Comparative Assessment of Strongyle Egg Shedding in Free and Stabled Horses in Albania: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Equine strongyles are major parasites affecting horse health, with management practices playing a critical role in transmission dynamics. In Albania, strongyles are highly prevalent, yet comparative data on parasite burdens under different housing systems remain limited. This study aimed to compare Strongylus spp. fecal egg counts (FEC) between free regime horses in Durrës and stabled horses in Tirana, and to assess the influence of age and sex on parasite burden. Fecal samples were analyzed using the McMaster technique, and statistical comparisons were performed using Welch t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Free regime horses had significantly higher FEC (mean 855.0 EPG) compared to stabled horses (mean 110.0 EPG), with both tests confirming statistical significance (p = 0.012 and p = 0.011, respectively). No significant associations were found with age or sex (p > 0.05). These findings confirm that free regime horses carry a substantially higher strongyle burden than stabled horses, underscoring the impact of management systems on parasite transmission and supporting the need for targeted parasite control strategies in pasture-based equine populations in Albania.