Influence of laying hen systems on the mite fauna (Acari) community of commercial poultry farms in southern Brazil

Abstract

Intensive production of confined laying hens affects their welfare and increases the risk of epidemics. Ectoparasites as hematophagous and feather mites cause low productivity and decreased egg quality. This study aimed to determine the diversity of mites captured with traps in different commercial systems of laying hens (Gallus gallus L.) (Phasianidae) in Taquari Valley, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Samplings were conducted from August 2013 to August 2014, totaling 21 sampling events in three different commercial laying hen systems: automatic production systems (A(1), (2), (3)), semiautomatic systems (S(1), (2)), and free-range system (FR). A total of 9981 mites belonging to 21 families, 31 genera, and 35 species were found. Acaridae, Caligonellidae, and Cheyletidae showed the highest richness with four species each. Megninia ginglymura (Mégnin, 1877) (Analgidae) was the most abundant ectoparasite species with 1328 specimens and was present in all commercial laying hen systems. No hematophagous mites were found. Cheyletus malaccensis(Cheyletidae) (3503), Typhlodromus transvaalensis (Phytoseiidae) (304), and Blattisocius keegani (Blattisocidae) (181) were the predators present in all systems. The similarity with control system (S(1)--without pesticide) was low (36.5 %) when compared to all other commercial laying hen systems, and it had the highest richness. In FR, low populations of mites and highest diversity were observed. The commercial laying hen system and the management influence the mite fauna in poultry farms.

Population‐level impact of native arthropod predators on the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae

“…However, the implementation of efficient biological control is largely hampered by the general lack of knowledge about natural enemies and trophic cascades in poultry farming. While native parasitoids are rare in European commercial henhouses (Roy et al, 2017), a high diversity of arthropod predators has been reported from these strongly anthropized systems (Axtell & Arends, 1990;Brady, 1970;Faleiro et al, 2015;Horn et al, 2016;Lesna et al, 2009;Roy et al, 2017;Silva et al, 2013;Young et al, 2019). The potential for predation on D. gallinae by several native predatory mites, a spider, a pseudoscorpion and three insects has been reported from in vitro tests (Lesna et al, 2009;Stockton, 2004;Toldi et al, 2017;Zriki et al, 2020).…”

1. Livestock pests and vector-borne diseases – a much neglected subject

“…Moreover, many of the owners of such systems are trying to run them as organic operations. Because the diversity of ectoparasites in cage-free systems is higher than in conventional commercial operations (Horn et al 2016;Murillo and Mullens, 2016), future poultry IPM programs will need to re-examine management practices for pests that were long considered to be of lesser importance.…”

In Vitro Evaluation of Dermanyssus Gallinae Response to Products in Aqueous Suspension

“…Commercial laying hens have been affected by mite infestations in Brazil for a long time (Rezende et al 2013;Faleiro et al 2015;Horn et al 2016). One of the species that threaten the hen population is Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer, 1778) (Mesostigmata: Dermanyssidae), a hematophagous mite that poses a serious sanitary problem for the laying poultry industry (Cunha et al 2009).…”