Iglesias LE, Saumell CA, Fernández AS, Fusé LA, Lifschitz AL, Rodríguez EM, Steffan PE, Fiel CA. Environmental impact of ivermectin excreted by cattle treated in autumn on dung fauna and degradation of faeces on pasture.
Parasitol Res 2006;
100:93-102. [PMID:
16821034 DOI:
10.1007/s00436-006-0240-x]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2006] [Accepted: 05/15/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The effect of ivermectin excreted in faeces of treated cattle on dung fauna and dung degradation on pasture during autumn was evaluated. Two groups of calves were used. One group was treated subcutaneously with ivermectin while the other remained as untreated control. Faeces deposited on 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post-treatment (dpt) were removed on 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 30 and 60 days post-deposition (dpd) and were used to determine the concentration of ivermectin and the percentage of organic matter and for the collection of colonising organisms. Samples from 1 and 3 dpt contained the highest drug concentration and percentage of organic matter compared to the control group (p<0.05). Faeces from the treated group showed lesser abundance and diversity of arthropods (p<0.05) than the control group. A reduction in numbers and diversity of dung fauna in faecal samples from treated animals was most remarkable at 1, 3 and 7 dpt, coinciding with the highest concentration of ivermectin and organic matter percentage.
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