Helminth infections in Danish organic swine herds

In nine organic swine herds, faecal excretion and pasture contamination by parasite eggs/larvae were studied in a period from March to October 1999. It was shown that the organic pigs were infected with Ascaris suum (28% of weaners, 33% of fatteners, 4% of sows), Trichuris suis (4% of weaners, 13% of fatteners, <1% of sows) and Oesophagostomum spp. (5% of weaners, 14% of fatteners, 20% of sows) whereas no infections with Hyostrongylus rubidus, Metastrongylus spp. or Strongyloides ransomi were detected. Moreover, no pigs showed clinical signs of infestations with scabies or lice. In the soil samples, very few Trichuris eggs were found throughout the season, whereas Ascaris eggs were found in 14% of the soil samples from sow pastures and in 35% from slaughter pig pastures, with the first infective eggs being recorded in July and the maximum number in August. Infective Oesophagostomum larvae were found in the grass samples in increasing numbers from May to October. Single herd cases of exceptionally high parasite infection levels are described in relation to herd management procedures.