Mortality in weaner sheep in South Australia under different regimes of anthelmintic treatment

Abstract

Causes of mortality in weaner sheep subjected to differing regimes of anthelmintic treatment were investigated at Kybybolite, S.A., between 1976 and 1981. The greatest mortality occurred in untreated sheep during the winter months, and was directly attributable to nematode infections, principally Trichostrongylus vitrinus. Deaths occurred during the summer months of the later years of the experiment. Nematode infections were considered to be a predisposing cause, with anaemia possibly due to infection with Eperythrozoon ovis as the precipitating factor in mortalities.