Gastrointestinal anthelmintic plants used on small ruminants in Benin: Traditional use and scientific results - Review.

In Benin, livestock breeders frequently use medicinal plants to treat gastrointestinal diseases in small ruminants. The aim of this review is to list the plants traditionally used in this context and to present the scientific findings on the efficacy of these plants. An extensive search was carried out using PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Biomed Central and Google Scholar databases to collect data, with combinations of relevant french and english keywords such as "ethnobotanical survey", "anthelmintic properties", "medicinal plants", "gastrointestinal parasites", "digestive strongyles", "Haemonchus", "Trichostrongylus", "small ruminants", "sheep", "goats" and "Benin". A total of 45 published articles met the eligibility criteria. This review listed 123 plants used by breeders to treat gastrointestinal ailments in small ruminants. The most commonly used parts are leaves and barks, and the most common forms are decoction, maceration and powder. Scientific studies have demonstrated the anthelmintic properties of 18 plants, including Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides, Newbouldia laevis, Mitragyna inermis and Combretum glutinosum. The powders or leaf extracts of these plants showed in vivo significant reductions of over 50% in egg excretion, larval establishment, viability and fertility of gastrointestinal strongyles in small ruminants. Extracts of these plants also revealed in vitro inhibitory activity of over 50% on egg hatching, larval migration and motility of gastrointestinal strongyles. This manuscript highlights the traditional use of anthelmintic plants in small ruminants in Benin and provides scientific results supporting the efficacy of these plants.

Response of plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) supplementation on nutritional, endo-parasitic, and endocrine status in lambs.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of plantain herb (Plantago lanceolata L.) supplementation on growth, plasma metabolites, liver enzymatic activity, hormonal status, gastrointestinal parasites, and carcass characteristics of lambs. A total of 24 lambs, aged 6 months weighing 8.0 ± 0.5 kg were randomly allocated to one of two dietary treatments: (1) CL diet-roadside grass and concentrate mixture; (2) PL diet-CL diet + 5% fresh plantain supplementation on a DM basis. The PL diet group exhibited 23% higher (P = 0.01) average daily gain and 15% improved (P = 0.03) feed conversion efficiency. Circulating cholesterol concentrations were suppressed by 9% (P = 0.03), and liver enzyme activity was improved by 5-25% (P < 0.05) in the lamb fed PL diet, compared with CL diet only. The inclusion of plantain in the diet was highly effective at suppressing the parasites, Paramphistomum spp. (P = 0.003) and coccidial parasites (P = 0.04), but not stomach worms. Moreover, plantain supplementation increased growth hormone and insulin concentrations in plasma level, whereas decreased carcass fat by 32.7%. Therefore, supplementation of the lambs' diet with plantain showed some beneficial effects on productivity and parasitic infection, while it led to a leaner carcass.

Gastrointestinal nematode infections do not hinder the development of Simmental X Nellore crossbred calves raised with a nutritionally enhanced diet.

An evaluation was made of the effect of anthelmintic treatments on the performance of Simmental X Nellore crossbred calves before and after weaning. To this end, the calves were divided into three groups: (1) treated monthly with a low efficacy anthelmintic drug, ivermectin; (2) treated monthly with a highly effective anthelmintic drug, albendazole; and (3) untreated control group. All the groups in this experiment showed an average fecal egg count of less than 400 eggs per gram (EPG), and no clinical signs of parasitic gastroenteritis. The blood variables were within the normal range and no calf presented anemia. In most of the samplings, mean EPGs were significantly lower (P<0.05) in the group treated with albendazole. The calves received dietary supplementation before and after weaning, which enabled them to gain weight in every month of the experiment and reach a body weight of about 250 kg on the last sampling date, before turning one year old. The anthelmintic treatments did not affect body weight gain, leading to the conclusion that, when fed with suitable dietary supplements, Simmental X Nellore crossbred calves are not affected by gastrointestinal nematode parasites acquired by grazing.

