Cattle roundworms

This is one of the most common roundworms found in UK cattle.

Can cause two different types of disease:

Type I:

• larvae ingested from pasture and immediately develop to adults
• typically from mid-july onwards in first season grazing calves
• clinical signs –

Type II:

• larvae ingested from pasture burrow into gut wall and become dormant (encysted). Disease occurs when larvae re-emerge (sometimes on mass) to continue development, this is typically triggered by changing season (winter to spring).
• typically seen in yearlings in late winter/spring
• often only a proportion of animals are affected

Clinical signs in both type I and type II infections are profuse watery diarrhoea, loss of body weight (up to 20% in 7-10 days during acute infections).

• Along with Ostertagia, this is one of the most common roundworms found in UK cattle
• Generally causes mild disease symptoms in calves
• Clinical signs include loss of appetite and poor weight gain

• This roundworm also infects sheep and horses so can be more commonly seen in cattle which are co-grazed with other livestock
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  Clinical signs

  • heavy infections: rapid weight loss and diarrhoea
  • mild infections: inappetence, poor growth rates and soft faeces