EFFECT OF HERD MANAGEMENT ON THE CONTAMINATION OF NIGHT HOLDING AREAS(CORREOS) AND INFECTIONS WITH GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODES OF NDAMA CATTLE IN THE GAMBIA

The densities of infective nematode larvae (L3/m2) in the night holdin g places (locally called ''correos'') of 2 traditionally kept N'Dama h erds were estimated at weekly intervals throughout an entire rainy sea son. Herd 1 moved correos every 3 weeks whereas herd 2 remained in the same area for most of the rainy season. Removal to a new correo was i nvariably accompanied by a drastic drop of L3/m2. Conversely, L3/m2 in creased rapidly up to values of more than 1,000 when the herds used th e same night holding place for more than 3 weeks. Calves kept in herds with frequent changes of the correo showed significantly lower nemato de egg counts and higher growth rates during the rainy season, combine d with a reduced weight loss during the following dry season. The resu lts of this study indicate that a regular frequent change of the corre o is an effective method of reducing nematode infection risk and incre asing calf growth and that this might be a sustainable part of an inte grated strategic programme to control gastrointestinal nematode infect ions wherever correos are used.