Anaemia and Mortality in Calves Caused by the Short-Nosed Sucking Louse (<i>Haematopinus eurysternus</i>) (Nitzsch) in Ibadan

Abstract

A cattle farm in Ibadan recorded the death of a young calf with heavy infestation of short-nosed sucking louse, Haematopinus eurysternus. The surviving calves and calves on a second farm had mean packed cell volumes (21.6±4.1 and 24.6±1.8 [%]), mean haemoglobin concentrations (7.2 ±1.4 and 8.3±0.6[g/dL]), and mean red blood cell 6 counts (6.3±0.7 and 6.9±0.1[x10 /L]) which were below the reference ranges and consistent with anaemia. The animals were also heavily infested with lice. No other causes
of anaemia were identified. After treating the calves with 1% ivermectin sub-cutaneously, all the red blood cell indices became significantly higher (p= 0.05). It is therefore suggested that heavy infestations with H. eurysternus
should be considered when investigating the cause of anaemia in calves in Nigeria.