On the Development of Gastrointestinal Parasitism in Bovine Yearlings

A comparative study on the development of Osteragia Ostertagi, Cooperia oncophora and Nematodirus helvetianus in 15-month-old yearlings and three-month-old calves demonstrated that yearlings have considerably greater resistance to gastrointestinal parasitism than calves. This was manifested by the establishment of smaller worm burdens, marked stunting of worms and a markedly lower worm egg output in the yearlings. The characteristic marked rise in egg counts observed in calves a few weeks after exposure to a heavy gastro-intestinal parasite infection did not occur in the yearlings. It was concluded that fecal examinations have a limited usefulness as a reliable aid to diagnosis of gastrointestinal parasitism in older cattle.     

The Effects of Anthelmintic Treatments on the Development of Gastrointestinal Parasitism in Calves

Fortnightly treatment of susceptible calves with 1-tetramisole during the first two months of continuous exposure to pastures residually heavily-infected with Ostertagia ostertagi, Cooperia oncophora and Nematodirus helvetianus did not prevent the development of clinical parasitic gastroenteritis, although the infections were not as severe as in nontreated calves. Development of resistance in treated calves was manifested by significantly smaller numbers of Cooperia eggs in utero (which were reflected by reduced fecal egg counts) and by significantly smaller Nematodirus worm burdens than in susceptible calves that commenced grazing coincident with cessation of treatment. The findings also indicated that resistance to Nematodirus helvetianus was slower in developing in treated than in nontreated infected calves.     

Efficacy of a novel sustained release anthelmintic device in preventing parasitic gastroenteritis in first-season calves

The efficacy of the first of a new generation of intraruminal devices for cattle, the morantel sustained release trilaminate, was assessed in two field trials. In each trial the animals were divided into a control group and a treated group. The device was administered to each calf before turn out in the spring and the reduction of gastrointestinal parasitism resulted in a substantial reduction in the level of pasture contamination with infective helminth larvae later in the season. Compared with the control calves the treated calves had a 94 per cent reduction of worm burdens acquired over the entire grazing season in the first trial, despite the controls being treated for clinical disease in September. In the second trial four anthelmintic treatments were administered to the control calves during the grazing season, but nevertheless a 64 per cent reduction of worm burdens in the treated group compared to the control group was recorded. The control of parasitic infection by the sustained-release devices resulted in mean weight gain advantages of 28.3 kg and 34.7 kg by the treated animals in the first and second trials respectively.     

The Development, Clinical Signs and Economic Losses of Gastrointestinal Parasitism in Feeder Cattle on Irrigated and Non-irrigated Dikeland and Upland Pastures

Investigations were carried out over three grazing seasons with parasitized and treated (control) steers on irrigated and non-irrigated upland and dikeland pastures. The stocking rate in each paddock was adjusted by either adding or removing animals so as to maintain as uniform a sward and rate of grazing as possible. Animals were weighed on and off the pastures and fortnightly during the grazing seasons.

During the first grazing season clinically normal steers shedding low numbers of gastrointestinal worm eggs contaminated the parasite-free pastures sufficiently to give rise to large residual pasture infections and clinical parasitic gastroenteritis in grazing stock during the second grazing season. Worm burdens of 100,000 to 200,000 Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora were established in several steers showing marked clinical signs. In spite of treatments with high dosages of thiabendazole in attempts to keep worm burdens at a minimum, there was a slow but gradual buildup of pasture infections in the paddocks grazed by the control steers over the three year period.

During the second and third grazing seasons there were significant differences in the daily rate of gain between the parasitized and control animals on both upland and dikeland pastures. The parasitized groups of steers had daily rates of gain ranging from 0.29 to 0.80 pounds less than their comparable control groups.

Under Maritime conditions, irrigation did not have a consistent effect on weight gains and development of parasitism.

