Gastrointestinal nematode and trematode infections in large ruminants are common in Cambodia because climatic conditions are favourable for their growth. These infections cause ill-thrift and production losses to smallholder-owned cattle because there is a general lack of awareness of the parasite and lack of knowledge of appropriate management strategies. This study identified parasitic genera and their prevalence within project cattle involved in the anthelmintic treatment regime used in the 'Best practice health and husbandry of cattle, Cambodia' (BPHH) research project. Faecal samples from 1,080 cattle in six project villages (two villages located in each of Takeo, Kampong Cham and Kandal provinces) were collected during the dry and rainy seasons in 2008, and flotation and sedimentation analyses were performed. Three nematode and two trematode genera were identified. Paramphistomum spp. was found in nearly all cattle sampled, and Fasciola gigantica occurred in Kandal and Kampong Cham provinces, but not in Takeo province, in this study. Nematode genera identified were Bunostomum spp., Cooperia spp. and Strongylus spp. During the project, 859 anthelmintic treatments were administered to cattle in high-intervention villages over four occasions, and 56-77% of project cattle were treated each time. Stratification by age showed that cattle of different ages had evidence of helminth infection, indicating that production-limiting impacts may not be limited to young cattle in this environment.
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