Control of gastrointestinal parasite larvae of ruminant using nitrogen fertilizer, limestone and sodium hypochlorite solutions

Abstract

Gastrointestinal parasites are considered to be one of the most prominent health problems of small ruminants. Additional concerns are associated with parasite resistance to traditional anthelmintics and drug withdrawal times. Solutions of commercial fertilizers, bleach and limestone were used to examine their effect on the motility of infective Haemonchus contortus larvae (L3) in vitro. Infective larvae were cultured from feces of one Suffolk ram lamb infected with 5000 L3. Infective larvae (500 L3/100 μl) were then pipetted into individual petri dishes with 400 μl of a known concentration of either urea (U), ammonium nitrate (AN), liquid nitrogen fertilizer (LNF), a mixture of ammonium nitrate + urea (ANU), dolomitic limestone (DLM), limestone (LM) and sodium hypochlorite (SH). Percent non-motile L3 increased ( p < 0.05) as they were exposed to increasing concentrations of nitrogen (N) sources and SH. However, DLM and LM were not effective. Another trial compared the highest concentrations of the four N sources (18 g N/100 ml) and SH (10%). Percent non-motile L3 were: U, 81.3; AN, 96.8; LNF, 93.3; ANU, 89.2; SH, 99.8. Larvicidal properties of N sources and SH could decrease gastrointestinal parasite loads, may reduce producers dependency on traditional anthelmintics to control infective larvae and may reduce the potential of anthelmintic resistance when used strategically with pasture fertilization and other agricultural practices. Field studies are needed to corroborate results presented herein.