Anthelmintic activity of crude powder and crude aqueous extract of Trachyspermum ammi on gastrointestinal nematodes in donkey (Equus asinus): An in vivo study.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Trachyspermum ammi has been used traditionally as a popular ethnobotanical plant in human and animal parasitic infestations. Few scientific studies have been conducted on in vitro anthelmintic activity of T. ammi against various helminths and there is no study on its in vivo/in vitro anthelmintic properties against equine helminths. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study aimed to evaluate in vivo anthelmintic activity of crude powder (CP) and crude aqueous extract (CAE) of T. ammi seeds against gastrointestinal nematodes in the donkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty donkeys, naturally and severely infected with Strongyle-type nematodes, were randomly divided into six groups and administered orally with graded doses of CP and CAE at single dose as follow: Two groups were treated with 1 and 3 gkg-1 body weight of CP, two groups were treated with CAE at the equivalent dose rate 1 and 3 gkg-1 bw of CP and one group was treated with 200 µgkg-1 bw of Ivermectin 0.2% (Positive Control). One group received no medication (Negative Control). Efficacy was determined by faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test. The faecal samples were taken from the donkeys on days 7, 14 and 28 post-treatments (PT) and the egg per gram (EPG) of faeces was determined for each animal. FECR for donkeys treated with CP, CAE, and Ivermectin 0.2% was calculated on days 7, 14, and 28 PT. In the present study, CAE was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine CAE chemical components. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a marker (thymol) was applied to confirm the existence of thymol as an active principle. RESULTS: Based on the FECR findings, the maximum FECR (71.2%) was observed in the group treated with CAE3 on day 14 PT, while it was 66.2% for CP3 on the same day. The effects of different treatments (P < 0.001), time (P < 0.001) and their interactions (P < 0.05) on EPG showed a significant difference. A dose-dependent response in the anthelmintic activity of CP and CAE was observed. GC-MS analysis indicated that thymol was the major component of CAE (Area = 45.01%) with the respective peak at retention times (Rt) 10.41 min. On HPLC analysis of CAE, thymol was found to be the major constituent of CAE (Area = 58.76%) with the same Rt at 13.233 min. CONCLUSION: The present study indicated that both CP and CAE of T. ammi had the dose-dependent anthelmintic effects. Due to the development of drug resistance against synthetic anti-helminthics, T. ammi seems to be a promising alternative for the treatment and prevention of helminths in livestock.

Gastrointestinal nematode infections do not hinder the development of Simmental X Nellore crossbred calves raised with a nutritionally enhanced diet / Infecções por nematódeos gastrintestinais não prejudicam o desenvolvimento de bezerros Simental x Nelore criados em plano nutricional elevado

Abstract An evaluation was made of the effect of anthelmintic treatments on the performance of Simmental X Nellore crossbred calves before and after weaning. To this end, the calves were divided into three groups: (1) treated monthly with a low efficacy anthelmintic drug, ivermectin; (2) treated monthly with a highly effective anthelmintic drug, albendazole; and (3) untreated control group. All the groups in this experiment showed an average fecal egg count of less than 400 eggs per gram (EPG), and no clinical signs of parasitic gastroenteritis. The blood variables were within the normal range and no calf presented anemia. In most of the samplings, mean EPGs were significantly lower (P<0.05) in the group treated with albendazole. The calves received dietary supplementation before and after weaning, which enabled them to gain weight in every month of the experiment and reach a body weight of about 250 kg on the last sampling date, before turning one year old. The anthelmintic treatments did not affect body weight gain, leading to the conclusion that, when fed with suitable dietary supplements, Simmental X Nellore crossbred calves are not affected by gastrointestinal nematode parasites acquired by grazing.

