Abstract
Managing infections of sheep with anthelmintic resistant gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) is a major challenge for sheep producers in Western Europe. New methods of grazing management have been poorly explored as a component of an integrated and sustainable control of these parasites. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of two different types of grazing systems of sheep (intensive cell grazing versus conventional rotational grazing) on GIN infections over two years in a farm located in a temperate environment of Western France. When considering the whole study, the type of grazing system did not influence significantly the intensity of egg excretions of adult ewes even if the proportion of ewes excreting high numbers of GIN eggs was higher in cell grazing system than in rotational grazing system. The most striking result of this survey was the effect of grazing system on the GIN species composition harbored by ewes and by their lambs: with time, the proportions of H. contortus infections were lower in cell grazing system than in rotational grazing system. In conclusion, the cell grazing system, as implemented in this study, could limit the importance of this highly pathogenic nematode species in sheep.
Highlights
Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection is one of the major health issues in sheep worldwide
According to the Australian study, cell grazing system seems to have a deep impact on H. contortus populations; the benefit of cell grazing system in terms of intensities of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) egg excretions was not observed in the present study
The rest periods in the cell grazing system performed in “Le Mourier” farm were probably too short to ensure a substantial higher larval die-off in comparison to rotational grazing system. Another explanation may come from the difference of total grazing duration during one year: 11 months in the cell grazing system compared to 9–10 months in the rotational grazing system, this difference allowing a longer period of GIN infections in first grazing system
Summary
Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection is one of the major health issues in sheep worldwide. In the Australian studies, cell grazing system was able to markedly reduce fecal egg counts in lambs and ewes during a six-year long survey According to these authors, cell grazing system may be an effective way to control H. contortus infections in temperate environments. The aims of this study were i) to compare the intensities of GIN egg excretions during a 2-year period between cell grazing system and typical rotational grazing system and ii) to evaluate a potential effect of cell grazing system on frequencies and intensities of H. contortus infections. This experiment was conducted in a commercial farm from Western France. According to the Australian study, cell grazing system seems to have a deep impact on H. contortus populations; the benefit of cell grazing system in terms of intensities of GIN egg excretions was not observed in the present study
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