Sensibilité aux parasites gastro-intestinaux: les races de moutons suisses sont-elles toutes à la même enseigne?

Les vers gastro-intestinaux comptent parmi les problèmes principaux dans la garde de petits ruminants. Les infestations engendrent selon leur importance des pertes considérables au niveau de la productivité et peuvent fortement compromettre la santé des animaux. Depuis plus de 30 ans le contrôle des vers gastro-intestinaux se base sur l’administration de vermifuges. Cependant, certains problèmes apparaissent; les premiers rapports faisant état d’une efficacité réduite de certains vermifuges datent d’il y a 15 ans déjà. Des études plus poussées ont démontré quecertaines populations de vers avaient développé des résistances contre ces préparations. À l’heure actuelle, à l’échelle mondiale les populations de vers gastrointestinaux résistants sont plutôt la règle que l’exception et constituent un problème d’envergure autant pour les moutons laitiers que pour les chèvres laitières

Development of prevention and treatment strategies for parasites in poultry

Parasitic infections are likely to be more important in organic and other free-range hens than in birds kept indoors. Several workpackages of QLIF aim at improving prevention and therapy of helminth (Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum) and arthropod (Dermanyssus gallinae) parasites of laying hens. This paper is a summary of the work undertaken in the first 3 years of QLIF

Quelles plantes peut-on utiliser contre les vers?

Les chèvres peuvent se défendre contre les parasites en mangeant certaines plantes. Ces plantes pourraient être très utiles dans la production animale biologique

Quali piante aiutano a sconfiggere i vermi?

Le capre sono in grado di difendersi dai parassiti mangiando determinate piante che per l’allevamento di animali bio potrebbero rivelarsi molto utili

Neues Angebot: FiBL geht Rinderparasiten an den Kragen

Infektionen mit inneren Parasiten gehören zu den wichtigsten Problemen von weidenden Jungrindern. Um den Verbrauch von Medikamenten möglichst gering zu halten, stehen im Biolandbau Managementmassnahmen zur Bekämpfung im Vordergrund. Das FiBL gibt in einem neuen Merkblatt Tipps und bietet ab sofort Kotuntersuchungen und Beratungen an

Magen-Darm Parasiten – Unterscheiden sich Schweizer Schafrassen bezüglich ihrer Anfälligkeit?

Magen-Darm Würmer sind eines der grössten Probleme in der Haltung von kleinen Wiederkäuern. Infektionen mit diesen Parasiten führen je nach Befallsgrad zu erheblichen Einbussen in der Leistung der Tiere und können deren Gesundheit stark beeinträchtigen. Die Kontrolle von Magen-Darm Würmern stützt sich seit über 30 Jahren auf den Einsatz von Entwurmungsmitteln. Der lang jährige Einsatz dieser Mittel ist aber nicht unproblematisch. Bereits vor 15 Jahren gab es erste Berichte über reduzierte Wirksamkeiten von gewissen Entwurmungsmitteln. Weiterführende Studien brachten den Beweis, dass gewisse Wurmpopulationen Resistenzen gegen die Mittel entwickelt hatten. Gegenwärtig sind resistente Magen-Darm Wurmpopulationen weltweit eher die Regel als die Ausnahme und bei Milchschafen und Milchziegen bereits ein grosses Problem

The effects of trail versus road running on neuromuscular performance: a two-armed randomized controlled pilot study

Background: Falls and fall-related injuries are the main reason for increasing health costs (Tsang and Hui-Chan, 2005). In this regard, only few studies have compared effects of different running surfaces on fall risk factors (Muehlbauer et al., 2015). Objective: Therefore, this pilot study focused on the effects of trail versus road running on neuromuscular performance parameters. We hypothesize that trail running will lead to more pronounced adaptations. Methods: 39 healthy middle-aged participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention (TRAIL; n=19) or control group (ROAD; n=20). 33 participants completed the 8-week training program. 10 subjects from each group were included for final analysis. Pre- and posttesting was performed for balance, gait, agility, strength, and endurance. Results: The rANOVA analysis revealed no statistically significant time-group interactions. According to Cohen’s d, large effects were calculated for the BESS test (d=1.2) and predicted VO2max (d=0.95) for TRAIL and moderate effects for the BESS test (d=0.5), stride time single task (d=0.52), and VO2max pred (d=0.53) for ROAD. The magnitude-based inference approach revealed a very likely effect for VO2max pred (97%) and a likely positive effect (76%) for knee flexion total work, as well as possible effects for stride length dual task (72%), velocity single task (64%), the BESS test (60%), and the Y balance test left stance (51%) in favor of TRAIL. Conclusion: The findings of this study present slightly more beneficial tendencies in favor of trail running but more research is needed in regards to its potential for preventing falls and fall-related injuries. Keywords: postural balance; gait; agility; muscle strength; accidental falls; surfac

