Occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in Georgia cattle

Abstract

A survey of gastrointestinal nematodes in Georgia cattle was conducted from 1968 through 1973 from actual worm counts from viscera of 145 slaughtered beef cattle or from egg counts made from fecal samples from 3,273 beef and 100 dairy cattle. Beef cattle were grouped as calves, yearlings, and cows. Dairy cattle were grouped as calves, replacement heifers, and cows. Results of fecal examinations positive; 99.5, 99.3, 99.6, and 41.2% of the calves, yearlings, drylot calves, and cows, respectively, were infected with nematodes. Seventy-four percent of the eggs counted were of the Cooperia-Ostertagia - Trichostrongylus complex (C-O-T) and 21% were of the Haemonchus-Oesophagostomum complex (H-O). Sixty-nine percent of the infective larvae recovered from coprocultures made from composite samples were of Ostertagia ostertagi. Moniezia (tapeworm) eggs were seen in 16% of all the samples, more predominantly in the calves (24%) and less in the cows (smaller than 1%). Oocysts of Eimeria spp were detected in 61% of the cattle, more predominantly in younger cattle. All cattle necropsied were infected with O ostertagi. Other nematodes present, in order of decreasing frequency, were Trichostrongylus axei (97%), Haemonchus placei (66%), Cooperia punctata (63%), Cooperia oncophora (61%), Oesophagostomum radiatum (61%), Bunostomum phlebotomum (55%), Trichostrongylus colubriformis (36%), Cooperia pectinata (28%), Trichuris spp (17%), Nematodirus spathiger (9%), and Capillaria bovis (4%). Tapeworms were also recovered from 19% of the cattle at necropsy. Seventy-eight percent of the dairy cattle were positive; 98% of the calves, 80% of the heifers, and 58% of the cows. Cooperia-Ostertagia-Trichostrongylus eggs were detected in 78% and H-O eggs in 38% of the cattle. Eimeria oocysts were detected in 71% of all the dairy cattle, and Moniezia eggs were in 10% of the calves and 7% of the heifers.