Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T01:13:15.728Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of subclinical intestinal nematode infection on the diet seletion of growing sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2007

I. Kyriazakis ,
J.D. Oldham ,
R.L. Coop  and
F. Jackson
I. Kyriazakis
Affiliation:
Genetics and Behavioural Sciences Department, Scottish Agricultural College Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
J.D. Oldham
Affiliation:
Genetics and Behavioural Sciences Department, Scottish Agricultural College Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
R.L. Coop
Affiliation:
Moredun Reserch Institute, 408 Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh EH17 7JH
F. Jackson
Affiliation:
Moredun Reserch Institute, 408 Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh EH17 7JH
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

To test the hypothesis that subclinical gastrointestinal parasitism, associated with an impairment in N digestion and metabolism and a reduction in the voluntary feed intake (VFI), could affect the diet selection of sheep given a choice between two feeds that differed in their crude protein (CP) content, twenty-four Texel ×Scottish Blackface ewe lambs growing from 28 to 48 kg live weight (LWT) were given a daily dose of 2500 larvae of the intestinal nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis; twenty-four similar lambs were used as uninfected controls. Six infected and six control lambs were given a free choice between two pelleted feeds (10·4 MJ metabolizable energy/kg), wilh different CP contents (90 (L) and 214 (H) g CP/kg fresh feed respectively). In addition, eighteen parasitized and eighteen control sheep were given access ad lib. to either feed L, or feed H, or their mixture M (164 g CP/kg; twelve per feed), in order to quantify the effects of the feeds when offered alone, and to test for any interactions between feed CP content and parasitism on the performance of the lambs. Intestinal parasitism reduced significantly (P < 0·001) both the rates of LWT gain (by 30%) and VFI (by 10%). The adult and developing parasitic forms took 4 weeks to establish and develop to a significant adult worm population (as judged by the faecal egg counts and blood variables) and until then there was no effect of parasitism on the performance of the lambs. The diet selection of the lambs given a choice between two feeds was similar between the two groups in the first 4 weeks of the experiment, but differed significantly (P < 0·05) in the second part of the experiment (4th week to the end). Thus, while parasitized lambs had a reduced rate of feed intake, by changing their diet selection they achieved a daily rate of CP intake similar to the control ones. However, since the parasitized lambs had a reduced rate of LWT gain, they also consumed a higher total amount of CP to reach the same LWT. It is concluded that sheep infected daily with a small number of larvae of T. colubriformis and given a choice between two feeds that differ in their protein contents are able to modify their diet selection in order to meet the increased protein requirements resulting from such an infection.

Keywords

AppetiteIntestinal nematode infectionProtein intakeTrichostrongylus colubriformis
Type
Effect of parasitic infection on diet selection by sheep
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 72 , Issue 5 , November 1994 , pp. 665 - 677
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1994

References

REFERENCES

Abbott, E. M., Parkins, J. J. & Holmes, P. H. (1988). Influence of dietary prote in on the pathophysiology of haemonchosis in lambs given continuous infections. Research in Veterinary Science 45, 41–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Agricultural Research Council (1980). The Nutrient Requirements of Ruminant Livestock. Farnham Royal: Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux.Google Scholar
Bown, M. D. (1986). Protein metabolism in parasitised lambs. PhD Thesis, Lincoln University, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Bown, M. D., Poppi, D. P. & Sykes, A. R. (1991). The effect of post-ruminal infusion of protein or energy on the pathophysiology of Trichostrongylus colubriformis infection and body composition in lambs. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 42, 253–267.Google Scholar
Chiejina, S. N. & Sewell, M. M. H. (1974). Worm burdens, acquired resistance and live weight gains in lambs during prolonged daily infections with Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Parasitology 69, 315–327.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Christie, M. G. & Jackson, F. (1982). Specific identification of strongyle eggs in small samples of sheep faeces. Research in Veterinary Science 32, 113–117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coop, R. L. & Field, A. C. (1983). Effect of phosphorus intake on growth rate, food intake and quality of the skeleton of growing lambs infected with the intestinal nematodes Trichostrongylus vitrinus. Research in Veterinary Science 35, 175–181.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coop, R. L., Sykes, A. R. & Angus, K. W. (1976). Subclinical Trichostrongylosis in growing lambs produced by continuous larval dosing. The effect on performance and certain plasma constituents. Research in Veterinary Science 21, 253–258.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cropper, M. R. (1987). Growth and development of sheep in relation to feeding strategy. PhD Thesis, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Hou, X. Z., Emmans, G. C., Anderson, D. H., Illius, A. W. & Oldham, J. D. (1991). The effect of different pairs of feeds offered as a choice on food selection by sheep. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 50, 94A.Google Scholar
Kimambo, A. E., MacRae, J. C., Walter, A., Watt, C. F. & Coop, R. L. (1988). Effect of prolonged subclinical infection with Trichostrongylus colubriformis on the performance and nitrogen metabolism of growing lambs. Veterinary Parasitology 28, 191–203.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kyriazakis, I. (1989). Growth, feed intake and diet selection in pigs: theory and experiments. PhD Thesis, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Kyriazakis, I. & Emmans, G. C. (1991). Diet selection in pigs: dietary choices made by growing pigs following a period of underfeeding with protein. Animal Production 52, 337–346.Google Scholar
Kyriazakis, I., Leus, K., Emmans, G. C., Haley, C. S. & Oldham, J. D. (1993). The effect of breed (Large White × Landrace v. purebred Meishan) on the diets selected by pigs given a choice between two foods that differ in their crude protein contents. Animal Production 56, 121–128.Google Scholar
Kyriazakis, I. & Oldham, J. D. (1993). Diet selection in sheep: the ability of growing lambs to select a diet that meets their crude protein (nitrogen x 6·25) requirements. British Journal of Nutrition 69, 617–629.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poppi, D. P., MacRae, J. C., Brewer, A. C. & Coop, R. L. (1986). Nitrogen transactions in the digestive tract of lambs exposed to the intestinal parasite Trichostrongylus colubriformis. British Journal of Nutrition 55, 593–602.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poppi, D. P., MacRae, J. C., Brewer, A. C., Dewey, P. J. S. & Walker, A. (1985). Calcium and phosphorus absorption in lambs exposed to Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Journal of Comparative Pathology 95, 453–464.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Poppi, D. P., Sykes, A. R. & Dynes, R. A. (1990). The effect of endoparasitism on host nutrition – the implications for nutrient manipulation. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 50, 237–243.Google Scholar
Steel, J. W., Symons, L. E. A. & Jones, W. O. (1980). Effects of level of larval intake on the productivity and physiology and metabolic responses of lambs infected with Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 31, 821–838.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sykes, A. R. (1983). Effects of parasitism on metabolism in the sheep. In Sheep Production, pp. 317–333 [Haresign, W. editor]. London: Butterworths.Google Scholar
Sykes, A. R. (1987). Endoparasites and herbivore nutrition. In Nutrition of Herbivores, pp. 211–232 [Harker, J. B. and Ternouth, J. H., editors]. Marrickvale, NSW: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Sykes, A. R. & Coop, R. L. (1976). Intake and utilisation of food by growing lambs with parasitic damage to the small intestine caused by daily dosing with Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 86, 507–515.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Symons, L. E. A. (1985). Anorexia: occurrence, pathophysiology and possible causes in parasite infections. Advances in Parasitology 24, 103–133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar