Strongyle infections and diarrhoea are major problems for the sheep industry, but the nutritional factors determining faecal consistency and susceptibility to enteric diseases are not well understood. Soluble non-starch polysaccharides (sNSP) have been shown to affect the physico-chemical environment of the gut lumen, by increasing viscosity of digesta and affecting microbial fermentation in the large intestine; however, the role of sNSP in sheep has not been studied. sNSP have been shown to increase parasite establishment in the small intestine of mice (3) and decrease parasite establishment in the large intestine of pigs (2). Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is a non-fermentable viscous-forming agent that is used to study the effect of soluble NSP in increasing digesta viscosity independent of potential effects on fermentation (I). The aims of this study were to investigate whether increasing viscosity of digesta using CMC may affect establishment of Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Telodorsagio (Ostenagia) circumcincta in sheep and whether the type of roughage and CMC may affect faecal consistency in sheep with strongyle infections

Bath-Jacobson, C.L.

Bell, K.

Besier, R.B.

Pethick, D.W.

Pluske, J.R.

English

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ongress 17-21 June  2005 Maris  Conference  Centre Hersonissos,  Crete,  Greece EDITORS G.C.  FTHENAKIS  &  Q.A.  McKALLER UNDER  THE  AUSPICES  OF The  Hellenic  Ministry  of  Rural Development  and Food Proceedings Congress EDITORS G.C.  FTHENAKIS  &  Q.A.  McKALLER Proceedings INCREASING DIGESTA VISCOSITY MAY INCREASE PARASITE ESTABLISHMENT IN THE SMALL INTESTINE OF SHEEP c.L. Bath-Jacobson, J.R- Pluske, K. Bell, R.B. Besier, D.W. Pethick School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, South St., Murdoch, Western Australia, WA 6150, Australia. e-mail: cbath@murdoch.edu.au INTRODUCTION Strongyle infections and diarrhoea are major problems for the sheep industry, but the nutritional factors determining faecal consistency and susceptibility to enteric diseases are not well understood. Soluble non-starch polysaccharides (sNSP) have been shown to affect the physico-chemical environment of the gut lumen, by increasing viscosity of digesta and affecting microbial fermentation in the large inle..c;;tine; however, the role of sNSP in sheep has not been studied. sNSP have been shown to increase parasite ~stab lishment in the small  intestine of mice (3) and decrease parasite establishment in the large intestine of pigs (2). Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is a non-fermentable viscous-forming agent that is used to study the effect of soluble NSP in increasing digesta viscosity independent of potential effects on fermentation (I). The aims of tllis study were to investigate whether increasing viscosity of digesta using CMC may affect establishment of Trichostrongylus coll/briformis and Telodorsagio (Ostenagia) circl/Illcineta in sheep and whether the type of roughage and CMC may affect faecal consistency in sheep with strongyle infections. MATER IALS AND  METHODS 24 sheep (6 per treatment) were drenched with avermectin-albendazole-Ievamisole-c1osantel (Q-Drench·), individually housed and given a 3-day introductory period before treatments commenced. The experimental treatments were roughage type ("fresh" lucerne versus lucerne chaff) and CMC supplementation (high viscosity CMC added at 8% diet dry matter content versus no CMC). Sheep were dosed orally with 10,000 larvae of both T eoll/brifonllis and Tel. eirel/meineta. Diets were provided ad libitum and dry matter intake was assessed daily. Nter D21, the "fresh" lucerne was unavailable and hence, all sheep were fed  lucerne chaff from D22. Faeces were collected on 14 occasions for measurement of faecal dry matter (DM) and consistency score (F-score) on a scale of 1 (hard faecal  pellet) to 5 (watery diarrhoea). All sheep were slaughtered 0 11  050 or D51 and total worm counts were performed. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS  11.0, using univariate analysis of variance (AINOVA). All data was normally distributed and  had equal variances (Levene's test of equality or error variance), thus did not require log transformalion. RESULTS The results of the total worm counts and faecal  assessments are Table I. There was a significant effect of CMC supplementation on the establishment of T.  eolubrifonnis infestation. Sbeep supplemented with CMC had higher numbers of T colubrriformis than sheep with no CMC supplementation (P=O.045). There was evidence of a trend for sheep fed chaff diets with CMC to have greater T colubrrifonnis establishment than sheep fed chaff diets without CMC (P=0.055). There was no significant effect of any of the treatments on the establishment of Tel.  circllmcincta, immature stages, LA larvae, total strongyle count or L3 larvae. There was a significant effect of CMC on both mean faecal score and mean faecal dry matter measured from  day 27 to 50 (slaughter), with CMC inclusion associated with  increased faecal score and moisture (i.e. softer, wetter faeces). Table t. Effect of roughage type and CMC supplementation on strongyle establishment measured at slaughter and mean faecal parameters (day 27 to 50). Fresh Fresh Lucerne  2367  2495CJa  32683  2.2b  31.()ab  +CMC Lucerne chaff  3300  14350b  23967  1.9- 32.6-b Lucerne chaff 3233  22650  33592  2.1b  29.5b +CMC sed  823  2038  2810  0.06  0.78 ANOVA: P values CMC  NS  0.045  NS  <0.001  0.040 Roughage type  NS  NS  NS  NS  NS CMC x roughage  NS  NS  NS  NS  NS Intake (covar.)  