The root of the medicinal plant Halothamnus somalensis traditionally used to treat endo-parasites of animals and humans was evaluated against endo-parasites in naturally infected goats. The goats were drenched with a crude preparation of the plant at two different doses (0.5 and 2 g/kg live weight [LW]). The dose of 2g/kg LW reduced faecal egg count (EPG) by 50%. Packed cell volume (PCV) was also significantly higher for goats that received 2 g/kg LW. The reduction in faecal EPG and increase in PCV values were negatively correlated. There was no effect on LW change but body condition score was higher for goats that received treatment than goats in the control group. Future research should focus on evaluation of different extracts from different parts of the plant using laboratory animals and small ruminants.

Research on identification of Ceutorhynchus spp. on winter oilseed rape in Latvia was done during the vegetation season of 2009 and 2010. Field trials were located in the Research and Study Farm ''Peterlauki'', Jelgava municipality, Latvia (56 deg 32 min 17.38N, 23 deg 43 min 17.65E). Four species of brassica stem weevils were identified: cabbage stem weevil Ceutorhynchuspallidactylus Marsh., syn. C. quadridens Pan., rape winter stem weevil C. picitarsis Gyll., blue stem weevil C. sulcicollis Pay., and C. typhae Herb. One of the most common species in winter oilseed rape was cabbage stem weevil C. pallidactylus. Use of a sweep net for identification of particular species cannot be applied, as in practice no specimens have been collected by this method. One of the most appropriate methods for identification of Ceutorhynchus spp. on winter oilseed rape has been yellow sticky traps and water traps that have been used to collect the greatest number of specimens (24) during the vegetation season. First pests appear during the 2nd decade of April, when the plant reaches 33 BBCH. Pest control using systemic insecticide Proteus 110 OD (tiakloprid 100 g LE-1, deltametrin 10 g LE-1) with a dose of 0.75 L haE-1 was applied when the plant reached 39-44 BBHC. Despite the high population density (2 to 10 insects on 40 plants), significant (p is less than 0.05) decrease in pest damage by 43-51%, when compared to untreated area, was recorded during vegetation seasons of 2009 and 2010. Pest control with a systemic insecticide when the plant is in the stem elongation phase provided a significant (p is less than 0.05) yield increase of 0.5 to 0.7 thaE-1.