A comparative study of albendazole and levamisole treatment of nematodes in cattle

The treatment of gastrointestinal nematodes using albendazole and levamisole was monitored in a herd of cattle following a poor state of health and maintenance of high faecal strongyle egg count after repeated therapeutic treatment with albendazole. Thirty-six animals were selected and randomly divided into three groups. Animals in groups A and B were treated orally with albendazole and levamisole respectively at a dose rate of 7.5 mg/kg body weight, while those in group C were left untreated. The faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test was used in assessing anthelmintic efficacy. Animals treated with albendazole had 67.38% reduction in faecal egg counts while those treated with levamisole had 96.10% reduction. Albendazole resistance was confirmed in this study. Haemonchus contortus larvae were cultured out of the post treatment faecal samples. Key words: Cattle, Albendazole, Levamisole, Nematodes. (Af J Livestock Extension: 2002: 47-49)