JavaScript is Disabled
Your browser's JavaScript functionality is disabled. It has to be enabled to use this function of ConfTool.
Here you can find information on how to enable JavaScript
If you have any problems, please contact the organizers at parasitologycommunicator@gmail.com.

Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

Daily Overview

Session

CP16: Horses & Cows - 10 min talks
Location: Lecture Theatre 2
Session Chair: Abdul Jabbar, The University of Melbourne
Session Chair: Narelle Dybing, Murdoch University

Presentation 3

Gastrointestinal parasite prevalence in dairy cattle in subtropical Queensland: A paddock-based faecal sampling study across commercial farms

Md Anowarul Haque¹, Benjamin Wood¹, Ricardo J. Soares Magalhães^1,2, Shahab Ranjbar Nezhad Isfahani¹, Matthew Ball³, Swaid Abdullah¹

1: The University of Queensland, Australia; 2: Children’s Health and Environment Program, UQ Children’s Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia; 3: Virbac, Australia

Gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes are a major constraint to dairy productivity and heifer growth globally and are of particular concern in subtropical Queensland. In this study, we collected fresh faecal samples from the paddock of 43 dairy farms, categorised by age into six groups: calves, weaners, heifers, springers, milking cows, and dry cows. Faecal egg counts (FEC) were performed using the modified McMaster technique, and species identification was conducted through larval culture, with morphological characterization of third-stage (L₃) larvae. All 43 farms had at least one age group positive for GI parasites, indicating widespread endemic infection throughout the region. The overall parasite prevalence was 78.7%, with infection burden varying by age: heifers had the highest FEC (mean EPG of 226.7; 26 to 553), followed by weaners (235.7; 31 to 651), and milking cows (75.8; 5 to 180). Calves were mostly uninfected. Egg counts did not differ significantly between farms (Kruskal–Wallis, p > 0.05) but varied strongly within age groups (H=107.5, p<0.001), with a clear age‑dependent gradient (p < 0.001). Haemonchus spp. (47.2%) and Cooperia spp. (43.1%) dominated, comprising ~90% of larvae, underscoring the need for regular, age‑based faecal monitoring to guide targeted parasite control on dairy farms in subtropical Queensland.