Resumo O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar o efeito de tratamentos anti-helmínticos no desempenho de bezerros Simental x Nelore antes e após o desmame. Os bezerros foram alocados em três grupos: (1) tratado mensalmente com anti-helmínticos de baixa eficácia, ivermectina; (2) tratado mensalmente com anti-helmíntico de alta eficácia, albendazol e (3) controle não tratado. A média das contagens de ovos de nematoides durante o experimento foi inferior a 400 ovos por grama (OPG) em todos os grupos sem manifestação clínica de gastroenterite parasitária. As variáveis ​​sanguíneas mantiveram-se dentro dos limites de normalidade e nenhum bezerro apresentou anemia. Na maioria das coletas, as médias de OPG foram significativamente inferiores (P<0,05) no grupo tratado com albendazol. Os bezerros receberam suplementação antes e depois do desmame, o que lhes permitiu ganhar peso em todos os meses do experimento, atingindo peso corporal em torno de 250 kg, ao final do experimento, antes de completarem um ano de idade. Não houve efeito dos tratamentos anti-helmínticos no ganho em peso, o que permitiu concluir que bezerros Nelore x Simental não são afetados pelo parasitismo por nematoides gastrintestinais sob condições de pastejo, quando devidamente suplementados com concentrado.

Effect of gastrointestinal nematodes on serum copper and phosphorus of growing beef calves in northwestern Argentina.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) on copper (Cu) and phosphorus (P) in blood of beef cattle in two ranches (R1 and R2) located in northwestern Argentina. In 2015-2016 (R1) and 2016-2017 (R2), in each ranch, 22 weaned female calves were divided into two groups: calves treated systematically with 200 mcg/kg moxidectin every 45-50 days (TG) and untreated calves (UTG). The following parameters were measured: number of fecal eggs (epg), fecal cultures, serum Cu and P levels, and live weight gain (LWG). Differences between groups were compared using analysis of variance and Tukey test. GIN infections in both ranches were subclinical and moderate, showing the highest epg (R1 = 907 ± 754; R2 = 1049 ± 1040) by mid-winter. Epg values of TG groups were always negligible (> 93% of moxidectin efficacy). The dominant nematode genera were Cooperia and Haemonchus. The average serum Cu values (µg/dl) indicated low (R1 = 49.7 ± 18) and severe (R2 = 27.2 ± 14) deficiency. The effect of treatments was evident in both ranches from late winter, with TG showing significantly (p < 0.01) higher serum levels in winter, spring, and early autumn (R1 = 65.1, 50.9, and 60.3; R2 = 48.0, 25.7, and 22.4) than UTG (R1 = 44.3, 33.9, and 32.9; R2 = 25.5, 18.2, and 16.4). There were no differences in serum P levels between groups. LWG of TG increased significantly (p < 0.008) (27.2% in R1 and 38.6% in R2), with respect to those of UTG. This study showed a negative effect of GIN on serum Cu values in moderately infected growing calves.

An in vitro approach to evaluate the nutraceutical value of plant foliage against Haemonchus contortus.

Nutraceutical plants provide nutrients for the animal as well as secondary compounds that can affect the biology and survival of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). Current screening of nutraceutical plants is based on in vitro evidence of anthelmintic (AH) activity against different life stages of GIN, but nutritional information is omitted or scarce. This study proposes an integral in vitro screening protocol to identify the nutraceutical value of the foliage from plant species consumed by small ruminants, using Haemonchus contortus as a biological model. The leaves from Acacia collinsii, A. pennatula, Bunchosia swartziana, Gymnopodium floribundum, Havardia albicans, Leucaena leucocephala, Lysiloma latisiliquum, Mimosa bahamensis, Piscidia piscipula, and Senegalia gaumeri were evaluated for their chemical composition and in vitro digestibility. Acetone:water extracts (70:30) from leaves of each plant were evaluated using the egg hatch assay and larval exsheathment inhibition assay. Respective effective concentrations 50% (EC50) were determined for each assay. The ten plant species showed good nutritional value for ruminants, including crude protein (> 10%), metabolizable energy (> 2.9 MJ/kg DM), and varied CT content (from 1.0 to 37.6%). The best AH activity against H. contortus eggs (EC50 = 401.8 µg/mL) and L3 (EC50 = 83.1 µg/mL) was observed for S. gaumeri extract. Although all the plant species showed in vitro nutraceutical potential, the leaves of S. gaumeri had the best values. The proposed in vitro protocol showed to be useful for the integral assessment of the nutraceutical potential of different plant species as it included the nutritional value and the AH activity against eggs and L3 in the selected plant species.

