Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T21:15:51.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Maize supplementation of Pelibuey sheep in a silvopastoral system: fodder selection, nutrient intake and resilience against gastrointestinal nematodes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2011

C. Retama-Flores
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Departamento de Producción Animal en Agroecosistemas Tropicales, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil. Mérida, Yucatán, México
J. F. J. Torres-Acosta
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Departamento de Salud Animal, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil. Mérida, Yucatán, México
C. A. Sandoval-Castro*
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Departamento de Producción Animal en Agroecosistemas Tropicales, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil. Mérida, Yucatán, México
A. J. Aguilar-Caballero
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Departamento de Salud Animal, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil. Mérida, Yucatán, México
R. Cámara-Sarmiento
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Departamento de Salud Animal, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil. Mérida, Yucatán, México
H. L. Canul-Ku
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Departamento de Salud Animal, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Km 15.5 Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil. Mérida, Yucatán, México
*
Get access

Abstract

This trial evaluated the effect of maize supplementation on the ingestive behavior, nutrient intake and the resilience against gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection of hair sheep in a silvopastoral system containing tropical grasses and legume trees. In addition, it attempted to determine the metabolic cost of the natural GIN infection in supplemented and non-supplemented animals. Twenty-nine 3-month-old lambs (male and female), raised nematode free, were allocated to four groups: I-NS (infected, not supplemented, n = 8), I-S (infected, supplemented with maize at 1.5% live weight (LW), n = 7), T-NS (treated with moxidectin 0.2 mg/kg LW every 28 days, and not supplemented, n = 7) and T-S (treated with moxidectin and supplemented with maize at 1.5% LW, n = 7). During the 70-day trial, fodder intake, fodder selection, LW change (LWC), red blood cell counts (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht) and eggs per gram of feces (EPG) were measured every 14 days. Supplement consumption was recorded daily. Metabolizable energy (ME) and protein (MP) consumption from the feeds were estimated. Maize supplementation helped to improve the resilience of hair sheep lambs against GIN infections. The I-S and T-NS groups showed similar LWC, RBC, Hb and Ht (P > 0.05) and both were higher than those in the I-NS group (P < 0.05). No difference was found in EPG between the I-NS and the I-S groups (P > 0.05). No effect of sex was observed in the different variables. Although all groups showed low dry matter intake (DMI) (< 2% LW), supplemented groups (T-S and I-S) showed higher total DMI (fodder + maize; P < 0.05), hence higher ME and MP intakes than the non-supplemented groups (T-NS and I-NS). All groups showed similar fodder selection patterns. The estimated metabolic cost of parasitism was ME = 0.70 MJ/day and MP = 9.2 g/day in the I-S animals. Meanwhile, the cost in the I-NS animals was ME = 1.46 MJ/day and MP = 12.71 g/day. Maize supplementation was an economically viable strategy to control GIN compared with no intervention.

