Influence of Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia infections on the energetic efficiency of steers fed a concentrate ration.

Studies on effects of subclinical parasitism (low worm burden) in full-fed and maintenance-fed steers indicated that over a short interval low worm burdens do not have a statistically significant effect on the efficiency of energy utilization. In full-fed steers, energy retention tended to be higher in steers with lower worm burdens (mean 95.8 Ostertagia, 12.5 Cooperia) than in those with higher worm burdens (mean 677.5 Ostertagia, 201.8 Cooperia). Maintenance-fed steers generally had larger numbers of Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia spp than did the full-fed steers.