Experimental cross-infections with gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep and cattle

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Five parasite-free lambs and five parasite-free calves were infected experimentally with 20,000 third stage gastrointestinal nematode larvae cultured from faeces of sheep from five different farms. In the same way five lambs and five calves were infected with larvae cultured from faeces of calves from five different farms. Host specificity of the nematodes was determined using the following parameters: infection rate; number, size, and stage of the worms; their distribution within the gastrointestinal tract; and the onset, duration, and level of egg production. The conclusions with regard to the different species are: Almost exclusively in cattleSkrjabinagia lyrata Strongly adapted to cattleOstertagia ostertagi More adapted to cattle thanCooperia oncophora, C. surnabada to sheepC. punctata, Trichostrongylus longispicularis No special host preferenceT. axei, O. leptospicularis, S. kolchida More adapted to sheep thanC. curticei, T. vitrinus, T. colubriformis, to cattleO. trifurcata, Teladorsagia davtiani, Haemonchus contortus, Strongyloides papillosus Strongly adapted to sheepO. circumcincta, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Almost exclusively in sheepChabertia ovina