The use of tracer lambs for monitoring protostrongylid infection on extension pastures of Morroco.
Three tracer lambs were grazed each month from December 1979 to September 1980 on pastures infected by Muellerius capillaris. At slaughter, the lesions on the lungs and the parasite population in lungs and jejunal, mediastinal and bronchial lymph nodes were examined. The density and infection of the malacofauna were also recorded. The infection of slugs reached a maximum in February-March, and that of sheep in April-May. The internal life-cycle was characterized by the long duration of third-stage larvae in lymph node. It is postulated that infection of sheep was mainly due to the ingestion of larvae liberated onto the grass after the death of slugs.
D000818:Animals; D007814:Larva / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000469:parasitology; D008681:Metastrongyloidea / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009018:Morocco; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D012908:Snails / Q000469:parasitology