Effects of single or concurrent infections with Eimeria alabamensis and gastrointestinal nematodes on the performance of calves on pasture.
Twenty-four calves unexposed to pasture were allocated to four groups and inoculated with either two doses of 5 million Eimeria alabamensis oocysts at turn-out (E), 90,000 L3 of Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora divided on six occasions (N) or both oocysts and larvae as above (E + N). A control group was left uninoculated (C). For 10 weeks, the groups grazed in separate uniform paddocks not previously grazed by cattle. By day 5, most calves in groups E and E + N developed clinical coccidiosis that resulted in reduced weight gain compared to C and N. Mean trichostrongylid faecal egg counts in groups N and E + N never exceeded 300 eggs per gram of faeces, and average serum pepsinogen levels were less than 3.8 U tyrosine. This experiment demonstrates the potential impact of E. alabamensis on the performance of previously unexposed calves, whereas no aggravated effects were observed due to concurrent infections with gastrointestinal nematodes.
Department of Parasitology (SWEPAR), National Veterinary Institute and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 751 89, Uppsala, Sweden.
A
A
Larsson
S-O
SO
Dimander
A
A
Uggla
P
P
Waller
J
J
Höglund
D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004539:Eimeria; D008297:Male; D010435:Pepsinogens / Q000097:blood; D014251:Trichostrongyloidea; D014252:Trichostrongyloidiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015431:Weight Loss
D010435:Pepsinogens