AVAILABILITY OF HAEMONCHUS-CONTORTUS L-3 LARVAE ON PASTURE AT KIBOKO - A SEMIARID WARM AGROCLIMATIC ZONE IN KENYA

A study was carried out to determine the availability of Haemonchus co ntortus L-3 larvae on pasture in a semi-arid warm agro-climatic zone o f Kenya. By means of tracer sheep, it was shown that no H. contortus L -3 larvae were available on pasture during the dry periods of the year (July-October and February). They were only available on pasture duri ng the rainy season (November-January and March-June). Sheep permanent ly grazed on the same pasture however, harboured adult H. contortus in their abomasa throughout the year indicating that the perpetuation of haemonchosis in livestock in this agro-climatic zone was greatly depe ndent on the ability of the parasite to survive in the host throughout all seasons. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.