     

THE EFFECT OF AGE ON RESISTANCE OF CATTLE TO BABESIA BOVIS

SUMMARY Susceptible Hereford cattle of different ages were inoculated with 2 times 10⁸Babesia bovis organisms. Experiment 1 consisted of cows aged 6 to 7 years, steers aged 17 to 18 months and calves aged 5 to 6 months, while experiment 2 consisted of cows aged 6.5 to 7.5 years, steers aged 23 to 24 months and yearlings aged 11 to 12 months. Daily measurements of temperature, parasitsemia and packed cell volume were made in order to determine susceptibility of the different ages. Twenty-four of the 36 animals in experiment 1, which included all 12 cows, required treatment. One cow died as a result of an enlarged ruptured spleen, and 2 steers and 1 calf died with classical babesiosis symptoms. No treatment was given to experiment 11 animals, and 5 of the 12 cows died, but the steers and yearlings underwent relatively mild reactions. Statistical analysis confirmed the high susceptibility to B. bovis of the aged cows in both experiments, and the innate resistance of 5 to 6 month old calves in experiment 1. The reaction of the 18-month-old steers in experiment 1 was significantly greater than that of the calves, but significantly less severe than that of the aged cows. Two-year-old steers and yearlings in experiment 2 underwent similar mild reactions, suggesting that innate immunity may persist for longer periods when compared to aged cows. Age groups showing reduced susceptibility were found to reach peak parasitaemia, temperature and anaemia before the more susceptible age groups. Heterologous challenge of the remaining experiment 1 and experiment 2 animals at 6 and 8 months respectively after primary inoculation, revealed all animals of all ages had a solid resistance to B. bovis.     

Blood gastrin and pepsinogen responses to subclinical infection with Ostertagia ostertagi in adult dairy cattle

Blood gastrin and pepsinogen responses to a single infection with 100,000 Ostertagia ostertagi infective larvae in lactating dairy cows were investigated. None of the infected cows showed signs of clinical ostertagiasis, nor was there any difference in live weight gain, milk yield or faecal egg count between groups. Pepsinogen levels of the infected group were significantly elevated between days 3 and 24 after infection (peak 1041 mU tyrosine; day 14). In contrast, there was no significant difference in blood gastrin levels between infected and control animals suggesting that few adult worms had become established in the former group. These data are compared with the increases in both gastrin and pepsinogen levels recorded in susceptible calves exposed to the same level, pattern and strain of ostertagia infection in a previous experiment. It is suggested that gastrin assay may be of value in adult cattle for indicating when elevated pepsinogen levels are merely associated with a rise in larval intake and not with the establishment of large adult worm burdens.     

Effects of separate and mixed grazing on trichostrongylosis in first- and second-season grazing calves

This study on natural trichostrongylosis in calves on permanent pasture was designed to evaluate whether susceptible first-season calves would benefit from mixed grazing with second-season calves that were more resistant. The experimental plan allowed a comparison of the effect of mixed grazing with that of separate grazing for each age category. The results showed that the first-season calves already grazing with the older animals at the beginning of the grazing season had lower parasite burdens and less clinical symptoms than first-season calves grazing alone. This effect, experienced in 1987 and characterized by a rather high overwintered parasite population on herbage, could not at this early stage be explained by a parasite "diluting" effect exerted by the older animals, but might perhaps be explained by different grazing behaviour of the two age categories. Later in the summer, the first-season calves continued to benefit from the mixed grazing, most likely because the pasture was less contaminated per unit area due to the very low egg deposition of the older animals. The effect of mixed grazing was most clearly reflected in the differences between worm burdens in tracer calves grazing the respective plots at the end of the season. Apparently, the second-season calves did not suffer parasitologically from grazing together with the younger animals. The paper discusses possible long-term implications with combinations of different age categories of cattle.     

On the Natural Seeding of Marshland Pastures with Bovine Gastrointestinal Parasites

By placing parasite-free calves in paddocks grazed by infected animals for 18 day periods at various times during the previous season it was shown that eggs of Ostertagia ostertagi, Cooperia oncophora and Nematodirus helvetianus deposited on pastures from early July to October of one year were able to survive in the Maritime area of Canada over winter either as eggs and/or larvae and contribute to residual infections on these pastures the following spring. The greatest deposition and/or survival of those eggs that were shed on pasture occurred in August and September for Cooperia and in September and October for Ostertagia. Greatest deposition of Nematodirus occurred in July and August and relatively few Nematodirus eggs shed in late September or early October were infective early in the next season.

