title: Efficacy of moxidectin against gastrointestinal nematode infections in sheep.
abstract: The efficacy of moxidectin against gastrointestinal nematode infections was studied in 30 Fleischschaf x Rasa Aragonesa male lambs aged 3 months at the beginning of the experiment. The lambs were distributed in three groups of 10 animals each and experimentally infected with a mixture of an equal number of infective (L3) larvae from each of the following species: Haemonchus contortus (2000), Ostertagia circumcincta (2000), Trichostrongylus colubriformis (2000) and Trichostrongylus vitrinus (2000). Two groups of lambs were drenched with 0.2 mg moxidectin per kg body weight at 6 (Group B) and 21 (Group C) days post challenge while the third group of animals (Group A) remained untreated. The efficacy of the treatment based on worm counts 4 weeks post infection was of 100% against 4th stage larvae of all species and 100%, 99.98%, 100% and 100% against adults of H. contortus, O. circumcincta, T. colubriformis and T. vitrinus, respectively. Significant differences were found in daily weight gain between treated (Group B+C, 157.9 g day-1) and untreated lambs (Group A, 116 g day-1). No differences in feeding behaviour or health condition between treated and untreated lambs were observed.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Sanidad Animal, Parasitologïa, Servicio de Investigación Agraria (D.G.A.), Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uriarte
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Gracia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almeria
mesh_terms: D000018:Abomasum / Q000469:parasitology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000469:parasitology; D018942:Macrolides; D008297:Male; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D018942:Macrolides; C027837:moxidectin