Abstract
Strategic application of moxidectin pour-on (Cydectin) was evaluated in Uganda for its effect on pasture larval counts and gastrointestinal nematode faecal egg counts in village cattle kept under tethering (semi-intensive) grazing management. The strategic deworming schedule involved treating cattle twice at an interval of 2 months, at the end of the 1st wet season and during the 2nd wet season. Two groups of 30 cattle, each consisting of a treated and a control group, were examined for nematode infections every 4 weeks from June 1999 to January 2000. The treated group had significantly lower mean faecal egg counts than the untreated groups (t-value = 2.47, P < 0.05). Generally, the pasture larval counts on treated farms were lower than on untreated ones, but not significantly so (t-value = 2.22, P = 0.068). Pasture larval counts with different nematode species on treated farms were lower than on untreated ones, but the differences were not significant for Haemonchus spp. (t-value = 1.68, P = 0.145), Oesophagostomum spp. (t-value = 1.87, P = 0.111), Trichostrongylus spp. (t-value = 1.93, P = 0.102), Dictyocaulus spp. (t-value = -0.74, P = 0.485) and Cooperia spp. (t-value = -1.00, P = 0.356). Treated farms did, however, have significantly lower pasture larval counts of Bunostomum spp. (t-value = 4.64, P < 0.05). This study has revealed that the application of moxidectin pour-on on cattle has an effect on faecal egg count and pasture contamination under the tethering grazing system. Moxidectin pour-on and the strategic deworming schedule evaluated here could be used for the control of gastrointestinal nematode infections in cattle by small-scale farmers who practise tethering or semi-intensive grazing management in Uganda and other tropical countries, especially where there is a bimodal rainfall pattern.
Highlights
Gastrointestinal nematode infections are widespread in cattle kept under traditional management in Uganda[11,12] and constrain cattle health and productivity
During the first 2 months there were no significant differences in pasture larval counts between the treated and the untreated farms in terms of the levels and trends (Fig. 1b)
After the second moxidectin treatment the pasture larval counts substantially declined on the treated farms, concurrent with an increase on untreated farms, the differences were not statistically significant (t-value = 2.22, P = 0.068)
Summary
Gastrointestinal nematode infections are widespread in cattle kept under traditional management in Uganda[11,12] and constrain cattle health and productivity. Magona J W, Musisi G, Walubengo J, Olaho-Mukani W Effect of strategic deworming of village cattle in Uganda with moxidectin pour-on on faecal egg count and pasture larval counts. A strategic deworming schedule involving treating cattle with moxidectin pour-on twice at an interval of 2 months, firstly at the end of the 1st wet season and during the 2nd wet season, was evaluated on village cattle kept under tethering (semi-intensive) grazing management.
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