Type
Full Paper
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adams, NR, Liu, SM 2003. Principles of nutrient partitioning for wool, growth and reproduction: implications for nematode parasitism. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 13991407.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Agriculture and Food Research Council 1993. Energy and protein requirements of ruminants. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.Google Scholar
Altman, J 1979. Observational study of behavior. Sampling methods. Behavior 49, 227265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arnold, GW 1981. Grazing behavior. In Grazing animals (ed. FHW Morley), pp. 79104. World Animal Science, B1. Elsevier Scientific Publishing, New York, NY, USA.Google Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists 1980. Official methods of analysis, 13th edition. AOAC, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists 2000. Official methods of analysis of AOAC International, 17th edition. AOAC International, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.Google Scholar
Bargo, F, Muller, LD, Kolver, ES, Odelahoy, JE 2003. Production and digestion of supplemented dairy cows on pasture. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 142.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bowman, DL, Lynn, RC 1999. Georgis′ Parasitology for Veterinarians, 7th edition. WB Saunders Co. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PA, USA.Google Scholar
Bremm, C, Gomes da Rocha, RM, Restle, J, Pilau, A, Montagner, DB, Kellermann de Freitas, F, Macari, E, Elejalde, DAG, Roso, D, Roman, J, Guterres, EP, Guasso da Costa, V, Neves, FP 2005. Efeito de niveles de suplementação sobre o compotamento ingestivo bezerras en oastagem de aveina (Avena strigosa Schreb) e Azevém (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia 34, 387397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Colditz, IG 2008. Six costs of immunity to gastrointestinal nematode infections. Parasite Immunology 30, 6370.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coop, RL, Holmes, PH 1996. Nutrition and parasite interaction. International Journal of Parasitology 26, 951962.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coop, RL, Kyriazakis, I 1999. Nutrition-parasite interaction. Veterinary Parasitology 187, 187204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooper, SDB, Kyriazakis, I, Nolan, JV 1995. Diet selection in sheep: the role of the rumen environment in the selection from two feeds that differ in their energy density. British Journal of Nutrition 74, 3954.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corbett, JL 1978. Measuring animal performance. In Measurement of grassland vegetation and animal production (ed. L ‘t Mannetje), pp. 163231. Commonwealth Bureau of Pastures and Field Crop, Hurley, Berkshire. Bulletin, 52, Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Farham Royal, Bucks, England.Google Scholar
Costa, RLD, Bueno, MS, Veríssimo, CJ, Cunha, V, Santos, LE, Oliveira, SM, Spósito Filha, E, Otsuk, IP 2007. Performance and nematode infection of ewe lambs on intensive rotational grazing with two different cultivars of Panicum maximum. Tropical Animal Health and Production 39, 255263.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corticelli, RL, Lai, M 1963. Studies on technique of culture of infective larvae of gastrointestinal strongyles of cattle. Acta de Medicina Veterinaria 9, 347357.Google Scholar
Crosgrove, GP, Niezen, JH 1999. Intake and selection for white clover by grazing lambs in response to gastrointestinal parasitism. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 66, 7185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Demment, MW, Greenwood, GB 1988. Forage ingestion: Effects of sward characteristics and body size. Journal of Animal Science 66, 23802392.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Githigia, SM, Thamsborg, SM, Larsen, M 2001. Effectiveness of grazing management in controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in weaned lambs on pasture in Denmark. Veterinary Parasitology 99, 1527.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gutiérrez-Segura, I, Torres-Acosta, JFJ, Aguilar-Caballero, AJ, Cob, L, May, M, Sandoval–Castro, CA 2003. Supplementation can improve resilience and resistance of browsing criollo kids against nematode infections during the wet season. Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems 3, 537540.Google Scholar
Hoste, H, Torres-Acosta, JFJ, Aguilar-Caballero, AJ 2008. Nutrition-parasite interactions in goats: is immuniregulation involved in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes? Parasite Imnunology 30, 7988.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoste, H, Torres-Acosta, JF, Paolini, V, Aguilar-Caballero, A, Etter, E, Lefrileux, Y, Chartier, C, Broqua, C 2005. Interactions between nutrition and gastrointestinal infections with parasitic nematodes in goats. Small Ruminant Research 60, 141151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huirne, RBM, Dijkhuizen, AA 1997. Basic methods of economic analysis. In Animal health economics principles and applications (ed. AA Dijkhuizen and RS Morris), pp. 2540. Post Graduated Foundation in Veterinary Science, University of Sidney, Australia.Google Scholar
