Comparative assessment of the biocenosis of dry and low (flooded) pastures during cattle pasture

Abstract

One of the important and decisive factors in the development of animal husbandry are helminthiases, leading to a decrease in productivity and death of animals. The study of the state of the biocenosis of pastures is the primary task of research, focused on increasing productivity of ruminantes when grazing. A number of researchers have demonstrated the effects of single-species and mixed group grazing, as well as the influence of the species composition and feeding behavior of animals on the state of the biocenosis, however, the influence of the nature of the pasture when grazing cattle on dry and low-lying (flooded) pastures, despite its obvious nature, has not been studied enough. The work demonstrates the dynamics of oribatid mites, molluscs, ants - intermediate hosts of helminths on various types of pastures in the central region of the NonBlack Earth Zone of the Russian Federation. To obtain primary data on the population density of biotopes, the areal method, the method of taking standard soil samples and direct counting of dead individuals were used. The results obtained indicate the presence of seasonal dynamics of the density and infestation of intermediate hosts: in the grazing period, the peak of invasion is reached by the beginning of September, and the minimum percentage of the population by intermediate hosts of helminths occurs in May. An inverse relationship was also demonstrated between the density of intermediate hosts and their percentage of infestation. Thus, in the grazing period, the peak of the density and infestation of intermediate hosts is reached by the end of August, the beginning of September, and the minimum percentage of infestation corresponds to May and October. The dynamics of infestation by larvae of helminths and the density of intermediate hosts is an important indicator that must be considered for the development of prevention of helminthiases when grazing cattle.