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IN PRACTICE
MARCH 1994
Strategies for
the control
of parasitic
ga stroenteritis
j~:.10000;. X~i.
David WVhite
After a short spell in cattle practice,
David White joined the department of
large animal medicine and surgery at
the Royal Veterinary College as lecturer in farm animal medicine. His
particular interest is in cattle medicine, especially of the growing animal. In addition to a PhD, he has published widely on aspects of cattle
health and production and has a
small herd of commercial beef cattle.
IN the UK, the single most important cause of parasitic gastroenteritis (PGE) in cattle is infection with the abomasal nematode,
Ostel tatgi o(steltagi, although concomitant infection with the less
pathogeniic intestinal helminth, Coop)eria oncolpho-a, is common.
The clinical signs of type I ostertagiasis, which is seen in groups
of young grazing cattle usually three to four weeks after exposure
to large numbers of infective larvae, include inappetence, profuse
watery diarrhoea, dehydration and marked weight loss. The economic importance of PGE is mainly due to loss of productivity in
terms of diminished weight gain, even in subclinical infection,
particularly in calves durinlg their first grazing season. Infection in
the latter part of the grazing season can lead to the establishmiient
of an arrested larval burden which, if high enough, may be followed by type 11 ostertagiasis as the worms emerge in the sprilg.
Usually only a few of a group are affected in an outbreak of type
II disease but case mortality rates are high. Affected animals often
have a 'starey' coat and intennittent diarrhoea. Treatment of clinical cases of type II ostertagiasis may be unsuccessful due to the
established pathology in the abomasum.
Grazing cattle are infected when they ingest infective larvae
from the pasture. In the early part of the grazing seasoni these
larvae will be the remainder of the previous season's population
which have overwintered on the pasture. Later in the season the
larvae on the grass will result from infection passaging through
the calves themselves. Development of these larvae is accelerated
by warmer ambient temperatures and this leads to a build up of
infection on the pasture later in the summer (as illustrated in the
diagram overleaf). Interaction with the weather-, which dictates
conditions for larval development and survival on pastur-e anid
influences the inhibition of parasite development within the host,
largely determines whether type I disease, an arrested burden,
neither of these, or a combination occurs. This is also affected by
host immunity to 0 osteiwtagi, which is acquired slowly and
depends on exposure to the parasites. There is evidence of a more
rapid acquisition of immunity in the case of C oncopho a.
IN PRACTICE
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74
) 10
MARCH 1994
a)
8
L-
a)
CD
m
0
CD
.0
E
z
( I.
Turnout
Jul
Pattern of larvae on pasture grazed by set-stocked, untreated, parasitenaive calves. --- Overwintered larvae from previous season, - Larvae
from eggs deposited during current grazing season
Prophylactic regimes
Prophylactic or preventive regimes during the early part of the
grazing season are designed to prevent recycling of the infection
acquired from overwintered larvae on pasture. This effect is illustrated for each of the methods in turn in the figures opposite,
which assume turn out in early April. These regimes have largely
superseded the traditional strategic treatment of animals in July
and September. Many people like to treat stock at housing
because most of these regimes only provide cover during the first
part of the grazing season. In general, this is a good policy if there
is likely to be disease due to a heavy late-season challenge.
Boluses
There are three commercially available boluses for the control
of PGE in grazing cattle. All three are suitable for animals weighing 100 kg or more at turn out. The Ivomec Bolus (MSD AgVet),
Paratect Flex (Pfizer) and Autoworm Bolus (Pitman-Moore) have
to be given using specially designed dosing guns which are not
interchangeable. For animals weighing more than 200 kg, PitmanMoore has also produced 'Autoworm Big 5'. The major advantage of using these preparations is the minimal labour involved
animals can be treated prior to turn out and need not be handled
again until the autumn housing period.
Ivomec Bolus
The Ivomec Bolus (MSD AgVet) contains 1-72 g ivermectin
which is released continuously using an osmotic pump system
over 135 days from the time of administration. It is suitable for
cattle up to 300 kg bodyweight. Animals that are set stocked or
moved on to clean pasture mid-season should be protected for the
whole grazing season. The bolus controls adult and larval gastrointestinal nematodes, lungworms and some ectoparasites. There
is a 180-day meat withdrawal period and each bolus costs 1 1.25.
