Identification and epidemiologic significance of nematodes in a dairy barn

In a study on nematodes recovered from dairy barn mangers, stalls, calf pens, and exercise yards at The Ohio State University, over 99% of the nematodes were nonparasitic species of the family Rhabditidae. The only parasitic species recovered was Strongyloides sp, a rhabditoid nematode of minor clinical importance to adult cattle. These findings were in disagreement with widely publicized claims that adult dairy cattle in confinement are continuously exposed to trichostrongylids and that all cows should be routinely treated with anthelmintics.