EFFICACY OF IVERMECTIN IN REDUCING GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODE FECAL EGG COUNTS IN GOATS IN BURUNDI

Cross-bred goats in Burundi infested with gastrointestinal nematodes w ere submitted to fecal investigations and injected subcutaneously with ivermectin. In Experiment 1, goats were treated with 200 mu g kg(-1) bw ivermectin. In Experiment 2, animals were administered twice that d ose. In Experiment 3, goats suspected to be resistant to other anthelm intics were treated with 200 mu g kg(-1) bw ivermectin. In Experiment 4, two doses of the same strength were injected with an interval of 7 days. Results demonstrate that 200 mu g kg(-1) bw ivermectin is effect ive for the control of gastrointestinal nematodes of goats in Burundi; this dosage is also effective against nematodes suspected to be resis tant to other anthelmintics. The administration of 400 mu g kg(-1) bw did not induce greater or more prolonged effectiveness percentages. Th e supposed decrease of ivermectin's residual activity on Day 28 might be avoided by administering two doses with an interval of 7 days. No a dverse effects were observed in treated animals.