Paratect Flex Sustained Release Bolus
11
There are three types of Autoworm bolus (Pitman-Moore) containing either 5 x 750 mg doses, 5 x 1250 mg doses or 6 x 1250
mg doses. The 5 x 750 mg bolus is for cattle in the weight range
100 to 250 kg and the larger boluses are for animals weighing 200
to 400 kg at the time of administration. The five-dose boluses are
designed to be administered at turn out, while the six-dose bolus
should be used when moving cattle (which may already have
acquired infection) from contaminated pasture or when the previous helminth control strategy is unknown (eg, cattle purchased
mid-season).
The double-metalled bolus remains in the reticulum/rumen
where the core corrodes at a predictable rate so that the active
ingredient is exposed to the rumen liquor at approximately 21day intervals. The first dose is released a few hours after administration from the six-dose bolus, but release is delayed for 21
days in the five-dose bolus. Protection, therefore, lasts for just
over 100 days. Grazing cattle that are added to a group treated
with pulse release boluses should themselves be treated on joining the group with either a six-dose bolus or a dose of benzimidazole and a five-dose bolus, while parasite-free calves (ie, housed
since birth) should be given a five-dose bolus on addition. The
benefit persists if the animal is moved mid-season to clean
pasture but, as protection only lasts until the last pulse is
released, animals should not be moved on to contaminated pasture
later in the season.
Release of the first pulse has been reported to be erratic
(Holmes and others 1991) although this, together with the occasional regurgitation of the bolus in individual animals, usually
shortly after administration, is rarely of any practical importance.
There is a six-month withdrawal period for meat and the bolus is
IN PRACTICE
75
MARCH 1994
10
6
4
IVOMEC SR BOLUS
2
Prophylactic dosing
_____________________
0
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
10
8
PARATECT FLEX
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
Ivomec 3, 8, 13
10
AUTOWORM PULSES
et
0-
0
Jan
0E
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
10
8
IVOMEC TREATMENTS
0
Jan
Benzimidazoleslprobenzimidazolesllevamisole
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
10
8
6
4
TREATMENTS
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Turnout
May
June
Jul
Benzimidazoles or probenzimidazoles can be administered orally in the feed, or by drenching or intraruminally in the case of
some benzimidazoles, at 21-day intervals post turn out.
Levamisole can be used at the same intervals by subcutaneous
injection, pour-on or oral drench. Improved efficacy would be
expected following treatment with the newer benzimidazoles than
with thiabendazole or levamisole. Treatments are repeated at
three-weekly intervals until late June/early July when pasture contamination from overwintered larvae has fallen to insignificant
levels. Typically, two or three treatments are used although, particularly in the case of turn out in early April, up to five doses are
advisable. The optimal number of doses required will vary from
season to season, depending on grass growth, stocking density and
the costs (labour and drug) involved.
Some vigilance is required to ensure that calves do not develop
disease late in the summer because this system may not be totally
effective in suppressing pasture larval populations. The main
advantage of the system is the low financial outlay on drugs; the
short withdrawal periods of eight to 42 days may also influence
the choice of treatment in some groups, such as autumn-born beef
calves. The cost of a dose per 100 kg bodyweight is 26p to 50p for
benzimidazoles/probenzimidazoles; levamisole injection costs
17p, oral drench 19p to 29p and pour-on 45p.
76)
7IN 1'RACTICE
MARCH 1994
a) 10
c)
co
-0E
a)
-0
5-61
C)
>
co
0
a)
Jul
TREATMENTS
z
O0
Jan
Feb
1i
Turnout
Nov Dec
Housing (depending
on
area)
Set stocking
Cattle ai-c set stockcd f'or thc duratioii of thic iaztillue saiCl.
