Efficacy of levamisole and ivermectin in the control of bovine parasitic gastroenteritis in the sub-humid savanna zone of southeastern Nigeria

Faecal egg count reduction test was used to evaluate the efficacy of levamisole and ivermectin in the control of bovine parasitic gastroenteritis in a part of Nigeria not previously surveyed. Ninety (90) randomly selected N'dama cattle from two herds in Nsukka, Enugu State of Nigeria, were studied. The animals were divided into two groups, namely, levamisole and ivermectin treatment groups. Faecal samples were collected prior to the administration of the respective anthelmintic and faecal egg count/gram of faeces determined. Post-treatment faecal samples were collected after 10 and 14 days of levamisole and ivermectin administration, respectively, and faecal egg count (FEC) determined. Thereafter, the faecal egg count reduction was calculated based on the formula . Pooled faecal samples for the respective treatment groups were cultured for larval identification and count. Pre-treatment FEC showed that the animals were readily infected with gastrointestinal nematodes with mean FEC of 233.0 +/- 35.13 and 302.0 +/- 19.94, respectively, for the levamisole- and ivermectin-treated groups. Post-treatment FEC of 0 was recorded for both groups, showing a 100 % reduction of the pre-treatment faecal egg count. We concluded that the anthelmintics used in this work were very effective in the control of bovine parasitic gastroenteritis in the study areas, and no resistance was detected.