TREATMENT OF THEILERIOSIS IN CROSSBRED CATTLE IN THE PUNJAB

One hundred and nine cases of bovine tropical theileriosis (Theileria annulata infection) in Punjab State, India, were treated with oxytetra cycline (23 cases) or buparvaquone (86 cases). Ages of affected cattle ranged from 6 days to 3 years. Oxytetracycline cured only 7 animals ( 30.4%), all of them calves below 15 days old, while buparvaquone cured all but one (98.8%), a severely affected 10 day old calf. Cured cattl e remained theileriosis-free for 12 to 18 months following recovery. T heileriosis in Punjab is predominantly a disease of young calves that cannot be protected by available cell-culture vaccines. It is suggeste d that the most economical way to control theileriosis in India would be to immunise calves by infection with sporozoite stabilate and simul taneous treatment with tetracycline, and to reserve buparvaquone for t he treatment of clinical cases, in cattle of all ages.