Feed intake of grazing calves exposed to trichostrongyle infection and treated with the morantel sustained release bolus

Herbage intake was measured in two groups of 20 first-year grazing cattle. The animals in one group each received a morantel sustained release bolus at turnout to control nematode parasitism and the animals in the other group remained untreated. The latter group showed a mean peak faecal egg count of 655 eggs per gram (e.p.g.) in October associated with high serum pepsinogen concentration and clinical signs of ostertagiasis, compared with a peak of 119 e.p.g. in the treated group which remained in good health. In September the daily voluntary feed intake of the untreated animals was significantly depressed (94 g kg-1 body weight vs. 77 g kg-1 P less than 0.001), but no difference in digestive efficiency was recorded between the two groups. This difference in feed intake was associated with a 47 kg mean live weight advantage of the treated animals at housing.     

Evaluation of the morantel sustained release bolus in cows and calves

The efficacy of the morantel sustained release bolus (MSRB) in controlling gastrointestinal parasitism in beef cattle was assessed during the 1982 spring-autumn grazing season. Forty-eight cows and their calves were allotted to three equal groups. One group (T-1) served as a nonmedicated control group. One MSRB was administered to each calf of the T-2 group, and to each cow and calf of the T-3 group at the beginning of the study. The efficacy of the bolus was assessed by comparison of weight gain performance and parasitological data (fecal worm egg counts, herbage larval counts, worm counts from tracer and principal trial calves, and plasma pepsinogen level determinations). Though not statistically significant, treated calves from Group T-2 had a numerical mean weight gain advantage of 2.6 kg, and those from Group T-3 of 4.7 kg, over control calves. Average daily gains (ADG) for the three groups of calves were 0.69, 0.72, and 0.73 kg, respectively. Untreated cows from Group T-2 and treated cows from Group T-3 outperformed the control cows by 12.3 and 7.5 kg, respectively. Fecal worm egg counts from both groups of treated calves were significantly (P less than 0.01) lower than counts from control calves during the entire 169-day trial; notably, egg counts were reduced by 99% 28 days after MSRB administration to both groups of calves. There were no significant differences in the number of eggs counted from the three groups of cows, probably because of the very low numbers of eggs encountered. Mean total worm burdens of principal calves (six per group) necropsied at trial termination indicated a 91% (P less than 0.01) reduction in Group T-2 and an 87% reduction (P less than 0.01) in Group T-3. Worm-free tracer calves were introduced onto pastures every 28 days to monitor availability of infective larvae. The mean number of worms recovered at necropsy from tracer calves that grazed with control cattle increased as the season progressed. However, the numbers of parasites recovered each month from mid-August through mid-October from tracers that grazed pastures with treated cattle were lower (P less than 0.05) than those levels displayed at trial initiation. In addition, the mean numbers of worms from treated group tracers were lower than from the controls for each necropsy period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Grazing study in Ireland using the morantel sustained release bolus for controlling nematodiasis in calves

The morantel sustained release bolus was administered at turnout to first-season grazing calves in order to assess its efficacy in the seasonal control of infection by nematode parasites in Ireland. The pastures grazed by control calves showed a marked increase in gastrointestinal trichostrongylid infective larvae by September, while numbers of infective larvae on pasture grazed by bolus-treated calves remained at a low level throughout the grazing season. In consequence, the controls showed significantly higher worm egg counts in late season and significantly higher worm burdens (mainly Ostertagia spp) at necropsy carried out in November on representative number of principal animals selected from each group. These reduced worm burdens were attributed to the suppression of egg output during the early part of the season as a result of treatment with the morantel sustained release bolus at turnout in the spring. Pasture contamination with Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae was present on all treatment pastures. The bolus-treated calves however were subjected to an increase in D. viviparus infection which occurred on their pasture in late season after the active life of the bolus had expired. It was concluded that bolus treatment delayed (rather than prevented) the buildup of D. viviparus infection on the pasture by 60-90 days.     