Epidemiology and effect of gastrointestinal nematodes on beef cattle from tropical Argentina.

The aim of this work was to study the epidemiology and the harmful effect of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) on beef cattle in the piedmont forest and grassland region of northwestern Argentina, between March 2015 and March 2016. Sixty weaned female calves were divided into three groups: STG-calves treated systematically with 200 mcg/kg moxidectin every 40-50 days; LTG-calves treated as usually locally implemented, with 200 mcg/kg ivermectin on May 4 and August 5; and UTG-calves not receiving treatment. Moreover, a group of 20 untreated first-calving cows was monitored. Eggs per gram of faeces (epg) and faeces cultures were performed. Live weight gain (LWG) was recorded. Differences among groups were compared using analysis of variance and Tukey test. At the start of the experiment, mean epg was from moderate to high (595 ± 480); therefore, this group was treated in May. Mean UTG epg peaked (907 ± 754) in mid-winter, decreasing toward spring. LTG epg only decreased partially after treatment, showing 54.2% of ivermectin efficacy. Epg values of STG were always negligible values (95.8% of moxidectin efficacy). The dominant nematode genus was Cooperia (81.9%), followed by Haemonchus (15.5%). The effect of treatments was evident from middle autumn, with STG showing a significantly (p < 0.002) higher LWG than the other groups. Toward the end of the trial, LWG of STG and LTG increased by 27.2 and 8.2%, respectively, to those of UTG. This preliminary study showed a winter epg peak and a negative effect of GINs on LWG, even in moderately infected calves.

Recreational Waterborne Illnesses: Recognition, Treatment, and Prevention.

Illness after recreational water activities can be caused by a variety of agents, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, algae, and even chlorine gas. These illnesses are more common in summer. Waterborne illnesses are underreported because most recreational activity occurs in unsupervised venues or on private property, and participants tend to disperse before illness occurs. Symptoms of waterborne illness are primarily gastrointestinal, but upper respiratory and skin manifestations also occur. Gastrointestinal symptoms are usually self-limited, and supportive treatment may be all that is necessary. However, some infections can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Cryptosporidium and Giardia intestinalis are the most common cause of gastrointestinal illness and have partial chlorine resistance. Respiratory infections are typically mild and self-limited. However, if legionnaires' disease develops and is unrecognized, mortality may be as high as 10%. Cellulitis caused by Vibrio vulnificus can result in serious illness, amputation, and death. Early and appropriate antibiotic treatment is important. Chronically ill and immunocompromised persons are at high risk of infection and should be counseled accordingly.

Effect of colostrum quantity and quality on neonatal calf diarrhoea due to Cryptosporidium spp. infection.

This study was conducted to assess the effect of colostrum quality and quantity on Cryptosporidium spp. calf diarrhoea in an intensive dairy cattle farm in Greece. Faecal samples were collected from 100 dairy calves randomly selected and born during all 4 seasons (March 2015 to May 2016) of the year. In total, 71% of the selected calves were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts. The statistical analysis revealed influence of colostrum quality on faecal score. Linear regression showed that the colostrum quantity during the first day of life was negatively associated with the number of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in faeces. During multivariable analysis, the variables representing the quality of colostrum and the season of the calf's birth were identified as confounders. Cryptosporidium spp. is a common pathogen participating in neonatal calf diarrhoea. Colostrum management and season influence the number of Cryprosporidium spp. oocysts and faecal consistency. The above findings demonstrate novel risk factors that should be included in the strategic approaches to control cryptosporidiosis in newborn calves.

