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Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Science logoLink to Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Science
. 1968 Jan;32(1):359–365.

Studies on the Spring Rise Phenomenon in Ovine Helminthiasis

I. Spring Rise in Stabled Sheep *

B G Procter, H C Gibbs
PMCID: PMC1494776  PMID: 15846886

Abstract

Serial ova count studies were conducted to determine some of the characteristics of the spring rise in faecal shedding of nematode ova by parasitized sheep in flocks in the Montreal area. It was discovered that substantial spring rises occurred in most ewes following their lambing but that great variation existed in the magnitude, duration, and pattern of the rises. Although rams did not display increased ova counts, a slight but well-defined rise developed in one unbred ewe.

Larval studies in ewes parasitized by a variety of nematode species, revealed that Haemonchus contortus was the major contributor to the spring rise in faecal ova output.

Preparturient treatment of ewes with thiabendazole1, at the rate of 100 mg./kg. of body weight, suppressed spring rise but failed to arrest completely the faecal shedding of nematode ova.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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