Comparative study of early-season prophylaxis using ivermectin with lungworm vaccination in the control of parasitic bronchitis and gastroenteritis in cattle

Twenty-four first-season calves were randomly allocated to three similar groups (1-non-treated controls; 2 - vaccinated against lungworm; 3 - treated with ivermectin 21, 56 and 91 days after turnout) and set-stocked on separate pastures. Parasitic bronchitis became evident in the controls and signs of parasitic gastroenteritis were seen later in the vaccinates, but the ivermectin-treated calves remained healthy. After autumn housing, all were kept as a single group for the winter. The following summer, six of the ivermectin-treated animals and their matching vaccinates were grazed together, without further prophylaxis, along with six first-season calves. The latter displayed evidence of mild but debilitating pulmonary and gastrointestinal parasitic disease while both groups of yearlings remained healthy (with the exception of one diarrhoeic vaccinate). Thus, the immune status of the ivermectin-treated animals appeared to be comparable to that of the vaccinates. This conclusion was supported by parasitological observations and by artificial challenge at the end of the second grazing season.     

Immunity to parasitic bronchitis of yearling cattle treated with ivermectin during their first grazing season

A group of 12 winter-born calves was divided into two groups of six. During the following summer one group grazed on pasture infected with Dictyocaulus viviparus, and was treated with ivermectin injections at three, eight and 13 weeks after turn out. The other group remained housed. Both groups were housed during the winter and then together with a group of younger calves were challenged with a trickle infection of D viviparus larvae at the rate of 25 third stage larvae/kg bodyweight for one month and then slaughtered. The group which had been exposed to previous infection was least affected by parasitic bronchitis and on the basis of serological titres and worm burdens had developed resistance to the challenge infection. The other older group was also more resistant than the younger calves.     

Observations on parasitic gastroenteritis and parasitic bronchitis in calves over two grazing seasons

Two outbreaks of parasitic gastroenteritis were observed in a group of 10 first-season grazing calves, one in mid-July and one in mid-September. In both cases emergency anthelmintic treatment was needed to prevent further damage. Severe clinical signs were observed together with high faecal egg counts and high serum pepsinogen and gastrin concentrations. Low total protein and albumin concentrations were also observed, especially during the second outbreak. The ostertagia antibody levels followed a similar pattern to the serum pepsinogen and gastrin concentrations. At the end of the housing period a mild type II ostertagiasis was observed. In the second grazing season the heifers did not show any signs of parasitic gastroenteritis, but there was a serious outbreak of husk which required treatment.     

Evaluation of three strategic anthelmintic programmes for the prophylaxis of parasitic gastroenteritis in cattle in Nigeria

Summary Three strategic anthelmintic programmes were evaluated for use in the prophylaxis of parasitic gastroenteritis in naturally infected N’Dama cattle aged 12 to 21 months at Nsukka, eastern Nigeria. Four groups A, B, C and D were used which grazed together and each consisted of seven animals. Group A was treated in April, July, August and December. Group B was dosed in April, August and December and Group C in July, August and September. Group D received no treatments. All three treatment programmes substantially reduced pasture contamination while programmes A and B also resulted in significantly improved weight gains. The potential net profit from the three programmes was 38·0 Naira, 33·10 Naira and 24·74 Naira per head respectively. The early dry season (December) treatment in Groups A and B contributed relatively little to their overall performance but would have minimised the carryover of infection to the following wet season.

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Resumen Se evaluaron tres programas estratégicos con antihelmínticos contra la gastroenteritis parasitária en ganado N’dama en edades comprendidas entre 12 y 21 meses, en Nsukka, Oriente de Nigeria. Se utilizaron cuatro grupos de 7 animales cada uno, A, B, C, y D, los cuales pastorearon juntos. El grupo A fue tratado en abril, julio, agosto y diciembre; el B en abril, agosto y diciembre y el C en julio, agosto y septiembre. El grupo D sirvió de control. Todos los tratamientos en general, redujeron sustancialmente la contaminación de los pastos, y los tratamientos A y B produjeron aumentos de peso. La ganancia neta potencial derivada de los tres tratamientos fue de 38·0 naira, 33.10 naira y 24·74 naira respectivamente. El tratamiento al principio de la estación seca (diciembre) en los grupos A y B no contribuyeron significativamente a la productividad, pero minimizó posiblemente la infección parasitária en la siguiente estación húmeda.

