[Observations on the spring rise of faecal strongyle egg counts in goats (author's transl)]

Examination of the faeces at regular intervals during the period from February to June 1980 in a group of multiparous dairy goats produced the following results: (a) a marked increase in faecal strongyle egg-counts, (b) Haemonchus contortus was the worm mainly causing this increase, (c) differences in faecal egg-counts between Dutch white (Saanen) goats and Toggenburger goats or between groups of goats of different ages were not observed, (d) no differences in faecal egg-counts were observed in groups of goats kidding at different times. Therefore the increase in egg-counts was apparently not affected by parturition. The general conclusion is that a genuine spring rise rather than a peri- or post-parturient rise was observed in the goats. The striking difference between this increase in faecal egg-counts in goats and that in sheep, which is associated with parturition and lactation, is discussed.