Effect of creep-fed supplement on the susceptibility of pasture-grazed suckling lambs to gastrointestinal helminths.

This study evaluated the effect of creep feeding a protein supplement on the susceptibility of suckling lambs to infection with gastrointestinal helminths. Male and female lambs were grazed on Brachiaria spp. pastures next to their mothers. Animals were allocated to one of two treatments: creep feeding (261g/d) and control (no supplementation). The trial period was the suckling of lambs during two years of study: May-October 2013 and March-July 2014. Supplementary creep feeding of lambs improved animal performance (P<0.05). Creep-fed lambs reached 18kg body weight in 64 d, but unsupplemented lambs required 77 d to reach the same weight. Lambs were susceptible to helminth infection during lactation; lambs in both treatments had high fecal egg counts (FECs), with means >1000 eggs per gram, as early as 45days of age, when the daily grazing time per animal increased. Creep feeding reduced the FECs of suckling lambs >60days of age in infections dominated by Haemonchus contortus. Totals of 20 and 48 anthelmintic treatments were administered to the supplemented and unsupplemented animals, respectively. The effect of this variable, however, was significant (P<0.05) only after 60days, when nine and 28 treatments had been administered to the supplemented and unsupplemented lambs, respectively. The number of strongyloid larvae recovered from the paddock did not differ significantly (P >0.05) between the two treatments, indicating similar challenges by infective larvae to both groups. The supplementation of lambs by creep feeding can thus be a strategy for the sustainable control of helminth infection, because it reduces the dependence on anthelmintic treatment.

Can the amount of digestible undegraded protein offered to ewes in late pregnancy affect the periparturient change in resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes?

Ewes experience a temporary decline in resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) during the periparturient period, characterised by a rise in faecal egg count (FEC) that represents a major source of pasture contamination for naïve progeny. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of level of supplementation with digestible undegraded protein (DUP) during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy on periparturient FEC and the performance of ewes with a naturally acquired parasite infection. Eighty-five Belclare and Belclare x Scottish Blackface twin/triplet-bearing ewes were allocated to 1 of 4 dietary groups representing the combination of 2 concentrates (DUP concentration 29 and 94g/kg dry matter) with 2 levels of concentrate during the final 6 weeks of gestation (18 and 30kg in total for ewes with twins; 24 and 35kg for ewes with triplets). All ewes were housed during the pre-partum feeding period and offered grass silage ad libitum; food intake was recorded daily. The intake of DUP varied from 26 to 72g/d among treatments and was reflected in variation of 0.76 to 1.20 in metabolizable protein supply as a proportion of requirements. After lambing, ewes and lambs grazed on permanent sheep pasture, without concentrate supplementation, until weaning (14 weeks post lambing). The variables studied, from week 6 pre-lambing up to week 10 post-lambing, included: FEC, serum pepsinogen concentration, body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS). The effect of week (relative to lambing date) on FEC was highly significant (P<0.001). However, diet did not influence FEC (P>0.05) at any stage either pre- or post-partum. Pepsinogen concentration also varied with time but was not influenced by dietary treatment (P>0.05). The changes in BW and BCS from 6 weeks before lambing to weaning were not affected by the concentration of DUP in the supplement but ewes on treatments involving the higher level of supplementation lost less BW and BCS (P<0.001). The results of this study indicate that the level of DUP supplementation during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy does not affect FEC, BW or BCS of housed ewes with a naturally acquired GIN infection.

Inflammatory arthritis and systemic bone loss are attenuated by gastrointestinal helminth parasites.

Infections with different helminth species have been observed to ameliorate a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases. Herein, we show that the natural murine helminth species, Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri (Hp) is capable of attenuating disease severity in two different inflammatory arthritis models. Furthermore, we show that excretory-secretory (ES) products from Hp directly suppress osteoclast differentiation in vitro. Taken together, these results demonstrate that helminth infections can dampen autoimmune diseases and highlight a previously unrecognized and important role for ES products, by directly impacting on bone destruction.

