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The effect upon the intake of grazing calves of infection with the gastrointestinal nematode ostertagia ostertagi

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

Sharon L. Bell
Affiliation:
The University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Department of Agriculture, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU
A.I. Frost
Affiliation:
Rovett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
Yvonne Jeffrey
Affiliation:
The University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Department of Agriculture, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU
R.J. Thomas
Affiliation:
The University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Department of Agriculture, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU
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Extract

Parasitic gastroenteritis (PGE), largely attributable to the abomasal parasite Ostertagia ostertagi is a cause of major economic loss in the cattle industry. It has been suggested from studies on infected housed animals, together with pair fed controls, that the characteristic loss of weight occurring as a consequence of PGE is due mainly to loss of appetite, (Dargie, 1980). Thus in the present study the intention was to measure the effect of parasitism on intake under natural grazing conditions.

2 groups of 20 Freisian steer calves (175 kg at turnout), were grazed from May to September 1984 on adjacent 5 acre paddocks which had been contaminated the previous autumn by cattle Infected with 0. ostertagi. The allocation of calves to each group was such that the mean weight and range of weights within each group were similar. At turnout each calf in group A received a (Morantel slow release bolus), group B being untreated controls. The calves were weighed and sampled regularly for faecal egg counts.

Type
Dairy and Beef Feeding
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1986

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References

Dargie, J.D. (1980) In ‘Digestive Physiology and Metabolism in the Ruminant’, Ruckebusch, Y. and Thivend, P., Eds. MTP Press, Lancaster, p 341363.Google Scholar
Tilley, J.M.A. and Terry, R.A. (1963). J.Brit.Grassld.Soc. 18, p 104111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar