Ten unmedicated animals of a controlled anthelmintic trial were used to analyse the present gastrointestinal helminth fauna of young cattle from the northwest of Germany. This survey done in August revealed Ostertagia ostertagi to represent the most prevalent and abundant species followed by Cooperia oncophora and Nematodirus helvetianus. O. lyrata, O. leptospicularis, C. zurnabada, C. punctata, Trichostrongylus axei, Haemonchus contortus, Bunostomum phlebotomum, Capillaria bovis and Trichuris discolor were less prevalent and abundant. These findings are closely similar to findings from investigations more than 20 years ago although since that time anthelmintics have been used increasingly.