Fütterung von Esparsette bei Ziegen - Effekte auf innere Parasiten und Milch

Verschiedene in der Schweiz durchgeführte Versuche haben ezeigt, dass die Verfütterung von Esparsette innere Parasiten beim Schaf reduziert. Untersuchungen aus Frankreich weisen darauf hin, dass ähnliche Effekte der Esparsette auch bei der Ziege nachweisbar sind. Im Rahmen eines Interreg IVa Projekts zwischen der Schweiz und Frankreich wurden während zwei Jahren weitere Versuche zum Thema bei der Ziege gemacht. Einerseits wurde untersucht, wie sich die Fütterung auf die Milchleistung und den Parasitenbefall der Tiere auswirkt. Anderseits wurden verschiedene Möglichkeiten geprüft, die Esparsette in die Fütterung zu integrieren

Control of gastrointestinal nematodes in organic beef cattle through grazing management

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major health and economic risk factor in ruminant production in organic and conventional farms (Thamsborg et al., 1999). Fattening of organic beef cattle (OBC) on pasture is an emerging area for organic farmers in Switzerland, which partly compensates the declining development in dairy production. So far, there are no data available about the parasitic status of beef cattle kept in organic farms between weaning (4-6 month) and slaughter (24-26 month). The aim of the present study was to assess the parasitological status of organic beef cattle in the pre-alpine and alpine region of Switzerland and to analyse the benefits of different grazing strategies for GIN control

