Observations on the effect of levamisole treatment on the production of dairy cows in England

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Abstract
A field study involving 1087 cows and 191 heifers on nine carefully selected English dairy farms was conducted to evaluate the effect of nematocidal treatment on subsequent milk production. As many of the cattle as possible were allocated to pairs according to specific criteria and dosed with either levamisole and oxyclozanide, or oxyclozanide alone, soon after calving. The remaining unpaired animals were assigned alternately to the two treatment groups according to calving date. The milk production and health status of all the cattle in the study were closely monitored.Analysis of pooled milk production data over a 2-year period failed to show a statistically significant response to nematocidal treatment. When individual herd data were analysed, a significant response to treatment was recorded on one farm. It was noted that the apparent value of the response varied according to method of analysis.Factors considered likely to account for differences in response between farms and also between trials are considered.