Efficacy of morantel sustained release bolus against gastrointestinal nematodes in first season grazing Holstein calves

The efficacy of the morantel sustained release bolus (MSRB) in reducing gastrointestinal parasitism in first season grazing calves was evaluated during the summer--autumn grazing seasons of 1982 and 1983 in western Oregon. Each of 38 calves (1982) and 40 calves (1983) were randomly assigned to either control or treatment groups which were given MSRB on the day of turnout onto pasture. Mean worm burdens from tracer calves grazed with treated animals in 1982 and 1983 showed overall reductions of 86.4% (P greater than 0.05) and 84.3% (P less than 0.01), respectively, compared to tracers grazed with controls. Ostertagia ostertagi, Cooperia oncophora and Nematodirus helvetianus were the primary nematodes collected at necropsy. Twelve full-season 1982 tracer animals (6 treated and 6 control) indicated an 88.1% (P less than 0.05) overall reduction in mean worm burdens. Mean fecal worm egg per gram (EPG) counts of treated animals reflected a reduction of 69% (P less than 0.05) in 1982 and 90% (P less than 0.05) in 1983. Autumn inhibition of O. ostertagi was observed. In the 1982 trial the control animals showed a slight mean weight gain advantage over the treated group from Day 84 until Day 160 (trial termination) when the mean difference was 7.9 kg. The final mean weight gain advantage of treated animals in 1983 was 13.5 kg (P less than 0.05). These trials demonstrated that the MSRB was an effective anthelmintic for reducing gastrointestinal parasitism in grazing calves and for decreasing pasture larval contamination.     

Efficacy of morantel sustained release trilaminate bolus against gastrointestinal nematodes in grazing dairy calves in Kenya

Summary The efficacy of morantel sustained release trilaminate (MSRT) bolus against gastrointestinal nematodes was evaluated under field conditions over a 10-month period. Twenty weaner calves were randomly divided into 2 groups of 10 calves each and grazed from March to December on adjacent, similarly contaminated paddocks. Group 1 calves (T-1) served as untreated controls while group 2 calves (T-2) were dosed at turnout with MSRT bolus designed to release morantel tartrate continuously for 90 days. The efficacy of MSRT was assessed by comparison of parasitological data (faecal worm egg counts, herbage larval counts, worm counts from tracer calves and set-stocked trial calves, determination of haematological parameters and pepsinogen levels), weight gains and clinical status of the animals. Faecal egg counts from the treated group (T-2) were reduced by 100% (P < 0·001) following treatment and remained significantly (P < 0·05) lower than counts from T-1 calves up to trial termination. The use of MSRT bolus resulted in a reduction of 92% (P < 0·001) in the number of gastrointestinal nematodes in set-stocked calves at the end of the study and a 55 to 85·7% reduction in herbage larval infectivity as reflected in lowered parasite burdens in tracer calves. At the trial termination, the control calves had gained on average (± s.d.) 59·4 ± 4·8 kg (200·0 ± 7·4 g day⁻¹) and the treated ones on an average 128·6 ± 10·5 kg (530·0 ± 13·1 g day⁻¹).

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Eficacia De La Utilizacion De Bolos Trilaminados De Morantel Frente A Nematodos Gastrointestinales En Vacuno De Leche En Pastoreo En Kenya

Resumen Se evaluó la eficacia de los bolos trilaminados de liberación continua de morantel (MSRT) frente a nematodos gastrointestinales en condiciones de campo y durante un período de 10 meses. Un total de 20 terneros recién destetados fueron divididos al azar en dos grupos de 10 animales cada uno y mantenidos en pastoreo desde marzo hasta diciembre en parcelas adyacentes y con una carga parasitaria similar. Los terneros del grupo 1 (T-1) fueron los animales control y no recibieron ningun tratamiento, mientras que los terneros del grupo 2 (T-2) fueron tratados con MSRT al inicio del período de pastoreo; los MSRT estaban dise?ados para liberar tartrato de morantel de forma contínua durante 90 días. La eficacia de los MSRT se evaluó comparando datos parasitológicos (huevos en heces, larvas en el pasto, parásitos en los animales, parámetros hematológicos y niveles de pepsinógeno), ganancias de peso y datos clínicos. El número de huevos en heces en los animales T-2 se redujo en un 100% (P < 0·001) después del tratamiento y se mantuvo significativamente más bajo (P 0·05) que el de los animales T-1 durante todo el experimento. La utilización de MSRT resultó en una reducción del 92% (P < 0·001) en el número de nematodos gastrointestinales y en una reducción del 55 al 85·7% en el número de larvas en el pasto. La ganancia de peso final fue de 59·4 ± 4·8 kg en los animales T-1 (200·0 ± 7·4 g/día) y de 128·6 ± 10·5 kg en los animales T-2 (530·0 ± 13·1 g/día).

