys aged 1–15 years across five farms during spring and autumn, using a standardised welfare protocol and faecal analysis to evaluate the relationship between parasitic infection and welfare indicators. Spring presented a significantly worse overall welfare picture, with donkeys showing higher body condition scores, more skin lesions, poor hair coat condition, ocular discharge, and hoof neglect (p < 0.001–0.05), whilst autumn animals exhibited greater dehydration (skin tent test) and faecal soiling (p < 0.001–0.05). Seven parasite species or groups were identified—including Eimeria, strongylids, Parascaris equorum, Dictyocaulus, tapeworms, and liver flukes—with meaningful associations between Parascaris and faecal soiling, strongylids and poor body condition in spring, and strongylids and hair loss in autumn. For farriers, veterinarians, and nutritionists working with donkeys, these findings reinforce the critical importance of targeted parasite control protocols aligned to seasonal risk periods and highlight that welfare compromise often reflects underlying parasitic burden rather than management failure alone.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Implement seasonal parasite monitoring and treatment protocols, particularly targeting strongylid and P. equorum infections, as these directly correlate with deteriorating body condition and coat quality
- •Use fecal soiling and hair loss as practical on-farm welfare indicators to detect parasitic infections early and assess effectiveness of parasite management programs
- •Develop farm-specific guidelines for seasonal welfare assessment in dairy donkey operations, as spring and autumn present distinct welfare challenges related to parasite burden and environmental conditions
Key Findings
- •Spring donkeys showed significantly higher body condition scores, skin lesions, unhealthy hair coat, ocular discharges, and hoof neglect compared to autumn donkeys (p<0.001-0.05)
- •Autumn donkeys demonstrated significantly higher skin tent test scores and fecal soiling than spring donkeys (p<0.001-0.05)
- •Seven parasite species were identified in individual and mixed infections, with significant correlations between P. equorum and fecal soiling, strongylids and thin body condition in spring, and strongylids and hair loss in autumn
- •Clear seasonal associations exist between parasitic infections and welfare indicators, indicating management and parasite control as critical factors in donkey health protection