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Résumé Trois programmes de stratégie anthelmintique destinés à la prophylaxie de la gastroentérite parasitaire chez des bovins N’Dama naturellement infestés agés de 12 à 21 mois, ont été entrepris à NSUKKA, Nigeria oriental. On a utilisé quatre groupes A, B, C et D, composés chacun de sept animaux paturant ensemble. Le groupe A fut traité en avril, juillet, ao?t et décembre; le groupe B en avril, ao?t et décembre; le groupe C en juillet, ao?t et septembre; le groupe D n’a pas re?u de traitement. Tous les traitements ont réduit la contamination du paturage de manière substantielle. Les programmes A et B ont conduit à une augmentation significative des poids corporels. Le bénéfice potentiel net des trois programmes est estimé respectivēment à 38,0 Naira, 33,10 Naira et 24,74 Naira. Le traitement de début de saison sèche (décembre) des groupes A et B a contribué relativement peu à leurs performances globales mais semble avoir diminué le partage parasitaire pour la saison des pluies suivante.

     

Early season parasitic gastroenteritis in calves and its prevention with ivermectin

In a two-year trial involving successive batches of 36 autumn-born steers on two adjacent sites in Hertfordshire, calves treated with ivermectin at three and eight weeks after turn out contaminated pastures much less than untreated control animals. Each year dry summers prevented the larval challenge on the control pastures from building up to high levels until about the time of autumn housing. Atypical outbreaks of parasitic gastroenteritis were recorded in May and June of the second year in both groups of control calves. Clinical and parasitological aspects of these outbreaks are discussed in the context of the epidemiology of the disease. It is concluded that the application of measures to control gastroenteritis can bring benefits in the early part of the grazing season as well as later in the year.     

Use of an oxfendazole pulse release bolus in the control of parasitic gastroenteritis and parasitic bronchitis in first-season grazing calves

The efficacy of the oxfendazole pulse release bolus system for the control of parasitic gastroenteritis and parasitic bronchitis in first-season grazing calves was evaluated in Belgium. Twenty-two calves were allocated to two groups. The calves in one group received a bolus at the time of turn out, while the other group remained untreated. The efficacy of the bolus was assessed by comparison of faecal worm egg counts, plasma pepsinogen concentrations, the antibody response to Ostertagia, Cooperia and Dictyocaulus species total plasma protein and albumin concentrations, and weight gains throughout the grazing season and the housing period. The oxfendazole pulse release bolus provided good control of parasitic gastroenteritis dominated by ostertagia. The effects of parasitic gastritis were greatly reduced as shown by the significantly lower values of serum pepsinogen and ostertagia antibody titres. The use of the bolus further reduced the adverse effects of parasitism as indicated by better liveweight gains and normal total plasma protein and albumin concentrations whereas in the untreated control group hypoproteinaemia and hypoalbuminaemia were observed. Most animals exhibited clinical signs of parasitic bronchitis at the end of the grazing season, and the bolus may not adequately control parasitic bronchitis in all cases at all times.     

Control of naturally acquired bovine parasitic bronchitis and gastroenteritis with an oxfendazole pulse release device

Four groups, each of six male Friesian calves, were set-stocked on separate 0.66 ha paddocks from May 7 until October 23 1986. Each of the animals in groups 1 and 4 was dosed with an oxfendazole pulse release bolus at turn out whereas the animals in groups 2 and 3 were left untreated. Parasite-free naive tracer calves were introduced into each paddock for a limited period 12 days after turn out and again at the end of the trial. No adverse reactions or clinical signs were observed in either of the groups of calves which received boluses. The development of clinical parasitic gastroenteritis in both the untreated groups necessitated the humane slaughter of two animals and emergency anthelmintic treatment of the remainder. The lower plasma pepsinogen concentrations, and lower faecal egg and larval counts and worm burdens post mortem, together with the absence of clinical signs of parasitic gastroenteritis and bronchitis in the treated calves, confirmed the high efficacy of the bolus treatment.     

Evaluation of the morantel sustained release trilaminate in the control of parasitic gastroenteritis in first season grazing cattle

A novel intraruminal bolus developed for the sustained delivery of the anthelmintic morantel tartrate was evaluated in the seasonal control of parasitic gastroenteritis in first season grazing calves. The morantel sustained release trilaminate is a trilaminate sheet consisting of a central lamina of a morantel tartrate/ethylene vinyl acetate matrix coated on both sides with a thin impermeable layer of ethylene vinyl acetate. A symmetrical pattern of circular perforations punched through the device controls the release of morantel. Administration of the trilaminate to calves significantly reduced their faecal egg output compared with untreated controls and thus reduced pasture larval contamination. Clinical parasitic gastroenteritis was prevented in the treated calves and there were significant reductions in their worm burdens compared with the untreated control calves both during and at the end of the grazing season. The control of parasitic gastroenteritis resulted in a significantly greater (P less than 0.0001) weight gain, of 45 kg, by the treated calves.     

