BETWEEN GOAT-FARM BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY OF THE NEMATODE MUELLERIUS-CAPILLARIS FIRST-STAGE LARVAE - INFLUENCE OF ANTHELMINTIC TREATMENT

Seven dairy-goat farms from the centerwest of France were investigated for morphology and ecology of first-stage larvae (L1) of Muellerius c apillaris before and after treatment of goats with febantel, a probenz imidazole anthelmintic.The lengths, survivals at 20 and -20-degrees-C, and infectivity of L1 to intermediate host Helix aspersa, were differ ent between forms. The between farms differences in survivals were red uced after treatment of goats with febantel. The observed between farm differences in L1 did not seem to be related to form characteristics (intensity of treatments, susceptibility to febantel, and intermediate host species).