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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141304
Title: INDICATORS OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITISM AFTER AN EXPERIMENTAL HAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS INFECTION IN YOUNG GOATS RECEIVING DIETARY QUEBRACHO TANNIN

Author
item WILDEUS, S - VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
item ZAJAC, A - VIRGINIA TECH
item Turner, Kenneth
item COLLINS, J - VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: American Society of Animal Science Southern Section Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2002
Publication Date: 1/31/2003
Citation: WILDEUS, S., ZAJAC, A.M., TURNER, K.E., COLLINS, J.R. INDICATORS OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITISM AFTER AN EXPERIMENTAL HAEMONCHUS CONTORTUS INFECTION IN YOUNG GOATS RECEIVING DIETARY QUEBRACHO TANNIN. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL SCIENCE SOUTHERN SECTION MEETING. 2003.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: With an increase in resistance of trichostrongylid parasites to commercial anthelmintics, the search for alternative means of parasite control in small ruminants has intensified. Condensed tannins in certain legumes and browse plants have been associated with anthelmintic activity in different studies. Quebracho is a commercial source of condensed tannins, and this experiment evaluated the use of Quebracho to control an experimental infection of Haemonchus contortus in goats. Crossbred doe kids (n=32, 6 mo of age) were paired by BW and allocated to 16 indoor, cement floor pens (3 x 4 m), dewormed (leavamisole; 11.8 mg/kg BW), and offered ad lib a basal diet of chopped alfalfa hay (12.4% CP, 59.3% NDF, 46.1% ADF), and a corn-soybean meal-dried molasses supplement (16% CP) at .5% BW. After an initial 5-d adaptation period, the supplement in 8 of the 16 pens was replaced with a modified Quebracho supplement (QT) providing 2.5% condensed tannin of total dry matter intake (d 0). On d 14, half of the pens in each dietary treatment received an oral dose of 10,000 H. contortus third stage larvae (HC). Fecal egg counts (FEC) and packed blood cell volume (PCV) were determined at 7 d intervals for another 56 d. Data were analyzed for effects of QT and HC on FEC (after log conversion) and PCV. FEC increased in HC animals and was higher (P<.05) than non-HC on d 63 (1594 vs. 209 eggs/g) and d 70 (1622 vs. 289 eggs/g). However, there was no effect of QT on FEC. PCV decreased in HC animals and was lower (P<.05) than in non-HC starting on d 35 (27.8 vs. 31.7%) and remained lower until the end of sampling. Again there was no effect of QT on PCV. Results suggest that dietary QT provided at level 2.5% of DM intake was not effective in reducing the impact of an experimental H. contortus infections, but higher levels of QT in the diet need to be investigated.