Assessment of in vitro and in vivo anthelminthic potential of extracts of Allium sativum bulb against naturally occurring ovine gastrointestinal nematodiosis.

BACKGROUND: The rapid development of anthelminthic resistance has limited the success of traditional control programmes, thereby forcing researchers to search for ethno-veterinary alternatives. OBJECTIVE: The objective is to assess the anthelminthic potential of various extracts of the bulb of Allium sativum in naturally infected sheep. ANIMALS AND METHODS: In vitro anthelminthic activities of crude aqueous and methanolic extracts of the bulb of A. sativum were investigated against the egg (500 eggs/ml) and larvae of naturally infected sheep. The aqueous extract of A. sativum was also investigated for in vivo anthelminthic activity in three groups (n = 15 each) of naturally infected Chokla sheep with a negative control group receiving no treatment, a positive control group was given a single oral dose of albendazole at 7.5 mg/kg bodyweight, and a group administered a single oral dose of an aqueous extract at 5 g/animal. Data were analysed using the general linear model. RESULTS: Aqueous extract showed better efficacy in egg hatch assay and larval development test. However, in larval paralysis test, reverse trend was seen as methanolic extract was more potent than the aqueous counterpart. A significant amount of 57% faecal egg count reduction was observed in in vivo trail using the aqueous extract on day 21 post-treatment, although in initial stages it showed 30% and 83% effectiveness on days 7 and 14 post-treatment, respectively. No deleterious ill effect was found in any of the haematological and biochemical parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Bulb of A. sativum possesses good anthelminthic efficacy and further research is thereby warranted before recommending it for nematode control programme in ovines.

Changes in hematology, serum biochemistry, and gastrointestinal nematode infection in lambs fed sericea lespedeza with or without dietary sodium molybdate.

Sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata) is a legume rich in condensed tannins that can be grazed or fed to small ruminants for parasite control. Condensed tannins, a secondary plant compound in SL, may lead to unintended consequences such as changes in production. In our preliminary research, there was consistently a reduction in serum and liver concentrations of Mo. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of SL with or without Mo supplementation on changes in BW, hematology, and serum biochemistry in lambs. Thirty ram lambs weaned in May (84 ± 1.5 d of age; 27 ± 1.1 kg) were blocked by BW, breed type (full or three-fourths Katahdin), and EBV of parasite resistance and randomly assigned to be fed 900 g of alfalfa-based supplement (CON; n = 10) or SL-based supplement (n = 20) for 103 d. Supplements were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric and to meet trace mineral requirements. Within the SL diet, half of the lambs received 490 mg sodium molybdate weekly (SLMO). Body condition scores and BW were determined every 14 d and blood and feces collected to determine hematological and serum biochemical profiles and fecal egg counts (FEC). Data were analyzed using a mixed model with repeated measures and orthogonal contrasts. The white blood cell counts tended to be reduced in SL- and SLMO-fed lambs compared with CON-fed lambs (P < 0.06), which was associated with a reduction in neutrophils (P < 0.001). Red blood cell counts were also reduced in SL but not SLMO lambs compared with CON lambs (P < 0.04). There was a reduction in blood packed cell volume (P < 0.04) and serum concentrations of albumin (P < 0.001) and creatinine (P < 0.02) in both SL and SLMO lambs compared with CON lambs. Similarly, concentrations of blood urea nitrogen were reduced in both SL and SLMO lambs, but differences among dietary treatments disappeared after 42 d of feeding (treatment × day, P < 0.004). Serum concentrations of total proteins were reduced only in SLMO lambs compared with other lambs (P < 0.001). Body weight and FEC were similar among dietary treatments. Means of all measurements were within a normal range, even though there were subtle but significant differences between dietary groups. Feeding a diet high in condensed tannin-rich SL did not lead to serious effects on hematology or serum biochemistry in lambs.

Llamas and alpacas in Europe: Endoparasites of the digestive tract and their pharmacotherapeutic control.

