Supplements containing Acacia karroo foliage reduce nematode burdens in Nguni and crossbred cattle

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare nematode worm burdens in Nguni and crossbred cattle supplemented with Acacia karroo leaf meal. Eighteen Nguni (274.4 ± 17.34 kg) and 12 crossbred (230.5 ± 14.62 kg) steers aged 19 months were allocated to three dietary treatments: A. karroo leaf meal, sunflower cake and control with no supplement. Steers in all the treatments grazed on natural pasture whereas those on A. karroo leaf meal and sunflower cake diets were given an additional 1.5 kg and 650 g of feed, respectively, to supply 150 g of protein per day for 60 days. Faecal samples collected from the steers’ recta every fortnight were examined for nematode egg types using the modified McMaster technique. At slaughter, the abomasa and intestines were collected, opened and washed for worm identification. Nguni steers supplemented with the A. karroo leaf meal diet had the lowest mean strongyles egg counts and mean total egg counts (P < 0.05). Steers that received the A. karroo leaf meal and sunflower cake diets had lower Haemonchus contortus and Oesophagostomum colombianum worm burdens than those that received the control diet (P < 0.05). Mean strongyles and Strongyloides egg counts, and H. contortus and Oes. colombianum worm counts were negatively correlated with average daily gain and body condition scores (P < 0.05). Generally, Nguni cattle supplemented with A. karroo leaf meal had the lowest egg loads and worm burdens. It was concluded that supplementing cattle with A. karroo could reduce nematode burdens.