The effect of rotational grazing for periods of one or two weeks on the build-up of lungworm and gastro-intestinal nematode infections in calves

Endoparasite Control

The gastrointestinal nematodes are considered to be the most important group of internal parasites. Gastrointestinal parasitism is a major constraint to animal health, productivity, and profitability in grazing livestock production systems. The clinical manifestations of infection may range from no apparent effect to death. Despite years of research, assessment of production losses in many regions of the United States and of the potential impact of gastrointestinal nematode control remains to be determined.

Genetic diversity assessed by amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis of the parasitic nematode Dictyocaulus viviparus the lungworm of cattle

We have examined the population genetic structure in a collection of nine isolates of the parasitic lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus. Eight of the isolates were sampled from cattle in geographically separated farms throughout south-central Sweden, and one isolate was a laboratory strain that has been maintained in experimentally infected calves for almost four decades. A total of 72 worms were examined, with eight individual worms from the same individual host representing each isolate. The genetic variation as revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis using four selective primer combinations was high. Depending on the primer combination a total of 66-79 restriction fragments were amplified, with 26-44 peaks of similar complexity from each of the isolates. The heterozygosity within populations was relatively small, as were the population mutation and immigration rates, which seemed to be in neutral equilibrium. The genetic diversity was therefore reasonably well structured in the field; and the laboratory isolate was quite distinct from the field samples. There was no relationship between the patterns of genetic diversity and the geographical proximity of the farms. The estimates of heterozygosity were much larger and more consistent than those previously estimated for this nematode species using mitochondrial sequencing, and the genetic structuring was thus much less pronounced and the gene flow greater. We attribute these differences in estimation to the broader sampling of loci available using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers, which may therefore constitute a superior technique for the study of patterns of lungworm diversity. Furthermore, the data estimating gene flow for D. viviparus was less than previously reported for closely related species in North America. This might be related to different rates of movements of infected hosts. It seems likely that lungworm infections are rather persistent on different farms, and the sudden outbreaks of disease that can be observed with host movements are most likely to be related to the introduction of susceptible stock.

The efficacy of two isolates of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans against Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae in faeces

A series of experiments was carried out to examine the effects of two different isolates of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans to reduce the number of free-living larvae of the bovine lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparus. A laboratory dose-titration assay showed that isolates CI3 and Troll A of D. flagrans significantly reduced (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) the number of infective D. viviparus larvae in cultures at dose-levels of 6250 and 12,500 chlamydospores/g of faeces. The larval reduction capacity was significantly higher for Troll A compared to CI3 when lungworm larvae were mixed in faecal cultures with eggs of Cooperia oncophora or Ostertagia ostertagi and treated with 6250 chlamydospores/g of faeces. Both fungal isolates showed a stronger effect on gastrointestinal larvae than on lungworm larvae. Two plot trials conducted in 1996 and 1997 involved deposition of artificial faecal pats containing free-living stages of D. viviparus and C. oncophora on grass plots. Herbage around the pats was collected at regular intervals and infective larvae recovered, counted and identified. These experiments showed that both D. flagrans isolates reduced the number of gastrointestinal as well as lungworm larvae in faecal pats. During both plot trials, the transmission of C. oncophora larvae, but not D. viviparus, from faecal pats to the surrounding herbage was clearly affected by climatic conditions. After collection of faecal pats from the grass plots one month after deposition, the wet and dry weight of pats as well as organic matter content were determined. No differences were found between the fungus-treated and non-treated control pats. This indicated that the rate of degradation of faeces was not affected by the addition of the fungus.

The role of parasite epidemiology in the management of grazing cattle

Epidemiology of ruminant helminths is the foundation on which strategic parasite control programmes are designed. Without this information one is not able to use anthelmintics to provide the optimal benefits for controlling both the adult worm and the pasture larval populations. The absence of strategic programmes generally results in using anthelmintics at the convenience of the producer, which may have little if any impact on parasite populations. The design of a strategic parasite control programme requires a knowledge of the dynamics of egg shedding from the host and the resulting pasture larval populations. It is important to know if larvae are available when animals are turned out onto pasture, when larval populations reach their maximal numbers and when they are induced to become hypobiotic. The goal is to keep pasture larval populations as low as possible. The use of pasture rotation adds another dimension to control programmes. The longer a pasture is allowed to remain fallow, the lower the pasture larval burden will be when it is grazed next. However, when we use intensive rotational grazing, animals may return to the pasture about 28 days later, when the larvae resulting from the eggs shed in the previous grazing are infective. This practice forces cattle to eat all of the forage available, including the grass closest to the faecal pat, where most of the infective larvae are available. If we treated cattle before turning them onto a clean rotationally grazed pasture, we should be able to control parasitism. Using a long-acting anthelmintic should enhance helminth control in rotationally grazed pastures and actually help to clean the pastures. Another grazing management practice is to alternately graze different species. This programme with the strategic use of anthelmintics should reduce parasitism in both host species.