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Efficacite Du Morantel Por Voie Orale Contre Des Nematodes Gastro-Intestinaux Chez Des Veaux Laitiers Au Kenya

Résumé L’efficacité du Morantel distribué par voie orale, contre des nématodes intestinaux fut évaluéein situ sur plus de 10 mois. 20 veaux sevrés furent répartis au hasard dans 2 groupes de 10 veaux chacuns et broutèrent de Mars à Décembre sur 2 parcelles adjacentes et contaminées de fa?on identique. Le premier groupe (T-1) servit de temoin alors que le deuxième groupe (T-2) re?ut du morantel de fa?on continue pendant 90 jours. L’efficacité du Morantel fut analysée par comparaison des données parasitologiques (nombre d’oeufs de nématode dans les faèces, nombre de larve dans l’herbe, nombre de nematodes chez des veaux de contr?le mobiles et non mobiles, determination des paramètres hématologiques et des tereurs en pepsinogène), des gains de poids et des caractéristiques cliniques des animaux. Le nombre d’oeufs dans les faeces furent réduits de 100% dans le groupe (T-2) (P < 0,001) après le traitement et perdura de fa?on significative (P < 0,05) en dessous des valeurs pour les veaux du groupe (T-1) et cela jusqu’à la fin de l’éxpérience. L’utilisation du Morantel par voie orale entra?na une réduction de 92% dans le nombre des nématodes intestinaux dans les veaux immobilisés à la fin de l’experimentation ainsi qu’une réduction de 55 à 85,7% des larves dans les herbages témoin d’une diminution des parasites rejetés par les animaux sentinels. A la fin de l’expérimentation, les veaux du groupe de contr?le gagnèrent en moyenne 59,4 kg ± 4,8 kg (200,0 ± 7,4 g/jour) alors que les animaux traités gagnèrent en moyenne 128,6 ± 10,5 kg (530,0 ± 13,1 g/jour).

     

Use of an oxfendazole pulse release bolus in calves exposed to natural subclinical infection with gastrointestinal nematodes

During the first grazing season a group of calves treated with an oxfendazole pulse release bolus achieved a mean (+/- sem) weight gain of 140.7 (+/- 6.7) kg compared with 106.5 (+/- 5.7) kg by a group treated once with ivermectin mid-season, and 116.9 (+/- 6.9) kg by a group which received no treatment. This economic advantage was maintained during the period of winter housing. By the end of the second grazing season, during which the animals received no anthelmintic medication, they weighed on average 20 kg more than the wholly untreated group, a difference which was not statistically significant. No signs of clinical disease were observed in either the animals dosed with a pulse release bolus or the undosed control animals during the two year trial period. The treatment with the oxfendazole pulse release bolus greatly reduced the degree of pasture contamination in the first year but in the second year those animals that had been treated in the first year developed higher worm egg counts (P less than 0.001) and thus augmented the levels of pasture contamination compared with the untreated control animals. Nematodirus battus and N filicollis both produced low grade but fertile infestations in the calves.     

Autumn acquisition of nematodes by calves given a morantel sustained-release bolus the preceding spring

Reinfection with nematodes late in the grazing season was assessed in calves treated the preceding spring with a morantel sustained-release bolus (MSRB). During an initial 155-day grazing period, MSRB-treated calves (n = 15) grazed a pasture used the preceding year for identically treated calves (MSRB pasture). Control calves (n = 15) were not given anthelmintic treatment in the spring and grazed heavily contaminated herbage for the initial 155-day period (control pasture). At the end of the initial grazing period, 3 calves from each group were killed for parasite recovery and counting, with control calves found to harbor 9.2 times more nematodes, compared with the MSRB-treated calves. Nematode counts from tracers killed periodically during the initial grazing period were of similar proportions, reflecting the much greater nematode exposure experienced by the control calves, compared with the MSRB-treated calves. At the end of the initial grazing period, 10 calves (5/group) were placed on a common, contaminated pasture after all were treated twice with fenbendazole (10 mg/kg of body weight, 7 days apart) while on concrete. The second grazing period was for 29 days, followed by a 3-day confinement on concrete. Then, the calves were killed and necropsied. During the 29-day grazing period, the MSRB-treated calves maintained their weight advantage over the control calves, and significant differences in nematode egg counts were not found between the 2 groups of calves. At necropsy, the MSRB-treated calves harbored 27.9% fewer nematodes than did the controls, indicating that prior therapeutic and prophylactic anthelmintic activities of the MSRB did not predispose the animals to enhanced acquisition of nematodes after MSRB protection.     

