SUBCLINICAL PARASITISM IN CALVES - BIOCHEMICAL AND SEROLOGICAL EVALUATION OF PREVENTIVE TREATMENT AGAINST GASTROENTERITIS AND HUSK

The use of the biochemical and serological parameters pepsinogen, gastrin and antibodies against Cooperia, Ostertagia and Dictyocaulus in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was evaluated in diagnosing gastrointestinal parasitism and lungworm disease in seven oxfendazole pulse-release bolus (OPRB)-treated and seven non-treated first-season grazing calves. During the grazing season, no difference in growth rate was observed and the control animals showed no clinical symptoms. The Dictyocaulus antibody levels in the controls increased from turn-out, while in the treated animals the rise was postponed until August. The Cooperia antibody titres for both groups were comparable. At the end of the grazing season, the control group showed significantly higher pepsinogen and gastrin values, and Ostertagia antibody titres. It was concluded that these parameters are a useful tool in confirming subclinical parasitism and that preventive treatment with the OPRB in a low to moderately infected environment, together with a high plane of nutrition, provided little benefit to the farmer. © 1990.