ThNcy arc giveii anthlilinitic treatments twice - once in mid July
;and agta>.lin in micl-Septemnber. Ag,ain, the type of anthelinllltic usecd
iS un1impportant. although better efficacy would be obtained with
iverimectin or the nc\wer benzimilclazoles. This regime allows cattle
to be intfected but it is supposed to prevent outbreaks of clinic.Id
disease. Sinice only two doses ol'drug- are used, it appears the most
attractive of' all the regimics. However, once the suboptimlial
grIoWl thltt oCCIurs particu larly in the seconid hailt' of' the grazing
a, 10
cm
ac
5o
CD
a)
a)
z
O
Jan
Feb
Mar
SILAGE
Apr May Jun
Turnout
Jul
Aug Sep
AFTERMATH
Oct Nov Dec
Housing (depending
on
area)
Pattern of larvae on two pastures grazed by cattle dosed and moved midLarvae counts on
Larvae counts on ungrazed pastures,
July.
grazed pastures
--
IN PRACTICE
MARCH 1994
Grazing strategies
Where management philosophy allows, or demands, minimal
anthelmintic input, various systems have been devised to minimise the risk of cattle coming into contact with gastrointestinal
larvae or, if they do, to minimise the risk of the infection building
up to levels where productivity is grossly reduced or disease
occurs. The carcases of such animals may be eligible to attract an
,organic' premium. Farm management needs to be of a high standard for these systems to work and faecal egg counts should be
regularly monitored so that treatment and/or movement can be
carried out when necessary.
77
grazing season.
Mixed grazing systems within a grazing season: with cattle
When young, susceptible cattle are grazed alongside nonsusceptible animals (eg, suckler calves alongside their dams), the
latter do not perpetuate the life cycle of the parasites. In the case
of spring- or summer-born calves, the initial intake of grass is
likely to be too low for marked passaging of infection to occur.
Conversely, autumn- or winter-born calves are likely to ingest a
substantial amount of grass from turn out and, therefore,
anthelmintic prophylaxis of these animals may be advisable, even
if they are not weaned at turn out.
78
IN PRACTICE
MARCH 1994
growth
ADVICE TO CLIENTS
* Cost of anthelmintic
There is no one 'best scheme' for the control of PGE and clinicians must use their knowledge of the epidemiology of ostertagiasis, the properties of the anthelmintic preparations used and the
cconomiccs pertinent to each individual enterprise. FoI these reasons, the veterinary surgeon in practice is singularly well suited to
aclvisin_ his or her clients oni the best strategy for them. The quality of this advice should not be underestimnated and may have to
vary from year to year to take account of changes in any of the
criteria listed in the box.
The costs of drugs ( 1994 prices) have been included for illustrative puLpOSCS Ollly. The price rangel where present, refers to the
purchase of' a small or a large volume of anthelmiiintic - the unit
price is lower the larger the volume purchased. No attempt has
been made to evaluate the cost of administering these comnpounds
because of the wide variatioin in circumstances between different
farlm1s. It should be noted that the withdrawal times, taken froim
References
nBARTI. ). ( 1983) Pet-sistenit anthelmintic cI
etect ol ivCtiemctint in cattle. ('thriffilltRciordi 133. 1I- 131
T.N1.
Aiithelititic
1993)
tesistance.
V c tcriitrv Putriiitthlo)t4v 46h
-1 31
CRAIG,
HOLMES, P. H., BAIRDEN. K., GETTINBY C,. & NMcWI IANM. P. N. 1991
on the dexvelopment ol
c
Effect of sustaitted r eleaxse ainthelminticincnItlatrnInll decex
pathophyxsiologticl cIaclines and pat- Le
popnltiolis ill cl vs inlected withl
_
_3
W\ALLER. P J
Patr iitolo/(Ev 113,
LABORATORIES
resistance
Vhtr
tol
versacage
GREENDALE
|3
to Prcxvent
33.- 142
KENNEL SYSTEM
_o--7-
_-N
--
SETTING NEW
STANDARDS IN
LABORATORY SERVICE
*
GLP
Comnpliant
Laboratory-
194w
eT
doi: 10.1136/inpract.16.2.73
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Notes