EVALUATION OF A COMPOSITE METHOD FOR COUNTING HELMINTH EGGS IN CATTLEFECES

Data from a cattle helminth monitoring service operated in Queensland, Australia were used to evaluate a composite faecal egg counting metho d using the modified McMaster technique. The composite method was comp ared with the standard method of performing egg counts on each individ ual faecal sample per submission. No significant(P > 0.05) difference was detected in the egg count results provided by the composite and st andard methods. An excellent level of agreement (kappa statistic = 0.8 6) between the two methods was also found when count results were cate gorised. We consider the composite counting method to be a valid alter native to performing counts on all individual faecal samples submitted from cattle herds to diagnostic laboratories for parasitological exam ination. The use of the composite method represents significant saving s in time, labour and the cost of parasitological services offered by laboratories. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.