Efficacy of the morantel sustained release trilaminate bolus against gastrointestinal nematodes and its influence on immunity in calves.

An experiment was conducted in calves to investigate the efficacy of a morantel sustained release trilaminate bolus (MSRT) to control gastrointestinal parasitism and to assess the development of immunity during the use of MSRT. Two groups (M and U) of four calves each were infected three times a week with a mixed Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora infection for 12 weeks. Calves of Group M received an MSRT at the start of the experiment. Twenty weeks after the start of the experiment, all animals, including a previously uninfected control group (C), received a challenge with 100,000 Ostertagia and 100,000 Cooperia. After a further 4 weeks all calves were necropsied for worm counts. During the trial calves were weighed and faecal egg counts, larval differentiation and pepsinogen concentrations were determined. The results demonstrated the high level of efficacy of the MSRT in reducing the faecal egg output and preventing parasitic gastroenteritis under conditions of a continuous high rate of infection. Efficacy of treatment was higher for Cooperia than for Ostertagia. Post-mortem worm counts suggested a partially impaired immunity build-up in Group M, at least for Cooperia.     

Production, parasitological and carcase evaluation studies in steers exposed to trichostrongyle infection and treated with a morantel bolus or fenbendazole in two consecutive grazing seasons

Friesian steers were exposed to natural trichostrongyle infection and left untreated (controls) or treated with either a morantel sustained release bolus or fenbendazole at two week intervals (clean) in each of two consecutive grazing seasons. In the second grazing season the mean liveweight gains of the clean, morantel treated and control groups of cattle over 152 days were 105, 131 and 109 kg respectively (morantel treated greater than clean, control P less than 0.02). The cattle were slaughtered following an indoor fattening period. The dressed carcase weight, killing out percentage and related carcase measurements were superior in the treated groups. Eighty per cent of the clean and morantel treated cattle graded satisfactorily and qualified for subsidy payment whereas less than 30 per cent of the control cattle were successful. Rib joint analyses showed significantly lower total weight, eye muscle weight and area together with a higher bone content in control cattle.     

Effect of strategic treatments with invermectin on parasitism of set-stocked calves exposed to natural trichostrongyle infection in Lithuania

The effect of strategic treatments with ivermectin in first-season calves exposed to trichostrongyle nematodes on naturally contaminated pasture was studied. Twenty first season heifer calves were divided into 2 groups, according to live weight, and on 22nd May each group was turned out onto a 1 hectare pasture. Group A (Plot A) was treated with ivermectin at weeks 3, 8 and 13 after turn out, while group B (Plot B) served as an untreated control group. The study showed that control calves exhibited increase in trichostrongyle egg counts in August, while treated calves were excreting low numbers of trichostrongyle eggs. Pasture larval counts on Plot B (control animals) were low during the first part of the grazing season, followed by a steep rise towards the end of July. In contrast, the numbers of infective larvae recovered from Plot A remained low throughout the season. Both groups showed comparable weight gains from May up to the middle of July. However, from then on, Group B (controls) had lower weight gains than ivermectin treated Group A. From the end of July onwards, most untreated calves (Group B) showed clinical signs of parasitic gastroenteritis. It can be concluded that the strategical ivermectin treatments were successful, and faecal egg counts, pepsinogen levels and herbage larval counts clearly demonstrated that this was accomplished through suppression of pasture contamination with nematode eggs and subsequent reduction of pasture infectivity.     

Effects of the use of a morantel sustained release bolus in first and second year grazing cattle

