The therapeutic efficacy and prophylactic activity of doramectin against Dictyocaulus viviparus in cattle

Abstract

Three groups of 8, 4-month-old male Jersey or Jersey-cross calves were infected with 2400 Dictyocaulus viviparus L3 larvae and either left untreated or injected subcutaneously with 200 micrograms/kg doramectin 5 or 25 days after infection (DAI). Lungworms were found in all untreated cattle (geometric mean = 49) at necropsy 39 or 40 DAI. None was found in any of the treated cattle. In a second experiment, groups of 6, 8-month-old calves were untreated or injected with 200 micrograms/kg doramectin 28, 21 or 14 days before each calf was challenged with 2700 D viviparus larvae. Lungworms were recovered at necropsy 32 to 34 DAI. The geometric mean worm burden in the untreated cattle was 550. This was reduced by 100%, 99.5% and 94.1% in calves treated with doramectin 14, 21 or 28 days, respectively, before infection. It was concluded that doramectin is a highly effective anthelmintic against D viviparus adult or L4 infections of cattle, and that reinfection of treated cattle will be significantly reduced for at least 28 days after treatment.