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The effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and carob pods (Ceratonia siliqua) feeding regimes on the control of lamb coccidiosis

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Abstract

Recent research has suggested that plants containing condensed tannins may offer a promising alternative approach for the control of coccidiosis in lambs and goat kids. The present study aimed to examine the potential effect of condensed tannins in sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and carob pods (Ceratonia siliqua) incorporated in sheep rations against lamb coccidiosis. The above tannin-rich sources were studied in three independent feeding trials in which the animals (naturally infected by Eimeria spp. ewes and their lambs) were allocated (i) in the control group and received a tannin-free diet (lucerne hay), or (ii) in the treatment groups and received a tannin-rich diet based on sainfoin hay (in trials 1 and 2), or in carob pod meal and a combination of carob pod meal and sainfoin hay (in trial 3). In total, 95 newborn lambs (and their 73 ewes) were enrolled in all trials which started a month before lambing and ended 8–10 weeks after lambs were born (at weaning). The course of coccidial infection was monitored in lambs by faecal oocyst counts and consistencies which were recorded at weekly intervals. Moreover, lambs total weight gain was evaluated at the end of each trial. During all trials, 100 % of the animals got naturally infected by Eimeria species and the infection burden was higher in trials 2 and 3 compared to trial 1 but in all cases, severe signs of diarrhoea were not observed. Tannin-rich diets were well accepted by the animals not affecting their feed intake and body weight gain when compared to the controls. The results suggest that incorporation of both tannin-rich resources (especially sainfoin) in sheep rations can reduce Eimeria oocyst excretion rates by the lambs, which can decrease subsequently the contamination of the farm environment with the parasite. However, the high variability noted on the results is not allowing us to draw any definite conclusions at least until the potential of those plants is further investigated.

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Acknowledgments

This study has been supported by the financial funds of Marie Curie Research Fellow (Healthy Hay Project) and the European Community financial participation under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities, for the Integrated Project LOWINPUTBREEDS FP7-CP-IP 222623. The views expressed in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the information contained herein.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Thermi, 57001, Thessaloniki, Greece

    A. Saratsis, N. Voutzourakis, T. Theodosiou, A. Stefanakis & S. Sotiraki

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  1. A. Saratsis
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  2. N. