Infection with Ostertagia ostertagi in goats and calves.

In order to determine the usefulness of the goat as a model host for Ostertagia ostertagi, a series of experiments was conducted in which young goats and calves were experimentally infected with L3 of calf-source and goat-source isolates. The goat-source isolate was derived from a continuous passage of the bovine parasite in goats. Patent infections resulted in 73 out of 86 inoculated goats (85%). The largest number of patent infections was observed when inoculation consisted of a single dose of goat-source larvae. Percent establishment of infection was generally low in goats inoculated with either larval source. Time taken to achieve patency in goats was frequently within the range normal for cattle infections, but was often extended (21-67 days). With the exception of the generally higher level of establishment of goat- or calf-source isolates in calves and the low frequency of the vulval flap in adult female worms established in goats, little difference was observed in percent establishment or worm population characteristics of the two isolates in goats as based on source of larval inoculum, inoculation course, and age of host at inoculation. Prolonged passage of infection in goats did not result in stabilized isolate more adapted to the goat or less adapted to calves. Fecal egg counts were generally minimal or negative in goats during the first 30 days of infection, but were often increased and not substantially lower than counts in calf infections after 60 or 90 days. Low level egg counts in goats were observed to persist for up to 17 months. During the spring of 2 years, goat kids grazed on a cattle pasture acquired O. ostertagi infections which included adult worms, but a larger number of early L4. The latter were presumed to be inhibited in development just as such inhibition occurs in cattle during spring.