TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of naturally occurring nematode infections in the first and second grazing season on the growth performance of second-year cattle
AU - Ploeger, H. W.
AU - Kloosterman, A.
AU - Borgsteede, F. H M
AU - Eysker, M.
PY - 1990/1/1
Y1 - 1990/1/1
N2 - Antibody titres against Ostertagia spp., Cooperia spp. and Dictyocaulus viviparus as well as pepsinogen values, reflecting exposure to nematode infection, differed significantly among herds of second-year cattle on 87 farms. Faecal examinations revealed that gastrointestinal nematode infections were present in all herds. Similar results were found in yearling-herds on the same farms a year earlier. Liveweight of yearlings per herd deviated from -64.7 kg to +94.4 kg from an age-adjusted population mean after the second grazing season. This mean herd weight deviation was significantly related negatively to antibody titre against Ostertagia spp. (linear regression, P < 0.05; segmented curvilinear regression, P < 0.01) and to antibody titre against Cooperia spp. (segmented curvilinear regression, P < 0.05), both measured in the second grazing season. Antibody titre against Ostertagia spp. measured in the first grazing season, when yearlings were calves, was significantly correlated positively to age-adjusted body weights at the end of the second grazing season. The results suggested that immunity built up during the first year had a positive effect on growth performance in the second year, but that on average the acquired immunity was insufficient to prevent reduced weight gains in the second grazing season.
AB - Antibody titres against Ostertagia spp., Cooperia spp. and Dictyocaulus viviparus as well as pepsinogen values, reflecting exposure to nematode infection, differed significantly among herds of second-year cattle on 87 farms. Faecal examinations revealed that gastrointestinal nematode infections were present in all herds. Similar results were found in yearling-herds on the same farms a year earlier. Liveweight of yearlings per herd deviated from -64.7 kg to +94.4 kg from an age-adjusted population mean after the second grazing season. This mean herd weight deviation was significantly related negatively to antibody titre against Ostertagia spp. (linear regression, P < 0.05; segmented curvilinear regression, P < 0.01) and to antibody titre against Cooperia spp. (segmented curvilinear regression, P < 0.05), both measured in the second grazing season. Antibody titre against Ostertagia spp. measured in the first grazing season, when yearlings were calves, was significantly correlated positively to age-adjusted body weights at the end of the second grazing season. The results suggested that immunity built up during the first year had a positive effect on growth performance in the second year, but that on average the acquired immunity was insufficient to prevent reduced weight gains in the second grazing season.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0025142825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0304-4017(90)90094-R
DO - 10.1016/0304-4017(90)90094-R
M3 - Article
C2 - 2382390
AN - SCOPUS:0025142825
SN - 0304-4017
VL - 36
SP - 57
EP - 70
JO - Veterinary Parasitology
JF - Veterinary Parasitology
IS - 1-2
ER -