NS  NS TWC - L3 (covar.)  NS  NS Telad. /  Trick number of adult Telad.  circumcincla /  T.  colubriformis at slaughter, Total -L3: total strongyle WOTm count excluding L3 larvae, F. Score: Faecal consistency score. DM: Faecal dry matter, sed: standard error of the difference, NS: not significant (1)>0.05) DISCUSSION The results suggest that increasing digesta viscosity using CMC, produces softer and more wet faeces in sheep with strongyle infections and may increase parasite establishment of T. colubrifomlis in the small intestine, but not of Tel.  circumcincla in the abomasum, particularly in sheep fed chaff-based diets. The repeatability of tbis result and the mechanism, by which this may have occurred is not known and needs further investigation. Possible causes include modifications in intestinal architecture, increased intestinal motility/decreased transit time  and antinutritive effects associated with increased digesta viscosity. These results are consistent with findings in monogastric species, whereby increasing digesta viscosity with CMC increased susceptibility to b-haemolytic Escherichia coli infections in the small intestine of pigs (1) or increased dietary sNSP in increased establishment of the nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus in mice (3). [n contrast, diets higb in sNSP have been shown to reduce establishment of Oesophagostomun dentatum in the large intestine of pigs, possibly through changes in the colonic environment attributable to alterations in bacterial fermentation (2). Interactions between sNSP and parasite biology and the mechanisms by which these interactions occur are likely to complex and dependent on the location of the parasite in the gastrointestinal tract. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author's PhD scholarship is supported by Meat and Livestock Australia and the Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre. REFERENCES I. McDonald DE, Pethick OW, Mullan SP, Hampson OJ (2001) [ncreasing viscosity of the intestinal contents alters small intestinal structure and intestinal growth, and stimulates proliferation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in newly-weaned pigs. Br J Nutr 86:487-498. 2. Petkevicius S, Murrell  K, Bach Knudsen, K, Jorgensen H, Roepstorff A, Laue A (2004) Effects of short-chain fatty acids and lactic acids on survival  of Oesophagostomum dentatum in pigs. Vet ParasitoI122:293-301. 3. Sun Y, Koski  KG, Wykes U, Scott (ME) 2002 Dietary pectin, but not cellulose, influences Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Nematoda) reproduction and intestinal morphology in the mouse. Parasitol124:447-455. INCREASING VISCOSITY OF DIGESTA HAS DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON FAECAL CONSISTENCY IN SHEEP c.L. Bath-Jacobson, J. Pluske, K. Bell, D.W. Pethick School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, South St., Murdoch, Western Australia, WA 6150, Australia. e-mail: cbath@murdoch.edu.au INTRODUCTION Although diarrhoea and faecal soiling of fleece are major problems for the sheep meat and wool industries, there is little information on the nutritional factors that determine faecal consistency in sheep. Research in monogastric species has shown that the soluble non-starch polysaccharide (sNSP) content of the diet is a major determinant of faecal consistency and susceptibility of animals to enteric diseases (2, 3), but there have been no studies on the role of sNSP in sheep. sNSP have profound effects on the physio-chemical conditioos of the gut lumen by increasing viscosity of digesta and affecting microbial fermentation in the large intestine (2). Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is a non-fermentable viscous-forming agent that has been used in pig diets to study the effect of sNSP of increasing digesta viscosity, independently of potential effects on fermentation (2). This study aimed to investigate if CMC could be used as a model for studying the effect of increasing digesta viscosity in sheep and whether dietary CMC supplementation would have any detrimental effects on faecal consistency. MATERIALS AND  METHODS Forty sheep (8  per treatment) were individually housed and fed pasture silage for an  introductory period of 5 days tben fed  diets consisting of 2 grades of CMC (high or low viscosity CMC) added to the silage at a rate of 0%, 2% or 8% dry matter content for 7 days. Dry matter intake was measured daily.  Faeces were collected daily for assessment of faecal  moisture, consistency and viscosity. Faecal moisture was assessed by measuring faecal dry matter content. Faecal consistency score was assessed using a scale of 1 (hard faecal pellet) to 5 (watery diarrhoea). Faecal viscosity was measured using a cone-plate rotational viscometer. Statistical analysis involved univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS 11.0. All data were normally distributed. 

Dietary pectin, but not cellulose, influences Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Nematoda) reproduction and intestinal morphology in the mouse.

Laue A

ncreasing viscosity of the intestinal contents alters small intestinal structure and intestinal growth, and stimulates proliferation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in newly-weaned pigs.

Increasing digesta viscosity may increase parasite establishment in the small intestine of sheep

http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/9587/

Increasing digesta viscosity may increase parasite establishment in the small intestine of sheep

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