Effect of pomegranate (Punica granatum) anthelmintic treatment on milk production in dairy sheep naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes

Abstract

Anthelmintic drug resistance has proliferated across Europe in sheep gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs). Sheep welfare and health are adversely impacted by these phenomena, which also have an impact on productivity. Finding alternatives for controlling GINs in sheep is thus of utmost importance. In this study, the anthelmintic effectiveness (AE) of a Calabrian ethnoveterinary aqueous macerate based on Punica granatum (whole fruits) was assessed in Comisana pregnant sheep. Furthermore, an examination, both qualitative and quantitative, was conducted on milk. Forty-five sheep were selected for the investigation. The sheep were divided by age, weight, physiological state (pluripara at 20 days before parturition), and eggs per gram of feces (EPG) into three homogeneous groups of 15 animals each: PG received a single oral dosage of P. granatum macerate at a rate of 50 mL per sheep; AG, treated with albendazole, was administered orally at 3.75 mg/kg/bw; and CG received no treatment. Timelines were as follows: D0, treatments, group assignment, fecal sampling, and AE assessment; D7, D14, D21, fecal sampling, and AE evaluation. The FLOTAC technique was used to evaluate the individual GIN fecal egg count (FEC) using a sodium chloride flotation solution (specific gravity = 1.20) and 100 × (1-[T2/C2]) as the formula for evaluating FEC reduction. Following the lambs’ weaning, milk was collected on the following days (DL) in order to quantify production: DL35, DL42, DL49, DL56, DL63, DL70, DL77, and DL84. The amount of milk produced by every animal was measured and reported in milliliters (ml) for quantitative evaluations. Using MilkoScan TM fT + foss electric, Denmark, the quality of the milk (casein, lactose, protein concentration, and fat, expressed as a percentage) was assessed. The macerate demonstrated a considerable AE (51.8%). Moreover, its use has resulted in higher milk production rates quantitatively (15.5%) and qualitatively (5.12% protein, 4.12% casein, 4.21% lactose, and 8.18% fat). The study showed that green veterinary pharmacology could be the easiest future approach to counteracting anthelmintic resistance in sheep husbandry.

Prevalence of Helminths in Small Ruminant Farms and Evaluation of Control Practices Used to Counter Anthelmintic Resistance in Southern Italy

“…This study is in line with other studies conducted in other regions of southern Italy [39] and confirms that small ruminant gastrointestinal nematodes pose a serious threat to the health of small ruminants, particularly those raised on pasture [10]. The low prevalence of pathogenic gastrointestinal nematodes, such as Haemonchus and Teladorsagia, is in line with that of other studies conducted in southern Italy in the spring season [22,39,50] and would explain why most infected small ruminants are asymptomatic and have mainly subclinical infections, even with high EPG values. However, some species of Trichostrongylus, the predominant genus in this study, and, in particular, T. colubriformis, often appear as co-pathogens with other gastrointestinal worms under natural conditions [51] (Kaba et al 2023), especially in late autumn and winter.…”

“…These infections are of economic importance not only in mountain areas but worldwide and result in deaths, reduced weight gain, and organs being discarded at slaughter [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. To these must be added the appreciable losses in milk production, both in terms of quantity and quality [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. They may also act as vehicles for the transmission of other infectious agents, serving as a gateway for subsequent infections [ 24 ].…”

Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling Unveils Dynamic Immune Cell Responses during Haemonchus contortus Infection

“…The main strategy for the prevention and treatment of H. contortus infections has traditionally been the use of chemical drugs. However, the increasing drug resistance of the parasite highlights the urgent need within the livestock industry for alternative strategies to combat this infection [2][3][4][5]. In addition, the development of more effective means of control measures requires a better understanding of the immune response in goats infected with H. contortus.…”