Field evaluation of a topical doramectin formulation for the chemoprophylaxis of parasitic bronchitis in calves

A study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of two topical treatments with doramectin on the season-long control of lungworm and gastrointestinal infections in first grazing season (FGS) calves. At the start of the study, 20 FGS calves were randomly allocated into two treatment groups of 10 animals each. Calves in the D-group were treated with doramectin pour-on on days 0 and 56, at a dosage of 500 microg kg(-1) BW: calves in the C-group were designated as controls. A permanent pasture was divided in two blocks and these were randomly allocated to the treatment groups. Throughout the study, tracers (n = 32) were grazed on each paddock at 3-week intervals. Clinical signs of parasitic bronchitis (PB) were observed in the C-group in July and this necessitated two salvage treatments with levamisole. From day 28, post-turnout lungworm larvae were recovered from faeces of the C-calves until housing. No signs of PB were observed in the D-group during the entire grazing season. Shedding of lungworm larvae in the principals of the D-group did not occur until 112 days post-turnout. From the data obtained from the tracer calves. it appeared that larvae had overwintered on both pastures. On the C-pasture, the number of lungworms recovered from the tracer calves gradually increased to a peak in September, whereas on the D-pasture, the increase was observed only at the end of the pasture season. Both strongyle faecal egg counts and pepsinogen levels were relatively low in both groups throughout the present study. At the end of the grazing period (day 161). the principals were housed and treated with oxfendazole. During the housing period, all principal animals (D- and C-groups) and a third group of four helminth free animals (N-group) received a challenge infection with Dictyocaulus viviparus. It appeared that the different exposure to the parasite during the grazing season resulted in different establishment rates, i.e.. group C < group D < group N. The present results show that overwintering of lungworm larvae occurs in Belgium and that in such conditions, doramectin pour-on given at turnout and at 8 weeks controls PB in calves during the first grazing season.

Evaluation of an ELISA for the routine diagnosis of Dictyocaulus viviparus infections in cattle

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that detects antibodies against Dictyocaulus viviparus in experimentally and naturally infected cattle was evaluated for its sensitivity, specificity, the moment of seroconversion and persistence of the anti-D. viviparus response and precision. The first three parameters were compared with those of an indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA). Specificity and sensitivity of both assays were assessed in sera collected from calves experimentally infected with pure isolates of D. viviparus, Ostertagia ostertagi, Cooperia oncophora, Nematodirus helvetianus, Ascaris suum or Fasciola hepatica, and from parasite-naive calves. The specificity of both the ELISA and IHA was very high, 99.2% and 99.6%, respectively. The sensitivity of the ELISA (100%) was significantly higher than that of the IHA (78.1%). In experimentally infected cattle, D. viviparus-specific antibodies were first detected with the ELISA between days 28 and 42 post-infection (p.i.), whereas the IHA only became positive between days 42 and 70. With the ELISA, antibody levels persisted until day 168 p.i. The IHA remained positive until the end of the experiment (day 196). None of the vaccinated animals were seropositive with the ELISA, whereas 25% of the calves were seropositive with the IHA. The seroprevalence of D. viviparus infections was determined in a field study with 467 sera from cattle of 64 herds; 227 (48.6%) of the animals were seropositive with the ELISA whereas only 38 (8.1%) scored positive with the IHA. To determine the precision of the ELISA, a total of five laboratories participated in trials, in which panels of strong positive, positive, and weak positive candidate sera were tested blind according to an international (International Standard ISO 5725, 1986) standard procedure. The repeatability and reproducibility of the ELISA were 0-16% and 14-26%, respectively. After these promising results it was decided to introduce this ELISA in 1995 as a routine test in all Animal Health Services in the Netherlands, replacing the IHA and faecal examinations for lungworm.

The sensitivity of the Baermann method for the diagnosis of primary Dictyocaulus viviparus infections in calves

Data from calves infected experimentally with 20 larvae of Dictyocaulus viviparus demonstrate that the Baermann method, using 30 g of faeces per calf is extremely sensitive for diagnosis of patent infections in young cattle. Between 5 and 7 weeks after primary infection it is sensitive enough to diagnose the presence of one patent female worm.

Comparison between fenbendazole and moxidectin applied in a dose and move system for the control of Dictyocaulus viviparus infections in calves

A grazing study was performed with the main objective to compare the effect of moxidectin (MDT) and fenbendazole (FBZ) in a 'dose and move' system on nematode infections in calves with special emphasis on Dictyocaulus viviparus. Three groups of six calves were grazed from May to October 1994. All groups grazed together until 9 weeks after turnout when they were moved to separate mowed pastures. One group (MM) was then treated with 0.5 mg kg-1 MDT pour-on, the second group (FM) was treated with 7.5 mg kg-1 FBZ drench and the third group served as untreated pasture control group (PC). Two calves from MM and two from FM were experimentally infected with 20 lungworm larvae at turnout in order to initiate low infections in the herd. Pairs of tracer calves grazing during the first 7, 8 or 9 weeks after turnout acquired mean burdens of 218, 255 and 1156 lungworms, respectively. MDT and FBZ treatment removed adult lungworms from MM and FM. In PC faecal larval counts increased until the end of July, when most animals were suffering from lungworm disease. No lungworm disease occurred in both dose and move groups. In FM larvae reappeared in the faeces of some of the calves from 1 month after treatment and low patent infections remained to be present in FM in some calves until the end of the experiment. No reappearance of larvae after treatment was observed in MM. The mean Optical Density (OD) values of the three groups on pasture closely followed the infection patterns. After housing in October all calves, and also a group of five permanently housed non-infected control calves (HC), were infected experimentally with 5000 D. viviparus larvae to evaluate development of immunity. The worm counts at necropsy showed that groups on pasture had developed immunity. However, the degree of immunity was lower in MM than in FM and PC.

The prevalence of patent lungworm infections in herds of dairy cows in The Netherlands

The results of a survey on the prevalence of patent lungworm infections in herds of dairy cows in the Netherlands are presented. Low patent infections were recorded in February-March on six out of 40 farms in at least one out of 40 cows. Between mid-April and mid-June low patent infections were detected on 28 out of 39 of these farms in one to four of 40 cows. Two farms on which cows were positive in the first round were negative in the second round. One to three positive cows were found on six out of a total of 15 farms revisited in July-August. These results show that lungworm infections are cycled within herds of dairy cows in the Netherlands at a low level. This indicates that dairy cows are important as carriers for lungworm, particularly in spring. The increased patency of lungworm in cows from winter to spring may be explained by maturation of inhibited larvae.