Emergence of Haematobia irritans in feces of Nelore and Pantaneira breed in the Pantanal Mato-Grossense, Brazil

This study was carried out at Nhumirim farm, property of Embrapa-Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuaria do Pantanal, Corumba, MS, Brazil, from 11/93 to 05/94, with manure samples of Nelore and Pantaneira breeds collected to compare the number of horn flies (Haematobia irritans) on manure samples of both bovine breeds. Out of the 112 bovine samples collected from each breed, 72 (64.3%) Nelore manure samples showed pupa of H. irritans; in Pantaneira, out of 105 (94%) manure samples with fly pupas, only 60 (53.6%) exhibited H. irritans. The results of comparative measurements of length, width, height and volume parameters among the manure samples, showed no significant difference (t test - P>0.05) between Nelore and Pantaneira breeds. The number of fly pupas collected from the manure samples of Pantaneira breed (n=2892) was higher than in Nelore breed (n=1715) (P<0.05). With relation to H. irritans, a higher number of pupas was observed in the manure samples of Pantaneira breed (n=399)(P<0.05) than in Nelore breed (n=237). The manure samples of Pantaneira also presented a higher (P<0.05) total number of pupas by feces volume. The Pantaneira breed showed higher attraction to hem flies.