RESUMEN
Strategic parasite control has been reported to improve performance in a beef cow/calf herd that does not demonstrate clinical parasitism. This study was conducted to determine if strategic anthelmintic treatment at turnout and at midsummer would improve growth and reproduction. Two cow/calf groups of similar composition were grazed on separate, but equivalent pastures in the spring, and at midsummer, they were moved to new pastures. The treated group was given fenbendazole at tumout (cows) and at midsummer (cows and calves). The control group was not treated. The study was repeated in the following year. Across both years of the study, parasite egg counts were substantially reduced in both the treated cows (P < 0.005) and treated calves (P < 0.0001). The calves in the treated group significantly (P < 0.0001) outgained the control calves in both years of the study by 19.3 kg and 13.2 kg, respectively. Average daily gain (ADG) after adjusting for birth weight and birth date for treated calves was 0.13 kg greater than for control calves (0.83 vs 0.70) for the 2-year study (P < 0.0001) There was also a significant (P = 0.0357) increase in the reproductive performance of the cows. The pregnancy rate averaged across years was 94% for the treated cows compared to 82% for the control animals.
Asunto(s)
Antinematodos/uso terapéutico , Enfermedades de los Bovinos , Fenbendazol/uso terapéutico , Enfermedades Parasitarias en Animales , Preñez , Animales , Animales Recién Nacidos , Bovinos , Heces/parasitología , Femenino , Carne/parasitología , Infecciones por Nematodos/prevención & control , Infecciones por Nematodos/veterinaria , Recuento de Huevos de Parásitos , Enfermedades Parasitarias/prevención & control , Embarazo , Reproducción , Aumento de PesoRESUMEN
To test the effect of a parasite control program for cattle, 2 groups of similar composition were grazed on separate, but equivalent, improved pastures. Cattle in 1 group were treated with fenbendazole at 5.0 mg/kg of body weight at the time they were turned out on pasture in the spring and again at midsummer, when the cattle were moved to a new pasture. The control group was not treated. Parasite egg counts were significantly (P less than 0.04) lower in the treated group. Trichostrongyle-type eggs were the most prevalent throughout the year, except in the month of May, when Strongyloides papillosus eggs were predominant. The number of worms recovered from tracer calves was lower for those on pastures where the treated group grazed than for those on the control group's pasture. The most consistently recovered parasite was Ostertagia ostertagi, and hypobiosis was observed.