Survival and growth of Lumbricus terrestris (Lumbricidae) fed on dung from cattle given sustained-release boluses of ivermectin or fenbendazole

• Published in: European journal of soil biology 2002-07, Vol.38 (3), p.319-322
• Main Authors: Svendsen, Tina S, Sommer, Christian, Holter, Peter, Grønvold, Jørn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; BENZIMIDAZOLE; BENZIMIDAZOLES; Biological and medical sciences; BOVIN; CATTLE; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; Dung; ECLOSION; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; EFECTOS RESIDUALES; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on protozoa and invertebrates; EFFET RESIDUEL; ESTIERCOL; EXPERIMENTACION EN LABORATORIO; EXPERIMENTATION EN LABORATOIRE; FAECES; FARMYARD MANURE; FAUNA DEL SUELO; FAUNE DU SOL; FECES; Fenbendazole; FUMIER; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GANADO BOVINO; GROWTH; HATCHING; HECES; IVERMECTIN; IVERMECTINA; IVERMECTINE; LABORATORY EXPERIMENTATION; LUMBRICUS TERRESTRIS; RESIDU; RESIDUAL EFFECTS; RESIDUES; RESIDUOS; Soil and water pollution; SOIL FAUNA; Soil science; SUPERVIVENCIA; SURVIE; SURVIVAL; Sustained-release bolus
• ISSN: 1164-5563
• DOI: 10.1016/S1164-5563(02)01167-6

The effects of faecally excreted ivermectin and fenbendazole, and their metabolites, on the survival and growth of the common pastureland earthworm Lumbricus terrestris, have been studied in the laboratory. Hatchlings were fed dung voided by untreated cattle or cattle given sustained-release boluses of the antiparasitic agents ivermectin or fenbendazole. Hatchling survival and growth rates were followed until maturity. The survival of worms fed untreated dung was 100% whereas survival in ivermectin and fenbendazole groups was 97 and 91%, respectively. The first worms became mature 16 weeks after hatching, irrespective of dung type, and all worms were mature 24 weeks after hatching. The growth rate of the worms fed dung from cattle given ivermectin boluses was 2.6 mg higher day –1 than that recoded for the control group, whereas the growth rate of worms fed on dung from cattle given fenbendazole boluses did not differ significantly from the control group. It may be concluded that ivermectin, fenbendazole and their metabolites had no adverse effects on the survival and growth of L. terrestris when exposed through dung under laboratory conditions.