Chemoprophylaxis and immunity to parasitic bronchitis in cattle — a field experiment comparing topical ivermectin and an oxfendazole intraruminal device

Seeder calves infected with Dictyocaulus viviparus were used to contaminate a field divided into three similar paddocks. Twenty-four autumn-born calves were allocated to three matched groups; one group was given topical ivermectin treatments (0.5 mg/kg) at 3, 8 and 13 weeks after turnout (Day 0); each member of a second group was given an oxfendazole pulse-release intraruminal device (OPRB) at turnout; while a third group was kept as untreated controls to monitor the natural epidemiological pattern of events. Severe pasteurella pneumonia exacerbated by lungworm infection occurred in the controls after Day 24. Two died and repeated doses of antibiotic and anthelmintic therapy were necessary to save the remainder. Clinical signs were much milder in the ivermectin and OPRB groups and resolved with only a single dose of antibiotic. The OPRB group excreted some lungworm larvae at this time, but none was detected in the faeces of the ivermectin group during the grazing season. At housing, five calves from each group and four lungworm-naive calves were challenged with D. viviparus larvae. The infection became patent in all challenge-control calves, but no larvae were passed by any of the trial animals. Post-mortem worm-counts revealed percentage takes for the challenge controls, trial controls, ivermectin and OPRB groups of 16.7, 0.01, 0.9 and 0.2, respectively. All trial groups had therefore developed a substantial immunity.     

Control of gastrointestinal nematodes in dairy heifers by two strategic treatments with ivermectin

Dairy replacement heifers given two strategic treatments with ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg) three and eight weeks after turnout to spring pastures in northern USA had mean adjusted weight gains (62.3 kg) that were 62 per cent (P less than 0.02) greater than those of control heifers (38.5 kg) at the time of winter housing. Pasture infectivity was consistently higher in control pastures and there was a sixfold difference between treatment (56 L3/kg) and control (358 L3/kg) pastures by the time of winter housing on October 18. This study confirmed earlier studies in northern USA demonstrating the value of two strategic treatments in achieving significant increases in weight gains and hastening the time of first breeding by one to three months at a saving of $40 to $140 per heifer. It was concluded that this dosing strategy is a satisfactory method of parasite control for dairy replacement heifers in northern USA without undue selection for drug resistance.     

An epidemiological study of parasitic gastroenteritis in sheep under an intensive grazing system

Romanov X Rasa Aragonesa ewes rearing twins and kept on pasture at a mean stocking density of 35 ewes ha-1 were used to study the epidemiology of parasitic gastro-enteritis under an intensive grazing system on irrigated land in the northeast of Spain. Measurements were made of the population of infective larvae on the pasture, level of serum pepsinogen, faecal worm eggs in ewes and lambs, and lamb growth rates. In addition, postmortem worm counts from "indicator" lambs were used to establish the level of infection at each rotational grazing cycle. Two generations of parasites were identified in the experiment. One of them, derived from the eggs deposited the previous autumn, gave rise to the first infection of the animals in March and April. This was responsible for the first outbreak of parasitism in the lambs. This was indicated by an increase in serum pepsinogen levels, the appearance of diarrhoea and a significant decrease in lamb growth rates. Ostertagia spp., Nematodirus spp. and Trichostrongylus spp. were present. The second generation, which appeared during May, was derived from the eggs of the previous generation and gave rise to an outbreak of parasitism in the lambs at the beginning of May and the middle of June. Haemonchus spp. and Chabertia ovina were present. Under the conditions of this experiment, the overwintering larvae have an important epidemiological significance as the gastro-intestinal nematodes are one of the main limiting factors for developing intensive sheep production systems.     

