Nr. Steenhard et al., Inactivation of eggs and larvae of the cattle nematodes Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora after passage in pigs, VET PARASIT, 101(2), 2001, pp. 137-142
The study investigated the effect of gastrointestinal passage in pigs on fr
ee-living stages of bovine nematodes. Two Landrace x Yorkshire pigs, A and
B, were fed fresh eggs of Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora while
two other pigs, C and D, were fed third stage larvae (D) of the same paras
ites. Faeces from the pigs were collected for 48 h after ingestion. In pigs
A and B, 15 and 66% of the eggs were recovered after passage, respectively
. However, only 0.003 and 0.002% of the ingested eggs developed into third
stage larvae (D) after subsequent culturing. In pigs C and D, 0.01 and 0.02
% of the L3 survived the passage of the gastrointestinal tract. Fresh O. os
tertagi and C oncophora eggs were cultured in parasite free porcine and bov
ine faeces. Only 0.05% L3 developed in porcine faeces, whereas 21% of the e
ggs developed into L3 in the bovine culture. Our results demonstrate an ext
remely poor rate of development and survival of both bovine nematode eggs a
nd infective larvae after passage in pigs. It may imply that pigs can play
an important role in reducing transmission of cattle nematodes if the two s
pecies are grazed together or alternately. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. A
ll rights reserved.