Development and survival of nematode larvae on pasture in Calabar, Nigeria.

During the dry season (January to March) in Calabar, strongyloid eggs in cattle faeces hatched within 24 h and developed to infective larvae within 7 days on pasture. The larvae survived 6 weeks in January, 4 weeks in February, 8 weeks in March and 10 weeks in April. Rainfall rather than temperature played the major role in the development and survival of the larvae on pasture during this period. There results show that the hatching of the eggs and the development of the larvae can take place at any time of the year in Calabar.