[Gastrointestinal nematodes and their seasonal distribution in cattle raised in central Afyonkarahisar, Turkey]

This study was conducted during the period of September 2004-August 2005 in two villages with simple raising of cattle located in the center of the Afyonkarahisar province. Fecal samples collected from 985 cattle and the gastrointestinal tracts of 24 cattle were inspected. Strongyle types of eggs were observed in 26.39% of the fecal samples. The infection was found to be less prevalent in the spring (22%) and most prevalent in autumn (32.53%). The genus of larvae observed in fecal cultures were Haemonchus spp. 25.25%, Trichostrongylus spp. 23.71%, Nematodirus spp. 16.49%, Ostertagia spp. 10.30%, Cooperia spp. 8.76%, Bunostomum spp. 6.70%, Oesophagostomum spp. 6.18% and Chabertia ovina. 2.57%. H. contortus and Oesophagostomum venulosum (20.83%), O. radiatum (16.66%), Cooperia onchophora and Ostertagia ostertagi (8.3%), O. trifurcata, C. punctata and Chabertia ovina (4.16%) were found during inspections of the gastrointestinal tracts which were performed in order to determine the infective species. Based on these results, it was concluded that there are infections caused by gastrointestinal nematodes in this province but the severity of the infection is low and the seasons with highest infection risk are late spring and autumn.