Effects of ivermectin and fenbendazole in strategic treatment of gastrointestinal nematode infections in cattle

Four groups of 18 beef calves each were used to evaluate effects of different treatments on parasite control and weight gains. The investigation extended from November 1986 (weaning) to October 1987. Group-1 calves were treated with ivermectin (200 micrograms/kg of body weight, SC) at approximately 6-week intervals for a total of 8 treatments; group-2 calves were given the same dosage of ivermectin by the same route of administration as group-1 calves in November, March, and July; group-3 calves were given fenbendazole paste (5 mg/kg, PO) at the same times as group-2 calves; and group-4 calves served as untreated controls with provision for ivermectin salvage treatment. All groups grazed on individual pairs of larval-contaminated, 1.6-ha pastures. Highest (P less than 0.05) initial worm counts in fall tracer calves were found in group 3 (Ostertagia ostertagi and Trichostrongylus axei adults) and group 4 (O ostertagi and Haemonchus adults). Fecal egg counts of group-1 calves were low throughout the experiment and pasture larval counts remained negligible after July. Egg counts and larval counts of other groups remained higher into summer. Worm counts, including O ostertagi inhibited early fourth-stage larvae (EL4), were highest (P less than 0.05) in groups-3 and -4 spring tracer calves; numbers of O ostertagi EL4 were similarly high in groups 2, 3, and 4; and T axei counts were highest (P less than 0.05) in groups-3 and -4 yearlings slaughtered in spring. Liveweights of group-1 calves were greater (P less than 0.05) than in other groups from March 2 to October, and by July 2, group-2 calves had a liveweight advantage over group-4 calves. Group-3 calves had the lowest rate of gain from March to July and mean liveweight of the group was less (P less than 0.05) than in all other groups from April to October. Only minimal worm numbers were recovered from groups-1 or -2 calves in October. Large numbers of O ostertagi and T axei were recovered from group-4 calves and O ostertagi from group-3 calves. A few calves in groups 3 and 4, but particularly in group 4, were affected by type-II disease (chronic to acute gastritis caused by maturation and emergence of previously inhibited larvae) from August to October. Final mean liveweights in descending order were 365 kg in group 1, 328 kg in group 2, 316 kg in group 4, and 281 kg in group 3.     

Comparison of early season suppressive anthelmintic prophylactic methods for parasitic gastroenteritis and bronchitis in calves

A comparison was made of the material costs and effectiveness of three methods of early season suppression by anthelmintic medication of Ostertagia species and two of Dictyocaulus viviparus in calves, each method suppressing faecal egg output for different lengths of time from the start of spring grazing. The anthelmintics used were: Morantel bolus administered five days before going to grazing; oxfendazole given three times at three, six and nine weeks after the start of grazing and ivermectin injected three, eight and 13 weeks after going to pasture. The effectiveness of each was estimated by comparison with worm numbers in untreated control calves. Oxfendazole, which was active for the shortest time (about 65 days) from the start of grazing (May 1), produced a 78.1 per cent reduction in Ostertagia species and an 84.4 per cent reduction in D viviparus. The morantel bolus was estimated to be active for 90 days and resulted in a 94.3 per cent reduction of Ostertagia species. The ivermectin treatment, which, because of the prolonged excretion of the chemical and different sensitivity of worm species, was estimated to suppress Ostertagia species for 105 days and D viviparus for 119 days, caused reductions of 98.7 per cent of the former and 97.4 per cent of the latter species. Material costs per calf were estimated at pounds 1.25 for oxfendazole, pounds 2.00 for ivermectin and pounds 10 for the morantel bolus.     

Resilience of second year grazing cattle to parasitic gastroenteritis following negligible to moderate exposure to gastrointestinal nematode infections in their first year

The influence of gastrointestinal nematode infections on performance of four groups of female Holstein Friesian calves was monitored until the end of the second grazing season (SGS). In the first year three groups were grazed and one group (G4) was permanently housed. General and grazing management during the first grazing season (FGS) was arranged such that G1 acquired moderate infections, G2 low infections and G3 very low infections with gastrointestinal nematodes. These infections were monitored through faecal egg counts, differentiation of faecal larval cultures, pasture larval counts, serum pepsinogen values, ELISA with a recombinant Cooperia oncophora protein, weight gain, tracer worm counts and sentinel worm counts. In 1998 all four groups were grazed together as one herd from 23 April to 26 October and infections were monitored with the same techniques with the exception of sentinel calves.In the FGS weight gain was higher in G4 than in the other groups and higher in G3 (28. 6kg) than in G1. Weight gain of G2 was intermediate to G1 and G3 but did not significantly differ from either group. In the SGS weight gain in G4 was far less than in any other group and the mean weight at the end of the experiment was 41.9, 38.6 and 50.9kg lower than G3, G1 and G2, respectively. Though no significant differences were observed between G1, G2 and G3 at the end of the experiment it was obvious that the weight gain advantage of G3 over G1 at the end of the FGS had disappeared.Parasitological and serological findings in the SGS indicated that G3 and G4 had build up less immunity during the FGS compared to G1 and G2.The conclusion of the experiment is that resilience to parasitic gastroenteritis in the SGS depends on the level of exposure to nematodes in the FGS. However, problems with poor weight gain only will be expected when exposure is very low in the FGS and high in the SGS.     

