Oxfendazole: anthelmintic activity in calves artificially infected with six species of nematodes and in calves naturally infested with tapeworms.

In a series of 5 trials, in which 115 artificially infected calves were used, larval anthelmintic tests were done to assess the activity of oxfendazole at 4, 5 mg/kg against all 3 parasitic stages of 6 species of namatodes. An efficacy of over 98% was demonstrated against the 4th stage larvae (L4), 5th and adult stages of Haemonchus placei, Ostertagia ostertagi, Cooperia pectinata, Bunostomum Phlebotomum and Oesophagostomum radiatum and the 3rd larval stage (L3) of H. placei and C. pectinata. Against the L3 of O. ostertagi, B. phlebotomum and O. radiatum efficacies of 81,7%, 92,4% and 97,3% respectively were shown. Against Dictyocaulus viviparus adult, 5th, L4 and L3 efficacies were recorded of 100%, 96,7%, 95,4% and 89,1% respectively. A test for ovicidal activity confirmed that cattle can be safely moved to clean pasture 8 hours after dosing. Complete removal of strobilia of Moniezia benedeni from 25 naturally infested calves followed a dose rate of oxfendazole at 4,5 mg/kg, but of these each of 4 calves retained one scolex.