Abstract
Twenty-six stocker cattle (286.1 ± 25.7 kg) were used to quantify the effect of commercial plant tannin extracts (control vs. mimosa and chestnut tannins) on animal performance, gastrointestinal parasites control and plasma metabolite changes in heifers grazing winter wheat forage (Triticum aestivum L. var. “cutter”). The forage biomass and crude protein content were generally similar among treatments. Initial live-weight (LW) was similar among treatments, although final LW (P = 0.1) and average daily gain (ADG; P P Ostertagia was lower (P P P < 0.02) for chestnut tannins group than for control, and intermediate for mimosa tannins. However, cholesterol level was similar among treatment after 20 days cessation of tannins treatments. Our data suggest that heifers grazing winter wheat forage supplemented with plant tannins rather than control (non-tannins group) increased ADG (8% to 19%) for mimosa and chestnut tannins groups, respectively with no detectable detrimental effects on animal health. The increase in ADG may be due to decrease fecal parasites infections.
Highlights
Gastrointestinal parasite infections are natural occurring components of pastoral grazing systems and many internal parasite species have developed resistance to anthelmintic drugs [1]
Our data suggest that heifers grazing winter wheat forage supplemented with plant tannins rather than control increased average daily gain (ADG) (8% to 19%) for mimosa and chestnut tannins groups, respectively with no detectable detrimental effects on animal health
The objectives of this study were to examine the animal performance, internal parasites, and blood metabolites effects of hydrolysable tannin-rich chestnut and condensed tannin-rich mimosa extracts applied as a feed additive to stocker cattle
Summary
Gastrointestinal parasite infections are natural occurring components of pastoral grazing systems and many internal parasite species have developed resistance to anthelmintic drugs [1]. Gastrointestinal parasites infection cause major production losses in grazing cattle with the greatest reduction occurring in young growing cattle, which normally have limited immunity to nematode parasites [2]-[4]. Choosing yearling stocker cattle as an internal parasites infestation model allows the extension of our model to broad range of stocker cattle production systems in Southern US. Natural plant tannins have been documented to control intestinal parasites in ruminants [6] [7]. Studies need to be carried out worldwide, to identify tannin compounds and the associated mechanisms of their mode of actions understood, in order to determine for their use in internal parasites control
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