The number of generations of worms per year was low, ranging from one to two or perhaps three per year depending on the species. There was a delay in the maturation of many worm eggs.

Residual overwintering infections play a significant role in the establishment of initial infections each summer in susceptible stock. These animals recontaminate the pastures leading to the subsequent development of large numbers of infective larvae by late summer and autumn.

     

Effects of ivermectin on control of gastrointestinal nematodes and weight gain in weaner-yearling beef cattle

Four groups of 16 crossbred beef calves were used in evaluating different anthelmintic treatment schedules: group 1 was given ivermectin (IVM) at weaning only (October 31) and grazed on initially safe pasture; group 2 was given IVM at weaning, on January 28, and on April 22, and grazed on contaminated pasture; and group 3 was given IVM at weaning and on April 22, and grazed on contaminated pasture; and group-4 was group treated with fenbendazole (FBZ) at weaning only, with provision for individual salvage treatment, and grazed on contaminated pasture. The investigation was from Oct 31, 1984, to Oct 9, 1985. Initially high fecal egg counts at weaning were more effectively reduced by IVM than by FBZ, and the effect of safe pasture was evident in minimal worm burdens in tracer calves grazed with group-1 cattle during November and least amount of weight loss in group-1 yearlings during winter. Fecal egg counts, pasture larval counts, and plasma pepsinogen concentrations remained low in group 2 after the January treatment. Fecal egg counts of the other groups increased substantially during late winter and spring, but pasture larval counts increased only on group-1 and group-4 pastures. During spring, highest worm burdens were found in group-1 and group-4 tracer calves (grazed in April) and in group-3 and group-4 yearlings (slaughtered in early April). Six cattle of group 4 were salvage treated with FBZ in February and April. Greatest gains were observed from March through June, with group-2 and group-1 cattle gaining the most.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

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.     

Survey of helminth infections in Maine dairy cattle.

The survey was done to determine the incidence and seasonal prevalence of the gastrointestinal helminths infecting Maine dairy cattle. Approximately equal groups of calves, heifers, and cows from 13 dairy farms, managerially and geographically representative of dairying in the state, were sampled at regular 2-month intervals over the period of a year. On the basis of fecal egg counts and identification of cultured larvae, the following results were obtained: Of the 94 adult cows, 78 heifers, and 91 calves sampled continuously in the course of the survey, 95.7%, 98.7%, and 96.7%, respectively, were strongylorid positive (infected with Ostertagia, Cooperia, Trichostrongylus, Haemonchus, and Oesophagostomun), with an overall incidence of 97%. Strongyloides papillosus eggs were in 64.6% of the cattle, Bunostomum in 40.3%, Nematodirus in 27.8%, Trichuris in 27.0%, Capillaria in 9.5%, Moniezia in 25.1%, and Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae in 2.7%. Worm burdens, as reflected by mean nematode egg production per gram of feces, varied. The greatest worm burdens were in the calves, followed by the heifers and the cows. A marked variation in egg production related to season was observed, particularly with the strongylorid worms. Peak strongylorid egg production was observed in the May-June sampling period. After the peak period, worm burdens decreased in all groups of cattle to their lowest point during the winter period of January-February. This pattern of egg production was similar to that reported by workers in other parts of the world. Farm management practices were shown to be related to the degree of parasitism existing in these herds. Those herds classed as poorly managed had significantly higher levels of parasitism in young animals than those classed as having fair or good management.     

