Quantitative studies of ovine haemonchosis. I. Relationship between faecal egg counts and total worm counts

Abstract

The successful operation of parasite-control programmes based on monitoring of faecal egg counts stimulated an examination of the quantitative relationship between egg counts and worm counts of Haemonchus contortus in sheep in the Goondiwindi area of south-east Queensland. Sixty-one commercial Merino sheep were selected from flocks where outbreaks of haemonchosis had occurred. Faecal samples were collected prior to euthanasia and eggs and worms subsequently counted and differentiated. A strong relationship (r2 = 0.83, ***P < 0.001) was found between faecal egg counts and the total number of adult H. contortus. The size of the worm population, the time of year, and the ratio of male to female adult worms were minor sources of variation. The relationship was considered to be of value in the implementation of programmes for the diagnosis and control of haemonchosis in sheep flocks in the area.