Effects of Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites on Ruminant Nutrition

Effect of nematophagous fungusDuddingtonia flagransand energy supplementation on the epidemiology of naturally infected kids

“…The evolution of pasture contamination from the 1st grazing cycle, as well as the worm counts after 16-week grazing, suggest that the level of infection of kids in treatment C could be responsible for this decline in herbage intake. Indeed, voluntary feed intake depression has generally been recognised as a major feature of the pathogenesis of GI infections and reductions of intake between 10 and 30% have been commonly found [13,24].…”

“…Moreover, the similar thoracic limb composition of fungi-treated (F) and barley supplemented goats suggests that D. flagrans supply might improve carcass characteristics since it reduced the level of infection and feed intake was maintained close to their potential. While no specific reports exist on this effect on goats, a number of works have been reported showing that infection noticeably affected body composition of other ruminant species [13]. Recently, while no significant differences were found in body weight gain between infected and their pair-fed uninfected controls, significant differences in the total quantities of thoracic limb joint, fat and muscle were found in growing lambs infected with T. circumcincta [22].…”

Metabolic consequences of intestinal parasitism

“…Sheep also incur severe reductions in wool growth. A number of comprehensive reviews prepared over the last decade characterize and contrast the magnitude of such impairment across a range of intestinal roundworms and consider the factors which contribute to this problem (Armour & Ogbourne, 1982;Bremner, 1982;Sykes, 1983;Holmes, 1986;Parkins & Holmes, 1989;Poppi et al 1990).…”

Estudo da inter-relação parasito hospedeiro em bovinos infectados com Cooperia punctata. Efeito da suplementação protéica sobre as alterações fisiopatológicas em bezerros com infecção única.

“…Estas perdas são constituídas pelo extravasamento de plasma nas áreas lesadas pelos nematóides, pela descamação do epitélio atingido e pelo aumento na produção de muco (POPPI et al 1986;BOWN et al 1991a). De todas estas fontes responsáveis por perdas protéicas, a única até hoje quantificada foi a que envolve extravasamento de proteínas plasmáticas, e somente para infecções com os parasitas abomasais Haemonchus e Ostertagia (ABBOTT et al, 1985b;PARKINS & HOLMES, 1989;GENNARI et al, 1991).…”