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Impact of biofumigation on reducing swine parasite contamination on organic pastures

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Abstract

This study explored whether biofumigation with rapeseed can reduce swine parasite eggs in pasture soil. Pastures were subjected to four treatments: rapeseed or Ladino clover pastures, each with or without biofumigation (i.e., mechanical incorporation of plant residues into the soil). Each pasture was split into four paddocks and eight to nine pigs were given access to each paddock for 1 week. Fecal samples (n = 66) were collected from each pig before grazing for analysis of Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis, and Oesophagostomum spp. egg counts. Soil samples (n = 480) were collected from each paddock before grazing, immediately after pigs were removed from paddocks, and weekly thereafter for 3 weeks for analysis of Ascaris suum and Trichuris suis egg counts. Pasture treatment did not affect egg counts of either parasite species in the soil. Eggs of A. suum and T. suis in pasture soil were reduced (both P < 0.05) 2 weeks after pigs were removed, compared to before grazing and immediately after pigs were removed. Results suggest that biofumigation was not effective in reducing swine parasite eggs in organic pasture soil under conditions of the current study, and parasite contamination was reduced 2 weeks after pigs were removed from pastures regardless of biofumigation.

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The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors upon request, without undue reservation.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Organic Transition Program (Award#: 2018–51106-28772) from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. West Central Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota, Morris, MN, USA

    Yuzhi Li

  2. Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA, USA

    Sara Major & Rick Carr

  3. Department of Biology, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA, USA

    Alexander D. Hernandez

Authors
  1. Yuzhi Li
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  2. Sara Major
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  3. Rick Carr
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  4. Alexander D. Hernandez
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study hypothesis and design. Field work and lab work were conducted by Sara Major, Rick Carr, and Alexander Hernandez. Data analysis was performed by Yuzhi Li. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Yuzhi Li, and all authors edited and commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the submitted version.

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Correspondence to Yuzhi Li.

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The protocol for the animal study was reviewed and approved by the University of Minnesota Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC#: 2106-39200A).

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Li, Y., Major, S., Carr, R. et al. Impact of biofumigation on reducing swine parasite contamination on organic pastures. Org. Agr. 14, 85–94 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-024-00456-7

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