Effect of pasture species on internal parasites of lambs
Abstract
Increasing resistance of gastro-intestinal nematode
parasites to anthelmintics and consumer resistance
to the possibility of residues in animal products
have prompted research on the effect of pasture
species on nematodes and animal performance.
Lambs (either infected with high rates of gastrointestinal
nematodes or maintained nematode-free)
were grazed on pure swards of chicory, high- or
low-endophyte ryegrass, cocksfoot, tall fescue,
lucerne, lotus, white clover or plantain. Infected
lambs that grazed chicory had lower faecal egg
counts and adult nematode populations, and higher
carcass weights, than lambs grazed on plantain or
the grass species; lambs that grazed legumes
generally had intermediate counts, populations and
weights. When kept parasite-free, carcass weights
were up to 48% greater than in the nematode infected
treatments. On farmlets run over 3 years,
substituting 30% of the ryegrass area with lucerne
or replacing the ryegrass with a multi-species mix
consisting predominantly of bromes, tall fescue,
phalaris, timothy and red and white clover, had no
effect on gastro-intestinal nematode larvae, lamb
faecal worm egg or adult nematode numbers. It is
concluded that a diet of pure chicory affects internal
parasite populations but the small proportion
included in the farmlet studies had no effect.... [Show full abstract]
Keywords
Cichorium intybus; Dactylis glomerata; Festuca arundinacea; gastrointestinal nematodes; lambs; Lolium perenne; Lotus corniculatus; Medicago sativa; pasture species; Plantago lanceolata; Trifolium repensFields of Research
070205 Animal Protection (Pests and Pathogens); 070204 Animal Nutrition; 0703 Crop and Pasture ProductionDate
1996Type
Conference Contribution - Published (Conference Paper)Collections
Copyright © The Authors and New Zealand Grassland Association.