THE HIDDEN THREAT

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33383, 15 November 1973, Page 11

THE HIDDEN THREAT

The growing awareness of lungworm in recent years has helped to some extent to overcome what is perhaps the parasite’s most dangerous characteristic.

Unlike a number of the other important roundworms the symptoms of lungworm often do not show until the damage has been done, especially in sheep.

Farmers used to think that autumn was the time to take action against lungworm. That was because the tell-tale quickened breathing and coughing after exertion did not emerge till then. Unfortunately, by then the lungworm could have been at work in the animal for four or even five, months. By autumn the lungs would have been sufficiently damaged to make stock an easy prey of pleurisy and pneumonia. And that is only the ultimate result. In the meantime the lungworm, usually as part of mixed worm burden, would have been placing’an insidious stress on the animal at a time when rapid weight gains were all important

Too often farmers found that those lambs were not reaching their drafting weights as early as they might have

been, even though they were being drenched with an ordinary broad spectrum anthelmintic. In this case it was probably the lungworm burden that was making the difference. The advent of ‘Nilverm’, the only drench capable of controlling lungworm in all stock, has gradually changed this. A growing number of New Zealand farmers are using ‘Nilverm’ as their fat lamb drench from weaning onwards. This way they arc able to take -care of lungworm at the same time as they eliminate the other roundworms. Obviously because lungworm is a continuing problem through the spring, summer and autumn, the sensible approach is to stick with the drench that controls lungworm. This avoids the problems of re-infection from pasture as well as preventing the parasite, with its life cycle of only three to six weeks taking hold again. The lesson now being learnt is-. You’ve got to-drench. When you do, make certain you’re controlling lungworm as well! (See Nilverm efficiency tables below)

ANTHELMINTIC EFFICIENCY OF NILVERM A. IN SHEEP Efficiency. % I. DKTYOCAULUS FILARIA 6. COOPERIASPP Adult 68 Adult 99 • 14 Day 98 14 Day 99 :. OSTERTAGIA 7. NEMATODIRUS Adult 95 Adult 100 14 Day Immature 87 14 Day 100 3. TRICHOSTRONGYLUS AXEI S. BUNOSTOMUM TRIGONOCEPHaLUM Adult 99 Adult 86 14 Day 106 14 Day 100 4. TRICHOSTRONGYLUS SPP 9. OESOPHAGOSTOMUM SPP Adult 99 Adult 09 14 Dav 99 14 Day 100 5. HAEMONCHUS 10. CHABERTIA OVINA Adult 100 Adult 98 14 Day Immature 100 14 Day 100 ANTHELMWC EFFICIENCY OF NILVERM B. IN CATTLE Efficiency % 1. OSTERTAGIA 5. DICTYOCAULUS VIVIPARUS 4 Dav 30 9 Day * 91 14 Day 77 14 Day 99 Adult . 95 -Adult 100 2. TRICHOSTRONGYLUS AXEI OESOPHAGOSTOMUM SPECIES Immature 96-10 G 4th stage 94 Adult 99 Adult 100 3. COOPERIA 7. NEMATODIRUS SPECIES 10 Day 99 10 Day 99 Adult 100 Adult 100 4. TRICHOSTRONGYLUS SPECIES 3. HAEMONCHUS Immature 85-100 Immature 99-100 Adult 100 Adult 100