Fifth European Dirofilaria and Angiostrongylus Days (FiEDAD) 2016

Peer reviewe

The Level of Selected Bacterial Phyla on the Skin Surface of Small Ruminants According to the Breed and Species

For decades, skin has been assigned the main role of an insulator of the inside of the body from the external environment, but it also plays a role in maintaining homeostasis. In this study, the level of selected bacterial phyla (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria) was assessed in three sheep breeds (Świniarka sheep, Uhruska sheep and BCP line (synthetic sheep breed; n = 6) and in two breeds of goats (Boer, Saenian; n = 6) living in the same environment and fed on the same feed, where the aim was to identify differences in terms of race, species and individual differences. Significant differences were found in Firmicute, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria phyla (p ≤ 0.05). Statistically significant and positive correlations were demonstrated between Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes or Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The obtained results suggest that the species and racial differences in the level of the studied bacterial phyla may also result from the physicochemical differences of the skin surface, as they could exacerbate the variations in humidity, temperature, composition of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) and lipid content. In addition, individual differences were observed, which indicate a similar effect of an individual on the microbiological composition of its organism

Effect of dietary supplementation with preparation comprising the blend of essential oil from Origanum vulgare (lamiaceae) and Citrus spp. (citraceae) on coccidia invasion and lamb growth

The objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of dietary supplementation with oils extracted from Origanum vulgare (Lamiaceae) and Citrus spp. (Citraceae) against coccidia and to determine the impact on lamb growth in an indoor housing system. A total of 222 ewes and 276 lambs of the Polish Lowland Sheep breed maintained indoors under the same environmental conditions were included in the study. Four-month pregnant ewes were divided into three treatment groups following parasitological evaluation. Experimental diets were supplemented with containing vegetal extracts of O. vulgare and Citrus spp. During the study, parasitological analyses and assessments of lamb growth were conducted. In vivo evaluation of lamb muscularity and fatness was performed at 100 days of age. The inclusion of the preparation containing the essential oil blend of O. vulgare and Citrus spp. in the diet of sheep resulted in decreases in both the intensity and prevalence of coccidian infection within the flock as well had influence increases in lamb growth. Therefore, this dietary supplement may contribute to the improved profitability of sheep farming through increased production efficiency and the production of higher-quality meat