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Performance and nematode infection of ewe lambs on intensive rotational grazing with two different cultivars of Panicum maximum

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Abstract

The daily live weight gain (DLWG), faecal nematode egg counts (FEC), and packed cell volume (PCV) of Suffolk, Île de France and Santa Inês ewe lambs were evaluated fortnightly for 56 days in the dry season (winter) and 64 days in the rainy season (summer) of 2001–2002. The animals were distributed in two similar groups, one located on Aruana and the other on Tanzânia grass (Panicum maximum), in rotational grazing system at the Instituto de Zootecnia, in Nova Odessa city (SP), Brazil. In the dry season, 24 one-year-old ewe lambs were used, eight of each breed, and there was no difference (p > 0.05) between grasses for DLWG (100 g/day), although the Suffolk had higher values (p < 0.05) than the other breeds. In the rainy season, with 33 six-month-old ewe lambs, nine Suffolk, eight Île de France and 16 Santa Inês, the DLWG was not affected by breed, but it was twice as great (71 g/day, p < 0.05) on Aruana as on Tanzânia grass (30 g/day). The Santa Inês ewe lambs had the lowest FEC (p < 0.05) and the highest PCV (p < 0.05), confirming their higher resistance to Haemonchus contortus, the prevalent nematode in the rainy season. It was concluded that the best performance of ewe lambs on Aruana pastures in the rainy season is probably explained by their lower nematode infection owing to the better protein content of this grass (mean contents 11.2% crude protein in Aruana grass and 8.7% in Tanzânia grass, p < 0.05) which may have improved the immunological system with the consequence that the highest PCV (p < 0.05) observed in those animals.

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Abbreviations

ADF:

acid detergent fibre

CP:

crude protein

DLWG:

daily live weight gain

epg:

eggs per gram of faeces

FEC:

faecal nematode egg count

NDF:

neutral detergent fibre

PCV:

packed cell volume

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Apta RegionalExtremo Oeste, Andradina, SP, Brazil

    R. L. D. Costa

  2. Instituto de Zootecnia/APTA/SAA-SP, Nova Odessa, SP, Brazil

    M. S. Bueno, C. J. Veríssimo, E. A. Cunha, L. E. Santos & I. P. Otsuk

  3. Instituto Biológico/APTA/SAA-SP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    S. M. Oliveira & E. Spósito Filha

  4. Rua Heitor Penteado, 56, C.P 60, Nova Odessa-, SP, CEP 13460-000, Brazil

    C. J. Veríssimo

Authors
  1. R. L. D. Costa
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  2. M. S. Bueno
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  3. C. J. Veríssimo
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  4. E. A. Cunha
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  5. L. E. Santos
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  6. S. M. Oliveira
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  7. E. Spósito Filha
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  8. I. P. Otsuk
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Correspondence to C. J. Veríssimo.

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Costa, R.L.D., Bueno, M.S., Veríssimo, C.J. et al. Performance and nematode infection of ewe lambs on intensive rotational grazing with two different cultivars of Panicum maximum . Trop Anim Health Prod 39, 255–263 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-007-9005-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-007-9005-5

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