Prophylaxis. Stomach-worm Disease of Cattle. 459 



Prophylaxis. This consists in avoiding- wet, marshy and 

 suspicions pastures and the separation of the sick and of all 

 adult animals from the lambs and kids. The animals should 

 have access to good and, if possible, to running water ; eventu- 

 ally there should be elevated stone steps leading to the source 

 of water to prevent the animals from tramping into it or con- 

 taminating it with their feces (Stodter). If a continuous avoid- 

 ance of infected pastures is not possible, they ought tobe al)an- 

 doned as such for one or two years and ought to be utilized for 

 other purposes. Ransom recommends a procedure in this re- 

 spect which promises permanent results. 



From October to March the annuals may be kept in a common barn without 

 consideration as to age, and they may be pastured together in April in a non- 

 infected pasture. In May the pasture is changed every two weeks, and in June 

 every tenth day, and between July and August every week in such a manner that 

 the preceding pastures are no more visited during the same year; in September the 

 change of pastures should again occur in longer intervals. Next year the same 

 pastures may again be visited in the same order of rotation, becaus-e the disseminated 

 ova or embryos have perished in the mean time. In the fall the adult sheep should 

 receive an anthelmintic course of treatment. 



Another method consists in dividing the pasture by a small neutral strip into 

 two portions, one for the lambs and one for the adult animals. The lambs should be 

 allowed to be with their mothers only during sucking. If covering of the females 

 is so arranged that ewing occurs during the winter months, the lambs may be sepa- 

 rated from the ewes at the beginning of pasturing and they can then be pastured 

 in localities which have not been visited by sheep for one year. 



Literature. Miehalk, B. t. W., 1891, .573.— Plana, Clin, vet., 1906, 1.5.— Eansom, 

 \et. Journ., 1907, 340. — Stodter, Die Strougyliden im Labmagen der gaziihmten 

 Wiederkauer und die Magenwurmseuche, Dis. Bern., 1901 (Lit.). 



(c) Stomach-worm Disease of Cattle. Strongylosis ventricuh bovum. 



Occurrence. Strongylidse are frequently parasitic in the 

 abomasum of cattle, but they produce disease only if present in 

 large numbers. The disease is then usually seen in young cattle 

 after they have been pastured. Sometimes the disease occurs 

 in an enzootic form (Harker, Penberthy, MacFadyean, Lien- 

 aux, Klein). 



In the Berlin abattoir, Ostertag found Strongylus convolutus (Str. Ostertagi, 

 Stiles) in 90% of the cattle killed. According to Stodter the stomach strongylosis 

 of cattle is found everywhere in the world. 



Schnyder, who has studied stomach strongylosis, claims that the disease known 

 in the country around the Zurich Lake as '' EaUbriindigl-eit" is a strongylosis 

 found during all seasons and in cattle of all ages, independently of dry or gi-een 

 feeding. He could demonstrate the presence of the disease in 0.2'% of all cattle. 

 Bang, however, calls attention to the fact that these cases, and others frequently 

 observed in cattle, may l)e a combination of gastric strongylosis with the much more 

 dangerous enteritis paratuberculosa Bang (see Vol. I). 



Etiology. According to Schnyder 's investigations there 

 occur in the abomasum of cattle Strongylus Ostertagi Stiles 

 (Str. convolutus), Str. retorta^formis of Zeder, Str. Curticei 

 Giles (Str. ventricosus), Str. oncophorus Railliet, Str. filicollis 

 Rudolphi and the Str. contortus Rudolphi. One usually finds 

 several species simultaneously in the stomach and intestines of 

 cattle. 



