Coadministration of nematophagous fungi for biological control over gastrointestinal helminths in sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate coadministration of Duddingtonia flagrans and Monacrosporium thaumasium in a sodium alginate matrix for controlling gastrointestinal helminths in young and adult sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. An area of 1ha was divided into two paddocks, in which two experimental groups (fungus and control) were formed, each consisting of six adult females and ten young males. In each group, two subgroups were formed in accordance with the animal category (adult or young). In the fungus group, each animal received 3g of pellets containing 0.6g of fungal mycelium, with 0.3g of D. flagrans and 0.3g of M. thaumasium for each 10 kg of body weight, in their feed twice a week, for six months. In the control group, each animal received 3g of pellets without fungus for each 10 kg of body weight, in their feed twice a week, for six months, serving as a witness group. Reductions in numbers of eggs per gram of feces of 76% among the adult sheep in the fungus group and 83% among the young sheep in the fungus group were observed, in comparison with their respective control subgroups. The groups that received these fungi needed less salvage deworming and presented better packed cell volume percentages, better weight gain and lower levels of L3/kg dry matter in their paddock than the control groups. Thus, it was concluded that coadministration of D. flagrans and M. thaumasium was effective in controlling gastrointestinal helminths of adults and young sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil.

Control of sheep gastrointestinal nematodes using the combination of Duddingtonia flagrans and Levamisole Hydrochloride 5%

“…In this group, on day 180, the fecal egg count reduction was 80%, compared with the control group. Vilela et al (2016) coadministered pellets of D. flagrans and Monacrosporium thaumasium to sheep in the semiarid region of Paraíba under the same grazing pressure. They observed that statistical differences in EPG counts (p < 0.05) only started at the 60 th day of the experiment, with a fecal egg count reduction on day 180 that was similar to what was seen in the present study (76% in adults and 83% in juveniles).…”

“…Silva et al (2009) also did not observe any significant changes to the weights of sheep that underwent treatment with pellets containing D. flagrans and Monacrosporium thaumasium in southeastern Brazil, probably because these were adult animals that were receiving a weight maintenance diet. In a study testing the efficacy of pellets of D. flagrans and M. thaumasium that were coadministered to juvenile sheep, Vilela et al (2016) observed a statistical difference from the 90 th day of the experiment onwards, with a mean weight gain of 18.7 kg at day 180, while the control had a gain of 8.1 kg.…”

“…Studies have focused on evaluating the efficacy of various species of fungus in different animal species, with different doses and in different environments BRAGA et al, 2009;TAVELA et al, 2013;VILELA et al, 2013VILELA et al, , 2016. Studies evaluating the effectiveness of nematophagous fungi in integrated nematodiasis control systems in association with use of chemical compounds are scarce.…”

Controle de parasitas gastrintestinais em ovinos e análise financeira de uma fazenda com sistema de pastejo rotacionado irrigado no semiárido nordestino

“…Tem ação hematófaga, causando grave anemia e levando o animal a morte (Vilela et al 2012, Vieira et al 2014a. Em ovinos, além de H. contortus, Trichostrongylus columbriformis, Strongyloides papillosus e Oesophagostomum columbianum também são considerados causadores de prejuízos nessa região (Vieira et al 2014b, Vilela et al 2016.…”

Aspects of epidemiology and control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep and cattle – Approaches for its sustainability

“…The coadministration of Duddingtonia flagrans and Monacrosporium thaumasium has been effective in controlling gastrointestinal helminths of adults and young sheep (Vilela et al, 2016).…”