Oral and Poster Abstracts

The trematodes Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum are
recognized as the most important helminthic parasite of sheep,
causing economic losses to ranchers due to the reduction of
production of milk and meat, condemnation of parasitized livers,
abortions, increased mortality, and the expense of control measures.
In Iran, the main enzootic area of sheep liver trematodes lies in the
North of Iran, but Fasciola spp and D. dendriticum also occur in the
Northwest region of Iran. This study was carried out to determine the
prevalence of liver fluke infections in sheep in the northwest region
of Iran (municipal slaughterhouse of Tabriz). For the study a total of
140 sheep livers were collected (Systematic Random Sampling). The
prevalence rates of Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum
were 8.57% and 20% in sheep respectively.
Key words: prevalence, Fasciola hepatica, Dicrocoelium dendriticum,
sheep
1157 Effects of Decoquinate on Bulls Growth during the First 3
Months of Fattening: Field Trial on Charolais
A. Richard 1 , G. Peyrin 2 , R. Jobert 3 , A. Valognes 4
1 ALPHARMA, Animal Health Division, Verrieres Le Buisson, France
2 Lycee Agricole Marmilhat, Clermont Ferrand, France
3 Socaviac, Villefranche d’Allier, France
4 LDA 03, Moulins, France
Subclinical coccidiosis is always underestimated, it is responsible
for poor growth. Preventing subclinical coccidiosis by group
medication is much easier than individual treatment. Furthermore,
daily contamination is more controlled by a daily treatment. The
objective of this trial was to evaluate the impact of decoquinate in
the feed on growth and feed conversion of bulls entering fattening
units after transportation stress. Decoquinate is a non-antibiotic
molecule active on certain protozoa: coccidia, toxoplasma,
cryptosporidia, and neospora. It works very early in the coccidia life
cycle at the beginning of the small intestine preventing intestinal
damage. Decoquinate was granted a zero-withdrawal period in
several EU countries following its classification in Annex II for
MRL. The experiment was carried out on 117 decoquinate treated
bulls and 58 control of 9 months of age weighing 376 kg, sourced
from 129 different farms in the center of France. Decoquinate was
delivered in the feed at 0,5 mg / kg BW for 28 days. Bulls were
weighed at the end of the decoquinate treatment:11/11/2007 and 56
days later. Oocyst sampling for count and identification was
performed on 10 bulls in each group at the beginning of the treatment
and at the end. The total weight gain after decoquinate treatment was
39 kg for the decoquinate group and 34.3 kg for the control group. 56
days after the end of the treatment, the total gain from entering the
fattening unit was 144.8 kg for the decoquinate group and 138 kg for
the control group: i.e., a 6,7 kg increase. The final weight were
significantly different (P < 0,05). The feed conversion ratio for the
duration of the treatment was 6.89 for the decoquinate group and
7,39 for the control. For the entire feeding period, feed conversion
was 5.35 for the decoquinate group and 5,51 for the control. It was
noted that the decoquinate group consumed the daily ratio much
more rapidly and had a better appearance. Oocyst levels were low in
both groups (< 420) at the beginning of the treatment with a few E.
bovis and zuernii recorded at the end of the 28-day period