October 24, 2024

Interpretive Summary: Nutritional strategies for small ruminant gastrointestinal nematode management

Interpretive Summary: Nutritional strategies for small ruminant gastrointestinal nematode management

By: Dan Quadros, Joan Burke

Implications
  • Pasture management can reduce the risk of gastrointestinal nematode infections in small ruminants and enhance the nutritive value of their diets.
  • Supplementation, notably with protein, can increase the resistance and resilience of small ruminants to gastrointestinal nematodes.
  • Copper oxide wire particles can reduce barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) infections in small ruminants and increase the efficacy of dewormers.
  • Plants rich in condensed tannins can be an ally to sustainable integrated parasite management by controlling gastrointestinal nematodes and improving feed efficiency.

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are the most important health issue for small ruminants in many world regions. The GIN parasitism causes welfare concerns and severe economic losses related to reduced productivity, cost of treatment, and, eventually, mortality.

Read the full article in Animal Frontiers.