Studies on Haemonchus contortus. IX. The effect of Trichostrongylus axei in Merinos on natural pasture.

Four groups of 6-7-month-old Merino lambs were each dosed with 40 000 infective larvae of Trichostrongylus axei on 2 November 1976 and subsequently exposed to challenge with Haemonchus contortus on natural grazing at the University of Pretoria's Experimental Farm in the eastern suburbs of Pretoria. One of these groups and one group of controls were killed every 8 weeks from the end of December 1976-June 1977. Predosing with T. axei was greater than 50% effective against 5th stage and adult H. contortus in greater than 50% of sheep for 164 days (Class C), improving to greater than 60% in greater than 60% of sheep (Class B) 220 days after dosing T. axei. The numbers of retarded 4th stage larvae (L4) of H. contortus in the undosed controls as well as in the sheep predosed with T. axei rose from a low level in summer (December) to a peak in late Autumn (June).