Parasitic gastro-enteritis in calves on the Jos plateau, Nigeria

An experiment in which groups of calves were repeatedly treated with thiabendazole and compared with similar untreated groups suggested that parasitic gastroenteritis is not a problem in calves kept under traditional management during the wet season on the Jos plateau in northern Nigeria. On the other hand, as the dry season advanced, the effect of earlier treatment during the wet season showed in better weight gains, higher serum albumin concentrations and higher packed cell volumes compared to the controls. The epidemiological significance of this is discussed in relation to the nutritional stresses of the dry season.