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Anthelmintic effect of heather in goats experimentally infected with Trichostrongylus colubriformis

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Abstract

The effects of heather (composed primarily of Calluna vulgaris with a smaller content of Erica umbellata and Erica cinerea) consumption on the establishment of incoming infective larvae (experiment 1, preventive treatment) and an adult worm population (experiment 2, curative treatment) were investigated in Cashmere goats experimentally infected with Trichostrongylus colubriformis. In experiment 1, 12 castrated male goats were divided into two groups: heather-supplemented vs. non-supplemented animals. After 2 weeks of adaptation to the diet, all goats were experimentally infected per os with 6,000 T. colubriformis third-stage larvae. Three weeks post-infection, the goats were slaughtered, and worm counts as well as female worm fecundity and development were determined. Heather consumption was associated with a close to significant (P = 0.092) reduction (mean 14 %) in larvae establishment. No effect on fecundity was observed, but the length of female worms in supplemented goats was greater (P < 0.001). In experiment 2, 15 non-lactating does were experimentally infected with 6,000 T. colubriformis third-stage larvae. At 6 weeks post-infection, three groups were established: control, heather-supplemented and heather-supplemented with polyethylene glycol. Individual faecal nematode egg output was measured twice weekly to assess gastrointestinal nematode egg excretion. The goats were slaughtered 5 weeks after heather administration (11 weeks post-infection), and worm counts as well as female worm fecundity and development were subsequently determined. Heather administration was associated with a significant (P < 0.001) decrease (between 47 and 66 % compared with control group) in egg excretion from 45 to 76 days post-infection. Although worm counts and female fecundity were lower in supplemented goats, no significant differences were observed. Overall, the results showed a reduction in T. colubriformis larvae establishment and a decrease in nematode egg excretion when heather was administered in experimentally infected goats. The heather plus polyethylene glycol treatment reduced nematode egg excretion levels at the same proportion as heather, thereby suggesting that the threshold of tannins required for an anthelmintic effect is most likely quite low.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this work was provided by a research grant from the Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA, RTA2007-00098-C03). Dr Hervé Hoste (INRA/ENVT Toulouse) kindly gifted the infective larvae. Javier Moreno-Gonzalo was financed by INIA. We also thank COST-Action FA0805 CAPARA.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SALUVET Group, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    J. Moreno-Gonzalo, L. M. Ortega-Mora & I. Ferre

  2. Área de Sistemas de Producción Animal, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), 33300, Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain

    K. Osoro, U. García & R. Celaya

  3. Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña, CSIC-ULE, Finca Marzanas, 24346, León, Spain

    P. Frutos

  4. CECAV, Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, PO Box 1013, 5000-911, Vila Real, Portugal

    L. M. M. Ferreira

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  1. J. Moreno-Gonzalo
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  2. K. Osoro
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  3. U. García
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  6. L. M. M. Ferreira
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Correspondence to I. Ferre.

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Moreno-Gonzalo, J., Osoro, K., García, U. et al. Anthelmintic effect of heather in goats experimentally infected with Trichostrongylus colubriformis . Parasitol Res 113, 693–699 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-013-3697-4

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