There are distinctive specifications for veterinary medical care of South American camelids (SACs), namely, llamas, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos. Camelids are classified as food-producing animals, but as veterinary medicinal products are often only licensed for domestic food-producing species such as horses, goats, sheep and cattle, treatment of SACs generally requires off-label use of drugs. Endoparasitism is a major health concern in camelids and can result in severe clinical diseases and economic losses. There is still a lack of work on the pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy for most antiparasitic drugs used in SACs. Even when choosing an appropriate route of administration, several aspects must be considered such as the fact that pour-on formulations are largely ineffective in camelids due to the unique features of llama and alpaca skin and hair that result in extremely low drug bioavailability. This review focuses on the main endoparasites of the digestive tract in llamas and alpacas in Europe and pharmacotherapeutic options based on current knowledge.

Growth and carcass attributes of growing Creole kids according to experimental infection level and type of diet.

In the tropics one of the major constraints to goat production is infection by gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). One promising alternative to chemotherapy is the improvement of host nutrition. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of infection and supplementation on packed cell volume (PCV), average daily gain (ADG) and carcass quality in growing Creole kids. Sixty male goats were reared indoors following a 2 × 3 factorial design: two experimental infection levels, (infected (I) and non-infected (NI)) and three diets D (G, kids were fed exclusively with tropical forages; B, kids were supplemented with dried and crushed banana and C, kids were supplemented with commercial pellets). Faecal egg counts did not vary among I groups (on average 2,200 ω/g). The PCV and ADG were improved (P < 0.001) for NI vs. I animals. There was a D effect (P < 0.001) and no I × D interaction was observed. There was no significant effect of GIN on the main carcass data, except the weights of liver, white offal and abdominal fat, which increased slightly in I compared with NI goats (P < 0.05). All carcass data increased significantly with the addition of supplement in the diet (P < 0.001), except for carcass-cut proportions. Meat physical parameters were degraded when I kids received low N diets (B or G) with higher lightness and water loss than in the C groups. Given that GIN affect the animal's N metabolism it is recommended to avoid the use of unbalanced diet such as those banana-based. Further research is necessary to assess the nutrition × parasitism interactions on physiological features and carcass quality of Creole goats.

Anthelmintic activity of Ocimum sanctum leaf extract against ovine gastrointestinal nematodes in India.

Leaves of Ocimum sanctum have been traditionally used for various ethno-veterinary practices as well as medicinal purpose. In vitro ovicidal and larvicidal potential of crude aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts of the bulb of O. sanctum was investigated. Alkaloids, carbohydrates, steroids and tannins were identified in phytochemical analyses. The various blood parameters coupled marker enzymes and antioxidant status were also evaluated during in vivo trial. Aqueous extract showed better EC50 and EC99 values in comparison with methanolic extract in egg hatch assay and larval development test, respectively. However, in the larval paralysis test, both aqueous and methanolic extracts showed almost similar efficacy. A 77.64% reduction in fecal egg output was observed on day 14. No deleterious ill effect was found in any of the hematological and biochemical parameters suggesting that the plant could be safer for use in sheep.

Atividade ovicida e larvicida do extrato hidroalcoólico de Artemisia annua sobre parasitas gastrintestinais de bovinos / Ovicidal and larvicidal activity of Artemisia annua hydroalcoholic extract against gastrointestinal parasites in cattle