In an experiment carried out in 1981 and 1982, the effect of the use of a morantel sustained release bolus (Paratect bolus) on the weight gain and a number of parasitological parameters of cattle was studied. In the first year 42 calves were divided into 3 equal groups, one group was kept outside and treated with a bolus (B), the second group was kept outside and was not treated (C), while the third group remained indoors (I). Groups B and C were grazed separately on contaminated pasture. During the first months Group B had a negligible egg output. The egg output in the controls was much higher and in mid-August they had to be treated for parasitic gastroenteritis. At the end of the grazing season the advantage in weight gain of Group B was 20 kg compared with the controls. During the housing period the growth in the 3 groups was not significantly different. At the start of the second grazing season half the animals of Groups B, C and I received a bolus (Groups BB, CB and IB). The other half remained untreated (BC, CC and IC). The animals treated with a bolus in 1982 gained significantly more weight (64 g/day) than untreated animals. Heifers turned out for the first time (IB and IC) showed much less weight gain than heifers in their second grazing season. The heifers which had previously grazed in 1981 had a very low egg output compared with Groups IB and IC, although the level of egg output of the latter was also not very high (max, almost 40 (eggs per gram (EPG)). In faecal cultures of heifers of Group BC, CB and CC, no Cooperia oncophora-larvae were seen from May onwards, indicating a strong immunity against this species. In Group BB very low numbers of C. oncophora-larvae were observed. In Groups IB and IC, C. oncophora was present during the whole season. At the end of the first season the level of herbage infestation on the control pastures was much higher. In 1982 only slight differences in level of infestation between the pastures were observed. At the start of the season in 1982 serum pepsinogen levels were much higher in the groups which grazed in 1981, compared with the indoor-fed groups. Groups BC and CC had significantly higher levels than Groups BB and CB and all 4 groups always had higher levels than Groups IB and IC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Field efficacy of a morantel sustained release bolus for control of gastrointestinal nematodes in yearling steers

The efficacy of a morantel sustained release bolus (MSRB) for control of gastrointestinal nematodes in yearling steers was evaluated over a 6-month grazing period commencing on 26 March 1982. Three groups of 15 steers were allotted to the following treatments: Group 1 -- one MSRB at start of trial; Group 2 -- one therapeutic dose of thiabendazole at start of trial; Group 3 -- untreated control. The treatment groups were grazed separately. Parasite egg counts (EPG), herbage larval counts, pepsinogen levels and weight gains were monitored. Every other month, sets of 2 parasite-free tracer calves were placed in the pasture grazed by each treatment group and allowed to graze for 3 weeks before being subsequently necropsied for worm counts. At the end of the trial, 6 animals from each group were also necropsied for worm counts. The MSRB treatment resulted in significantly lower egg counts, fewer infective larvae on pasture, lower pepsinogen levels and lower worm burdens in tracer calves than was the case for the untreated group, but generally the levels were not significantly different from those associated with the thiabendazole treatment. The mean weight gain for the MSRB treated steers showed a significant advantage (70.9 lb) over the untreated animals, but was not significantly different from those which received thiabendazole. Total worm counts at the end of the trial were not different from any treatment group.     

Studies on the interaction between an irradiated bovine lungworm vaccine and a morantel sustained release bolus

The interaction of the morantel sustained release bolus with the development of immunity in calves vaccinated with two doses of gamma irradiated (40 Kr) Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae was investigated under laboratory conditions. A total of 37 helminth-naive calves were used. Eight calves were used in the first part of the study to test the efficacy of a larval vaccine prepared by using gamma rays delivered from a cobalt source. In the second part of the study, four groups of four groups of four calves each were vaccinated and of these, all the animals in two groups each received a bolus. The remaining three groups (two groups of four and one group of five calves each) remained nonvaccinated with each animal in one group receiving a bolus. All the calves were challenged with approximately 2000 lungworm larvae four months postvaccination. In order to simulate possible field conditions, two of the vaccinated groups and two of the nonvaccinated groups were given a trickle infection of 800 lungworm larvae over a four-week period, three months prior to challenge. Based on a comparison of clinical signs, pathology and lungworm burdens at necropsy, the vaccination of the calves conferred a significant degree of protection (P less than 0.001) to a subsequent challenge compared with controls. The introduction of a morantel sustained release bolus and/or a trickle infection had no effect on the high degree of protection engendered by the vaccination. Nonvaccinated calves given a trickle infection, with or without a bolus, were also highly immune to challenge.     

Efficacy of the morantel sustained release trilaminate matrix against gastrointestinal nematodes in beef calves

The effectiveness of the morantel sustained release trilaminate (MSRT) in controlling gastrointestinal nematodes through a grazing season was evaluated using 60 yearling beef stocker calves randomly divided into 2 groups of 30 animals each. In April 1985, the calves comprising the treatment group each received an MSRT designed to release morantel tartrate continuously for 90 days while those of the control group remained unmedicated. All animals were weighed and samples of rectal feces were taken at 14-day intervals, beginning on Day 0, until trial termination (Day 168). At trial termination, 10 control and 10 treated calves were necropsied for recovery of gastrointestinal nematodes. Three sets of parasite-na?ve tracer calves were utilized to evaluate the initial, interim and final levels of pasture contamination by nematode larvae. Overall, the use of the MSRT resulted in a 75.5% reduction (P less than 0.001) in output of nematode eggs from the principals, an 81.8% reduction (P less than 0.001) in numbers of gastrointestinal nematodes in principals (at trial termination), and a 96.9% reduction (P less than 0.05) of pasture larval nematode contamination (as indirectly indicated by parasite burdens in tracer calves). The mean weight advantage of treated calves was 16.6 kg per head (P less than 0.001).     