The control of gastrointestinal sheep nematodes with tanniferous forage plants

Infections with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) represent a major constraint in sheep husbandry. For many years, the control of these parasites has solely relied on the repeated use of synthetic anthelmintics. However, the emergence of resistant GIN populations and the increasing concern of consumers for drug residues in animal products have provided a strong impetus towards the development of alternative strategies to control GIN. Amongst those, the administration of tanniferous fodder plants to infected animals received prime attention in the last decade, and although a considerable body of knowledge on this strategy has been accumulated, many questions remain to be answered. In sheep and goats, the anthelmintic effects observed in response to tanniferous fodder administration are believed to be associated to condensed tannins (CTs), contained in the plants. Chemically these molecules belong to the polyphenols and are expressed by a range of fodder plants together with other secondary metabolites. Across experiments, the most consistently observed anthelmintic effect is a reduction in parasite egg output (as measured by egg counts per gram faeces – FEC). Reductions in adult or juvenile GIN as well as decreases in female worm fecundity have also been reported but were less consistent, varying with the administered tanniferous plant species, the nematode species and also the host species (i.e. sheep or goat). The mechanism of CT-action on GIN is unknown, but it has been hypothesised that the high binding capacity of CT-molecules with protein might be involved in causing the effects. The investigation of the different sources of variability associated with the antiparasitic effects represents the major challenge in this area and some aspects of this research are covered in the present thesis. In a first feeding experiment, we investigated direct anthelmintic effects associated with the feeding of fresh herbaceous tanniferous forages and chicory against established populations of Haemonchus contortus and Cooperia curticei in lambs. Twenty-four parasite naïve lambs were inoculated with a single dose of infective larvae of these parasites 27 days prior to the start of the feeding experiment. Lambs were individually fed with either chicory (Cichorium intybus), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) or a ryegrass / lucerne mixture (control) for 17 days. Animals where then united to one flock and subjected to control feeding for another 11 days to test the sustainability of potentially lowered egg excretion generated by tanniferous forage feeding. When compared to the control feed, the administration of all tanniferous forages was associated with significant reductions of total daily faecal egg output specific to H. contortus (chicory: by 89 %; birdsfoot trefoil: by 63 %; sainfoin: by 63 %; all tests P < 0.05) and a tendency of reduced H. contortus worm burden (chicory: by 15 %; birdsfoot trefoil: by 49 % and sainfoin: by 35 %). Irrespective of the experimental fodder, no anthelmintic effects were found against C. curticei. Cessation of CT-feeding followed by non-CT control feeding did not result in a re-emergence of FEC based on faecal dry matter (FECDM) in any group, suggesting that egg output reductions are sustainable. The moderate to high concentrations of CT in birdsfoot trefoil (15.2 g CTs kg-1 DM) and sainfoin (26.1 g CTs kg-1 DM) were compatible with the hypothesis that the antiparasitic effect of these forages is caused by their content of condensed tannins. For chicory (3 g CTs kg-1 DM), however, other secondary metabolites need to be considered. Overall, birdsfoot trefoil and sainfoin seem promising candidates to contribute to the control of H. contortus, not only by mitigating parasite related health disturbances of the host but also by a sustained reduction of pasture contamination. Experiment two was carried out using a similar set-up as in experiment one (i.e., established populations of H. contortus and C. curticei, 16 days of experimental feeding). The objective of this second study was to examine the anthelmintic effect of dried and ensiled sainfoin (O. viciifolia). Twenty-four parasite naïve lambs were inoculated with a single dose of infective larvae of the nematodes 28 days prior to the start of the feeding experiment. Groups A and B received sainfoin hay (61 g CTs kg-1 DM) or control hay (1 g CTs kg-1 DM) for 16 days. Groups C and D were fed on sainfoin silage (42 g CTs kg-1 DM) or control silage (1 g CTs kg-1 DM) for the same period. Feeds were offered ad libitum and, on the basis of daily refusals, were supplemented with concentrate in order to make them isonitrogenous and isoenergetic. The consumption of conserved sainfoin was associated with a reduction of adult H. contortus (by 47 % in the case of hay, P < 0.05; by 49 % in the case of silage, P = 0.075), but had little effect on adult C. curticei. Compared to the controls, H. contortus specific FECDM was reduced by 58 % (P < 0.01) in the sainfoin hay group and by 48 % (P = 0.075) in the sainfoin silage group. For both sainfoin feeds FECDM specific to C. curticei were significantly decreased when compared to the control feeds (hay by 81 % and silage by 74 %, both tests P < 0.001). The data of this study suggest that different mechanisms were responsible for the reduction in FECDM in response to feeding tanniferous fodder. For H. contortus the decrease seemed to be due to a nematocidal effect towards adult H. contortus. In contrast, for C. curticei the reduction in FECDM appeared to be a result of a reduced per capita fecundity. For both, hay and silage, an antiparasitic effect could be shown, offering promising perspectives for the use of conserved tanniferous fodder as a component of GIN-control. The aim of the third study was to investigate the anthelmintic effect of sainfoin silage fed as a sole diet on a mixed GIN-population in periparturient ewes in an on-farm setting. Thirty-three ewes with FEC > 300 were divided into two groups of 16 (sainfoin sialge) and 17 (ryegrass / clover silage; control) animals and fed on the respective feeds for twenty-five days. The GIN-population predominantly consisted of H. contortus (~ 50 %) and Trichostrongylus colubriformis (~ 35 %). After ten days of consecutive sainfoin silage feeding, FECDM was reduced by 60 % (P < 0.01) when compared to the control fed animals. FECDM of the sainfoin fed group consistently remained lower until the end of the study compared to the control. The area under the curve (AUC) based on FECDM, calculated for the entire experimental period was lowered by 32 % in the sainfoin group but this reduction was not significant (P = 0.17). When the AUC was calculated for the period following FECDM reduction in the sainfoin group (i.e. day 10-24) only, the reduction was 65 % (P = 0.09). The results from this study confirm some favourable antiparasitic effects associated with the consumption of sainfoin silage in naturally infected periparturient ewes. The potential impact of this effect on the epidemiology of trichostrongylidosis needs to be critically evaluated. In conclusion, our results suggest that the antiparasitic effects of tanniferous forages in general are achieved at lower CT-levels in the abomasum than in the small intestine and therefore would rather be organ dependent than GIN-species related. It has furthermore been shown that conservation of tanniferous fodder plants does not alleviate the anthelmintic effects and therefore offers exciting opportunities with respect to centralized production, sale, storage and an extended administration independent of the season. To date, however, the approach of tanniferous forage administration cannot be expected to provide satisfactory sustainable control of GIN. The combination with other alternative strategies in the sense of an integrated approach of GIN-control might be promising in terms of producing additive effects. Until rational integrative control approaches are available, the complete abandonment of synthetic anthelmintics is not sensible. However, in view of the widespread resistance of GIN against these drugs their economical and carefully targeted use is of vital importance until integrated alternative parasite control strategies are available