| dc.description.abstract | The efficacy of lincomycin to control respiratory infections in lambs was assessed in two trials. In trial 1, 72 lambs with active mycoplasmal pneumonia were allocated as follows: lambs in group T2 were treated with lincomycin (5 mg kg(-1) bodyweight, intramuscularly) twice 2 days apart, those in group T3 with lincomycin (5 mg kg(-1) bodyweight, intramuscularly) thrice with 2-day intervals, those in group O with oxytetracycline (20 mg kg(-1) bodyweight, intramuscularly) twice 4 days apart and those in group C were controls. In trial II, 48 25-30-day-old clinically healthy lambs were allocated as follows: lambs in group P2 received two injections of lincomycin (5 mg kg(-1) bodyweight, intramuscularly) when 30- and 60-day-old, lambs in group P1/30 received one injection of lincomycin (5 mg kg(-1) bodyweight, intramuscularly) when 30-day-old, lambs in group P1/60 received one injection of lincomycin (5 mg kg(-1) bodyweight, intramuscularly) when 60-day-old and lambs in group C were controls. In trial 1, treatment with lincomycin was associated with improved clinical scores; clinical cure rate 42 days after treatment was 87%, 100%, 87% and 0% for group T2, T3, 0 and C, respectively (P < 0.001); treated lambs produced 18.5% (T2) or 26.5% (T3) heavier carcass than controls; no lung lesions were seen in group T3 lambs, whilst they were evident in 22% of group T2 or group 0 lambs and in 72% of control lambs; microorganisms were isolated from lung tissue samples of 5 group C and I group 0 lambs. In trial 11, administration of lincomycin was associated with smaller clinical scores; prevalence rate of respiratory disorders at the end of the trial was 17%, 42%, 42% and 58% for group P2, P 1 /30, PI/60 and C, respectively (P < 0.01); treated lambs were > 4.5% heavier than controls; lung lesions were recorded in I group P2, 2 group P 1 /30 and group P1/60 and 5 group C lambs; microorganisms were isolated from I group P2, 3 group P 1 /30, 2 group PI/60 and 5 group C lambs. It is concluded that administration of lincomycin is effective for the treatment and the prevention of mycoplasmal atypical pneumonia in lambs. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. | en |