Os parasitas gastrintestinais causam enorme prejuízo econômico na bovinocultura, tanto nacional como mundial, ocasionado principalmente por Bunostumom sp., Cooperia sp. e Trichostrongylus sp. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a eficácia in vitro do extrato hidroalcoólico de Artemisia annua (H.7) frente a esses endoparasitas. O H.7 foi produzido com sete dias de percolação a 4ºC e posteriormente liofilizado. Com esse fitoterápico, realizaram-se testes de eclodibilidade de ovos (TEO) e de migração larvar em ágar (TMLA), com seis repetições, com concentrações crescentes (0,78 a 50mg/mL). Para analisar a composição química do fitoterápico, procedeu-se à marcha fitoquímica completa. No TEO, a eficácia variou de 94,08±2,58% na maior concentração a 15,67±0,97% na menor concentração. Já no TMLA os valores encontrados variaram de 90,05±0,55% a 4,12±0,46%. Nas análises fitoquímicas, foram encontrados diversos compostos com propriedades de combater os nematódeos, tanto direta como indiretamente. Os resultados obtidos nos testes in vitro evidenciam que o extrato produzido possui potencial de combater nematódeos gastrintestinais de bovinos. Novos estudos devem ser realizados buscando maximizar a eficácia do H.7 e de outras extrações obtidas a partir de A. annua, uma vez que foram demonstrados excelentes resultados em ambos os experimentos.

Gastrointestinal parasites cause economic losses to the cattle production, in Brazil and worldwide, mainly caused by Bunostumom sp., Cooperia sp. and Trichostrongylus sp. The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro efficacy of hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia annua (H.7) against these parasites. The H.7 was produced after 7 days of storage at 4°C and then lyophilized. With this herbal the egg hatch test (EHT) and larval migration inhibition (LMI) were performed,in six replicates with different concentrations (0.78 to 50mg/mL). To analyze the chemistry composition the complete phytochemical screening was done. In EHT efficiency ranged from 94.08±2.58% at the highest concentration to 15.67± 0.97% in the lowest concentration. In LMI test the values ranged from 90.05±0.55% to 4.12±0.46%. Phytochemical tests showed many chemical compounds with anthelmintic properties. The results obtained in biochemical tests together with those found in in vitro tests showed that the extract produced has the potential to combat intestinal nematodes of cattle. Further studies should be conducted to maximize the effectiveness of H.7 and other extractions from A. annua, because it demonstrated excellent results in both experiments.

Supplementation of moist and dehydrated citrus pulp in the diets of sheep artificially and naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes on the parasitological parameters and performance.

The inclusion of industrial byproducts such as citrus pulp in the composition of animal diets has been widely recommended due to sustainability aspects and their high level of carbohydrates. Limonene is found in citrus pulp and has been described elsewhere as a major compound of citrus essential oils with excellent anthelmintic activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the parasitological parameters of lambs artificially infected (Experiment 1) with Haemonchus contortus and naturally infected (Experiment 2) by gastrointestinal nematodes, fed diets with dehydrated citrus pulp or silage of moist orange pulp. Both experiments had three treatments (C: control, DP: diet+dehydrated citrus pulp, and MP: diet+silage of moist orange pulp). The diets were isoproteic (11% crude protein) and the concentrate was corrected every 14 days according to animal weight. Parasitological parameters were evaluated for both experiments each 14 days (body weight, body condition; fecal egg counts-FEC, egg hatch assay-EHA, coproculture, and packed cell volume-PCV). Analysis of variance (GLM of the SAS software) was performed with repeated measures in time, and the means were compared by the Tukey test. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was used to detect constituents of dry or moist citrus pulp. Dehydrated citrus pulp had 0.02% essential oil (major compounds were 85.9% limonene and 7.6% valencene). Moist orange pulp contained 1.5% essential oil (major compounds were 65.5% limonene and 31.2% alpha- and gamma-terpineol). In both experiments, the weight gain among the treatments was similar (p>0.05) demonstrating that both moist and dehydrated orange pulp can be used to replace corn kernels to feed infected lambs. The supplementation with orange pulp did not decrease natural or artificial infections of gastrointestinal nematodes according to the FEC results (p>0.05). However, PCV increased from animals fed dehydrated and moist pulp in natural infection (Experiment 2, p<0.05) in comparison with the control group. In addition, the consumption of the dehydrated citrus pulp from animals infected with H. contortus (Experiment 1) caused lower hatching rates after 42 days of consumption (p<0.05), suggesting a tendency to shed fewer eggs to the environment.