Termination of arrested development of the trichostrongyles of sheep in northern Nigeria

Monthly worm counts of groups of ewes and lambs that grazed continuously and tracer lainbs revealed that under the conditions existing in northern Nigeria, most of the Haemonchus contortus in sheep between November and March were arrested larvae. During the months of April and May, almost equal proportions of adults, developmental stages and arrested larvae were recovered and, by June, only adults and developmental stages were recovered in high numbers. The proportion of arrested larvae had diminished considerably. A similar pattern was recorded for Tricho-strongylus spp, except that fewer larvae were involved in arrested development and very large numbers of adults were recovered throughout the duration of the study. Maturation of arrested larvae occurs in April.