The use of a morantel sustained release bolus in the seasonal control of parasitic gastroenteritis in second-season cattle

The efficacy of a morantel sustained release bolus was evaluated during the 1980 summer grazing season in 216 yearling, second-season cattle in nine trials in West Germany. In five trials individual farms were used, in which medicated and control groups could be grazed on adjacent pastures. In four additional trials medicated and control groups were maintained on separate farms where the sites and management practice were matched as far as possible. Faecal worm egg counts, herbage larval counts and weight gain were monitored at regular intervals throughout the season. The faecal output of gastrointestinal nematode eggs was reduced by 55.8 percent in the medicated animals during the period from May to early August, while worm egg counts were equal to that of the control animals during the later part of the season. Herbage larval counts were similar on pastures grazed by medicated and nonmedicated cattle. In the five trials where individual farms were used the average daily weight gains over the entire grazing period were 900 (+/- 222) g/animal/day in the medicated group compared with 826 (+/- 263) g/animal in the nonmedicated cattle, a non-significant advantage. No advantage for the treated over the control groups was detected in the additional 4 trials but this was attributed largely to the difficulty in obtaining comparable groups of animals in comparable grazing conditions in "matching" farms, leading to inter-farm variation.     

Efficacy of morantel against nematode populations in calves exposed on a pasture stocked for two years with morantel sustained-release bolus-treated calves

Two groups of 10 parasite-free calves were maintained either for 2 weeks on a pasture grazed by nonmedicated cattle (pasture A) or for 3 weeks on a pasture grazed by morantel sustained-release bolus-treated cattle (pasture B) for the preceding 2 years. After a 4-week holding period to allow for maturation of acquired gastrointestinal nematodes, 5 calves from each group were administered a therapeutic dose (10 mg/kg of body weight) of morantel tartrate. All calves were necropsied 1 week later, and the abomasal and small intestinal nematodes were isolated, identified, and enumerated. A comparison of efficacies between nonmedicated and morantel tartrate-treated calves of each pasture demonstrated that morantel was equally effective against the gastrointestinal nematode infections, regardless of infection source (ie, pasture A vs pasture B). The overall nematode reductions due to morantel tartrate treatment of calves that grazed pastures A and B were 98% and 96%, respectively. It was concluded that the sensitivity of gastrointestinal nematodes to morantel tartrate was not diminished in calves maintained on pasture B, which had been stocked with morantel sustained-release bolus-treated calves for the preceding 2 grazing seasons.     

The use of the morantel sustained release bolus under special farm practices (deprime system) in France

The efficacy of the morantel sustained release bolus in controlling gastrointestinal and lungworm parasites when used in first-season grazing animals which followed older animals onto spring pasture (deprime system) was assessed in three trials conducted in Normandy, France. In each trial first-season grazing calves were equally allocated onto two separate but equivalent paddocks where they remained throughout the grazing season. A morantel sustained release bolus was administered to one group of animals at turnout, the other group remained as controls. The effect of the treatment on contamination of pasture (herbage larval counts and tracer worm counts), on faecal worm egg and lungworm larval counts, and on weight gain performance of the principal animals was assessed. In all three trials, worm egg output in the bolus-treated animals was substantially lower throughout the season compared with the control animals. Worm burdens of tracer calves grazing pastures of the treated cattle were also reduced compared with tracer calves grazing control pastures. Clinical parasitic gastroenteritis occurred in the control animals but not in the bolus-treated animals in one trial. Overall the bolus-treated animals outperformed the controls by a mean weight gain advantage of 10.5 kg (P less than 0.01).     

A field study comparing a pregrazing treatment with the morantel sustained release bolus with a strategic deworming program in first year grazing cattle

A field trial was designed to compare the efficacy of a pregrazing treatment with a morantel sustained release bolus and two strategic treatments of levamisole in the prevention and control of gastrointestinal parasitism in first year grazing cattle. The infection of calves, pasture contamination and the subsequent effects on performance were recorded.