The activity of albendazole against adult and larval gastrointestinal nematodes in naturally infected calves in the Netherlands.

The activity of albendazole against gastrointestinal helminths in naturally infected calves in the Netherlands was tested. The calves were in their first grazing season and kept in two groups of ten. One of these groups was grazed alternately with sheep. Five out of each group were drenched with albendazole (7.5 mg/kg) on the day they were housed (November 1). Before and 2, 14, and 28 days after treatment individual faecal samples were taken from all calves and larval cultures were made. Ten calves, six treated and four untreated, were killed for post mortem studies 14 days after treatment. The remaining calves were slaughtered 14 days later. The drug was highly effective in reducing the egg output, measured as the number of larvae cultured per gram of faeces. Compared with the untreated calves, the reduction was more than 99% two days after treatment, 100% at 14 days, and 99% after 28 days. It was shown that egg output 28 days after treatment came from worms which had developed from arrested larvae of Ostertagia ostertagi that had survived treatment. Post mortem results showed an efficacy of 100% against adult O. ostertagi, of almost 100% against Trichostrongylus axei, and 100% against adult and larval Cooperia oncophora. Twenty-eight days after treatment, the reduction of arrested early fourth stages of O. ostertagi was 85% in comparison with the untreated calves. Apparently less effect was found against Trichuris ovis at the given dose rate.