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Stocking rate effects on the worm burdens of Angora goats and Merino sheep
Author(s) -
JAMBRE L. F.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1984.tb06009.x
Subject(s) - biology , haemonchus contortus , flock , stocking , zoology , veterinary medicine , larva , stocking rate , ostertagia ostertagi , ostertagia , grazing , agronomy , ecology , medicine
SUMMARY Worm egg counts of yearling Angora or Merino wethers grazing in mixed flocks at either 4/ha or 8/ha were observed over a 5 month period. Based on faecal egg counts infection levels in the sheep increased for the first 3 months and then decreased as the animals developed resistance. Egg counts in the goats did not decrease during the experiment. Post mortem worm counts indicated that there was a significant host species – stocking rate interaction on worm burdens of Haemonchus contortus adults and Ostertagia circumcincta adults and larvae. Goats had more H. contortus and O. circumcinta adults than sheep at the 8/ha stocking rate. At 4/ha goats had fewer O. circumcinta fourth stage larvae than sheep. There was no stocking rate effect on the numbers of Trichostrongylus axei or T. colubriformis. Sheep had more T. axei and fewer T. colubriformis than goats.