Seasonality of Oestrus ovis infection in sheep in the steppe zone of the Stavropol Territory

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to study the seasonality of Oestrus ovis infection in sheep depending on the management conditions in the steppe zone of the Stavropol Territory.Materials and methods. The research to study the botfly flight seasonality was conducted on two farms in the Apanasenkovsky District and two farms in the Ipatovsky District of the Stavropol Territory. The number of sheep botflies was studied in the entire flight season by regular inspection and counting of the parasite adult stage on the outer surfaces of sheephouse walls and the side walls of sheds with a 15 day-interval.Results and discussion. The sheep botfly flight season was 5.5 months (from May 25–30 to October 31–November 11). Two increases in the number of botflies were observed during this period: in July and September–October. Infection of sheep with oestrosis in 1971 had two peaks (the first, May to June; the second, August to November). Due to the earlier spring 2022, the first peak started in the second half of March and lasted until the first half of July, and the second peak was observed from the second half of August to the end of November.