Knox, MR, Torres-Acosta, JFJ, Aguilar-Caballero, AJ 2006. Exploiting the effect of dietary supplementation of small ruminants on resilience and resistance against gastrointestinal nematodes. Veterinary Parasitology 139, 385393.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krysl, LJ, Hess, BW 1993. Influence of supplementation on behavior of grazing cattle. Journal of Animal Science 71, 25462555.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kyriazakis, I, Oldman, JD 1993. Diet selection in sheep: the ability of growing lambs to select a diet that meets their crude protein (nitrogen × 6.25) requirements. British Journal of Nutrition 69, 617629.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kyriazakis, I, Oldman, JD 1997. Food intake and diet selection in sheep: the affect of manipulating the rates of digestion of carbohydrates and protein of the foods offered as a choice. British Journal of Nutrition 77, 243254.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Le Jambre, LF, Dominik, S, Eady, SJ, Henshall, JM, Colditz, IG 2007. Adjusting worm egg counts for faecal moisture in sheep. Veterinary Parasitology 145, 108115.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Martínez-Ortiz-de-Montellano, C, Vargas-Magaña, JJ, Aguilar-Caballero, AJ, Sandoval-Castro, CA, Cob-Galera, L, May-Martínez, M, Miranda-Soberanis, R, Hoste, H, Cámara-Sarmiento, R, and Torres-Acosta, JFJ 2007. Combining the effects of supplementary feeding and copper oxide needles for the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in browsing goats. Veterinary Parasitology 146, 6676.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ouédraogo-Koné, S, Kaboré-Zoungrana, CY, Ledin, I 2006. Behavior of goats, sheep and cattle on natural pasture in the sub-humid zone of West Africa. Livestock Science 105, 204252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pfister, JA, Malechek, JC 1986. The voluntary forage intake and nutrition of goats and sheep in the semi-arid tropics of northeastern Brazil. Journal of Animal Science 63, 10781086.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Phengvichith, V, Ledin, I 2007. Effect of diet in energy and protein on growth, carcasses characteristics and parasite resistance in goats. Tropical Animal Health and Production 39, 5970.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Price, LM, Butler, GL 1977. Rapid visual estimation and spectrophotometric of tannin contents of sorghum grain. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 25, 12681273.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Price, ML, Van Scoyoc, S, Butler, LG 1978. A critical evaluation of the vanillin reaction as an assay for tannin in sorghum grain. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 26, 12141218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romano-Muñoz, J, Hernández-Gamboa, J, Castellanos-Ruelas, A 1983. Repercusión del valor nutritivo de la dieta sobre el crecimiento del borrego Pelibuey. Técnica Pecuaria Mexico 45, 6179.Google Scholar
Steel, JM 2003. Effects of protein supplementation of young sheep on resistance development and resilience to parasitic nematodes. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 14691476.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thamsborg, SM, Jørgensen, RJ, Waller, PJ, Nansen, P 1996. The influence of stocking rate on gastrointestinal nematode infections of sheep over a 2-year grazing period. Veterinary Parasitology 67, 224227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Torres-Acosta, JFJ, Hoste, H 2008. Alternative or improved methods to limit gastro-intestinal parasitism in grazing sheep and goats. Small Ruminant Research 77, 159173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Torres-Acosta, JFJ, Jacobs, DE, Aguilar-Caballero, AJ, Sandoval-Castro, CA, May-Martínez, M, Cob-Galera, LA 2004. The effect of supplementary feeding on the resilience and resistance of browsing criollo kids against natural gastrointestinal nematode infections during the rainy season in tropical Mexico. Veterinary Parasitology 124, 217238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Torres-Acosta, JFJ, Jacobs, DE, Aguilar-Caballero, AJ, Sandoval-Castro, C, Cob-Galera, L, May-Martínez, M 2006. Improving resilience against natural gastrointestinal nematode infections in browsing kids during the dry season in tropical Mexico. Veterinary Parasitology 135, 163173.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wallis de Vries, MF 1995. Estimating forage intake and quality in grazing cattle: A reconsideration of the hand-plucking method. Journal of Range Management 48, 370375.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Houtert, MFJ, Sykes, AR 1996. Implications of nutrition for the ability of ruminants to withstand gastrointestinal nematode infections. International Journal of Parasitology 26, 11511167.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Soest, PJ, Robertson, JB, Lewis, BA 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 35833597.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed