TREATMENT AND CONTROL OF THE INTESTINAL FLUKE, SKRJABINOTREMA-OVIS

The small intestinal fluke, Skrjabinotrema ovis, is common among sheep in the Xinjiang region of western China. Up to 65 000 flukes per shee p were found during September when sheep were grazing summer pastures at high altitudes. Efficacy studies of some common flukicides revealed that oxyclosanide and triclabendazole were not effective in reducing the egg output of S. ovis, whereas closantel and praziquantel reduced egg counts by up to 98%. Praziquantel at 25 and 50 mg kg-1 reduced wor m counts by 99%. Albendazole at 15 mg kg-1 reduced egg counts by 83% a nd worm counts by 9 1 % but at lower dose rates it was ineffective.