Use of an ELISA for serodiagnosis of parasitic bronchitis in cattle.

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of parasitic bronchitis in cattle was evaluated in naturally injected, experimentally infected and vaccinated animals. Significant antibody titres could be demonstrated from five weeks after animals had been exposed to the parasite, so that infected animals could be identified during the summer. The test did not give false positive results in vaccinated animals. The technique proved particularly useful in revealing latent infections in milking herds in the autumn when heavy burdens of worms in the lungs do not generate any larvae in the faeces.     

Control of cattle mange in southern africa using ivermectin

Seven trials including 768 cattle were conducted in South Africa and Namibia to evaluate the efficacy of the systemic parasiticide ivermectin when administered subcutaneously at a dose rate of 200 micrograms/kg against sarcoptic (Sarcoptes scabiei var. bovis), chorioptic (Chorioptes bovis) and psoroptic (Psoroptes ovis var. bovis) mange mites. The efficacy of a single treatment against Psoroptes and Sarcoptes was greater than against Chorioptes. There was marked clinical cure in all treated cases with loss of crusts and hair regrowth. The number of cases of psoroptic mange in two large herds, of which 42.4% of 724 animals were clinically affected prior to mass treatment, was reduced by 99.3% following a single subcutaneous treatment with ivermectin; a single animal from which mites were recovered may not have been treated. The apparent prevalence and prospects for control and eradication of cattle mange in South Africa and Namibia are discussed.     

Control of gastrointestinal nematodes in first season grazing calves by two strategic treatments with eprinomectin

A study was carried out to evaluate the effects of strategic early-season treatments with eprinomectin on first-season grazing calves exposed to strongyle infections on a naturally contaminated pasture. Two groups of first grazing season (FGS) calves were turned out in mid-May on two plots that were similar with respect to size and herbage infectivity. They grazed separately until housing at the end of October. One of these groups was given eprinomectin pour-on at turnout and 8 weeks later, while the other group served as untreated controls. The results showed that the treatments reduced gastrointestinal strongyle infections throughout the season as evidenced by lower faecal egg counts and serum pepsinogen levels compared with the controls. Furthermore, the results of herbage larval counts and postmortem worm counts in tracer animals demonstrated that the treatment had reduced herbage infectivity on the 'treated' plot. Finally, the chemoprophylactically treated calves had a better weight gain over the duration of the study than the untreated controls.     

Resistance of Cooperia to ivermectin treatments in grazing cattle of the Humid Pampa, Argentina

A field experiment and a controlled efficacy trial were conducted to demonstrate resistance of cattle trichostrongylid nematodes to endectocidal compounds in grazing cattle on the Humid Pampa, Argentina. Male Polled Hereford calves, aged 9-11 months old, with a history of frequent treatments with compounds of the avermectin/milbemycin class, were used for the trial. The field experiment involved six groups of 10 animals each, which were subcutaneously treated with either ivermectin (IVM), long-acting ivermectin (LA-IVM), moxidectin (MXD) or doramectin (DRM) at a dosage of 0.2mg/kg BW. A fifth group was treated orally with fenbendazole at a dosage of 5mg/kg BW; the sixth group of calves served as non-treated control. Faecal samples were collected from each animal on the day of treatment and at 14 days after treatment. Nematode egg counts were performed to estimate the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). The FECRT showed that reductions were 65% (IVM), -20% (LA-IVM) and 85% (DRM). Egg counts from calves treated with MXD or fenbendazole were reduced by 95 and 100%, respectively. For the controlled efficacy trial, six animals with the highest egg counts from the IVM, LA-IVM and non-treated control groups, were necropsied on day 18 after treatment to determine numbers and nematode species in the abomasum and small intestine. The results indicated that efficacy against Cooperia oncophora was 62.7 and 48% for IVM and LA-IVM, respectively. Neither of the IVM formulations showed efficacy against Trichostrongylus spp. in the small intestine. However, the absence of Trichostrongylus spp. in some animals of both treated and control groups precluded a valid assessment of efficacy or resistance. It was concluded that resistance of trichostrongylid nematodes to the avermectin/milbemycin class of compounds in grazing cattle of the Humid Pampa, Argentina, may be strongly established on farms where cattle are treated at frequent intervals throughout the year.