Eficácia técnica e econômica de diferentes anti-helmínticos na recria de fêmeas da raça holandesa

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different anthelmintics in the control of gastrointestinal helminthiasis and weight gain of growing dairy calves. The experiment was conducted in a specialized system of milk production in the municipality of Boa Esperança, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thirty-five female Holstein, calves between three and four months old, were divided equally into five treatments: G1, 1% ivermectin (200ìg/kg, generic); G2, albendazole sulphoxide; G3, abamectin; G4, doramectin, and G5, ivermectin 1% (reference). Animals treated with doramectin gained more weight (P <0.05) than the group that received albendazole. EPG counts were similar (P >0.05) among treatments. The items that contributed most to operational cost, in descending order, were feed; purchase of animals; machinery use; hand labor; vaccine; and lastly, anthelmintics. Doramectin, despite contributing the most to operational cost among the anthelmintics, gave superior weight gain when compared to albendazole, which had the second lowest anthelmintics cost in this study. Thus, even with a higher cost, doramectin provided better animal performance, and can be recommended for use in this dairy operation.