Dietary protein influences on regulation of Haemonchus contortus populations in Dorsimal lambs

• Main Authors: Israf Ali, Daud Ahmad, M. J., Zainal, Ben Ghesir, Mohamed Ali, Abdullah, Rasedee, Abdullah Sani, Rehana, Mohamed Mustapha, Noordin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press 1998
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/6476/1/6476.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/6476/; http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X00016321
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

The influence of dietary protein supplementation upon resistance to haemonchosis was examined in Dorsimal (Polled Dorset x Malin) lambs offered two levels of protein. Lambs were offered either a complete basal ruminant diet (15% crude protein (CP)) or the same diet supplemented with fish meal as a source of rumen bypass protein (19% CP). Lambs from each dietary treatment group were given either a 7-week trickle infection with Haemonchus contortus infective larvae (L3) or remained uninfected. All lambs were drenched with anthelmintic at week 8 post-infection (PI), challenged with a single dose of 5000 H. contortus L3 one week later, and killed 14 days post-challenge (PC). Lambs on the supplemented diet that were trickle infected showed a significant reduction in egg output. Supplementation and previous infection did not affect either growth rate, worm burden, worm development or haematological parameters. There was a trend for enhanced growth among supplemented non-infected lambs in comparison to lambs which received the basal ration.