Effects of an integrated control programme with ivermectin on growth, carcase composition and nematode infection of beef cattle in Argentina's western pampas

The effect of previous pasture management and ivermectin treatment on gastrointestinal parasitism, weight gain and carcase composition of steers was studied in the semiarid Pampeana region of Argentina from April 1986 to April 1987. Three groups, each of 15 weaned calves, were grazed on separate lucerne pastures. Group 1 control calves, which grazed paddocks previously grazed by nematode-infected weaners and yearlings with a high nematode egg output, were only medicated when heavy parasitism was recorded. Group 2 calves, which grazed paddocks previously infected by steers at least two and a half years old with low nematode egg output, were treated strategically with ivermectin. Group 3 calves, which grazed on 'clean' paddocks, were treated monthly with ivermectin. Group 1 calves showed heavy parasitism and parasitological parameters were higher than in groups 2 and 3. The liveweight gain responses of groups 2 and 3 were significantly greater than those of group 1 (P less than 0.001) during autumn, winter and early spring. At the end of the study when cattle reached market condition, the liveweight gains of groups 2 and 3 were 74.1 and 81.9 kg, respectively, greater than group 1. Carcase analyses showed significantly greater weight and killing-out percentages in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1. Reduced total bone, muscle and fat weights were observed in group 1.     

Epizootiologic Studies of Shipping Fever of Cattle: I. The Microbial Agents Isolated

Nineteen strains of Pasteurella spp., but no viruses cytopathogenic for bovine embryonic kidney cells were isolated from pneumonic lesions present in “normal” veal calves at slaughter.

In studies on two herds of native cattle and six lots of western feeder calves, Pasteurella spp. were isolated from nasal swabs from healthy cattle and those with shipping fever. Viruses of the psittacosis-lymphogranuloma group were isolated from nasal swabs from animals in five groups. Viruses provisionally identified as bovine enteroviruses were isolated from nasal swabs of calves in two lots.

There was serologic evidence of a temporal association of myxovirus para-influenza 3 (PI3) with shipping fever in three lots of calves. From two of these three lots, strains of PI3 were isolated from ten animals, four of which had clinical shipping fever at the time of virus isolation.

     

The Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Dairy Cattle in Central Kenya

The epidemiology of H. placei and of other gastrointestinal nematodes in yearling dairy cattle was examined on two farms in Kiambu District, central Kenya during each of 13 one-month periods from April 1993 to April 1994. On each farm, 32 newly weaned dairy calves were given a single dose of albendazole and then placed on experimental pastures. Twelve of the animals were designated for bi-monthly slaughter (n = 2) and analysis of worm population characteristics and 20 were designated for blood and faecal collection and for weighing. Two parasite-free tracer calves were grazed alongside the weaner calves each month throughout the study period and were also slaughtered for analysis of worm populations. Faecal egg counts, haematological and serum pepsinogen determinations, herbage larval counts, and animal live weight changes were recorded monthly. The study revealed that Haemonchus placei, Trichostrongylus axei, Cooperia spp. and Oesophagostomum radiatum were responsible for parasitic gastroenteritis and that H. placei was the predominant nematode present in the young cattle on both farms. Faecal egg counts from resident cattle and necropsy worm counts revealed that pasture larval levels were directly related to the amount of rainfall. The total worm burdens in the animals were highest during the rainy season (March–June and October–December) and lowest during the dry seasons (July–September and January–February). The very low recovery of immature larvae of H. placei from the tracer calves indicated that arrested development is not a feature of the life cycle of this parasite in central Kenya. The maintenance of the parasite population depended on continuous cycling of infection between the host and the pasture. The agroclimatic conditions of the study area were such that, in general, favourable weather conditions for the development and survival of the free-living stages of gastrointestinal nematodes existed all year round.     

On the Immunological Response of Young Calves to Light Nematodirus helvetianus Infection

Infecting parasite-free eight week old calves with 8,000 infective Nematodirus helvetianus larvae did not modify appreciably their response to a later heavy field challenge with N. helvetianus, Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora, although two of six animals did have smaller Nematodirus burdens.     

STUDIES ON NEMATODE INFECTIONS OF BEEF CATTLE IN NEW SOUTH WALES

The occurrence and seasonal trends of nematode parasite infections in beef cattle on the Tablelands and North Coast regions of New South Wales are described, based on worm counts from 627 spring-born steers slaughtered at 2-monthly intervals from 6 to 24 months of age. The predominant parasites were Ostertagia ostertagi, Trichostrongylus axei and Cooperia spp. Large burdens of adult Ostertagia were seen in 12-month-old animals in late winter and early spring, and later in 18- to 20-month-old cattle in the following late summer and autumn. These infections often resulted in outbreaks of clinical parasitism. Massive numbers of inhibited early fourth stage larvae (EL4) also accumulated in the yearlings during their first spring, reached peaks in mid-summer and then declined. The possibility of their resumption of development to mature worms in the late summer and autumn period is discussed. Adult T. axei showed a similar seasonal trend to Ostertagia and may have increased the severity of outbreaks of clinical disease. Cooperia populations of EL4 and adult worms were highest in weaners during winter, but lower numbers thereafter indicated a strong resistance to re-infection. In addition, Haemonchus placei occurred frequently on the North Coast both as EL4 and adults in cattle of all ages up to 20 months. Of the other cattle nematodes, Oesophagostomum radiatum and Trichuris spp occurred in low numbers, mainly in weaners. Bunstomum phlebotomum and H. contortus occurred sporadically on the North Coast and Tablelands respectively. Intestinal Trichostronglyus spp, Oesophagostomum venulosum and Dictyocaulus viviparus were seen occasionally and Nematodirus spp were not seen. There was a poor relationship between worm counts and faecal egg counts. Cooperia spp dominated the egg counts, while those for other genera were generally low and did not reflect the relative abundance or seasonal changes in worm numbers.     

The natural regulation of Trichostrongylus spp. populations in young grazing sheep

The dynamics of Trichostrongylus axei and intestinal Trichostrongylus spp. were studied in grazing lambs over a 2-year period. Monthly comparisons were made between worm counts of experimental lambs continuously exposed to infection from 3 to 7 months of age, and tracer lambs which were allowed to graze on the experimental plots for successive 4-week periods.It was found that irrespective of the level of larval intake, experimental lambs were unable to regulate their worm burdens until at least 5 months of age. When larval intake was high, resistance to establishment of larvae apparently occurred at approximately 6 months of age followed by rejection and resistance to reinfection. In conditions of low larval intake, worms accumulated with no apparent control operating in lambs up to 7 months of age.These results suggest that a rapid turnover of worm populations does not occur in Trichostrongylus spp., and that in young lambs, worms accumulate until sufficient exposure to infection stimulates resistance to larval establishment and ultimately rejection of adults.     

Relation between selenium content and glutathion‐peroxidase activity in blood of cattle

Summary

To identify a simple method for assessing the selenium demand in cattle, the relationship between selenium content in whole blood and the concentration of the selenium containing enzyme glutathion peroxidase (EC 1.11. 1.9; GSH‐Px) in red blood cells was studied. On six farms with suspected low soil selenium content, blood samples were collected from groups of calves, yearlings and adults at the end of the housing period and of the grazing period.

The data obtained showed a highly significant correlation between the parameters mentioned: GSH‐Px (U/g Hb) = 3.261 * Se (μg/kg) ‐ 40.553. In growing animals there was a decline in Se supply with age, followed by a gradual recovery in heifers. This was most pronounced on some sandy soils and on peat soil.

Seasonal effects could not be demonstrated.     

Experimental Infection of Newborn Calves with Coccidia and Reinfection after Weaning

Four newborn Hereford calves were orally inoculated five times with 100 sporulated oocysts of coccidia, predominantly Eimeria zurnii. Each calf was kept isolated with its dam until weaned at the age of 13 weeks. Three other newborn calves were similarly isolated but not experimentally infected. The calves were then challenged with 300,000 sporulated oocysts at the age of five, seven and nine months. The previously unexposed calves developed marked clinical coccidiosis after the first challenge, but resisted the second and third challenge. The neonatally exposed calves were susceptible to infection at the first challenge as well as to the next two challenges at seven and nine months of age, but the clinical signs following the last two challenges were milder than those of the first challenge. These findings suggest that under conditions where calves become infected with coccidia when very young, such calves may, by shedding oocysts in large numbers for long periods, be a continuing source of coccidial infections to other animals.