HORSES can become infected with a range of parasitic worms while grazing. Unless scrupulous pasture hygiene is carried out, infection is unavoidable. In addition to small redworms, paddocks can be contaminated with the equine tapeworm, Anoplocephala perfoliata.
Horses become infected when they ingest forage contaminated with oribatid mites containing infective tapeworm larvae. Larvae are then released into the intestine, where they develop into adults near the junction of the small and large intestine.
Adults generate eggcontaining segments, which are released at irregular intervals. It can take between six and 16 weeks for segments to be released after infection.
These segments disintegrate during transit through the intestine and within dung, after which eggs are released on to pasture, where they are consumed by oribatid mites. In the mites, eggs develop into larvae in eight to 20 weeks; they can remain within mites for extended periods, until serendipitous
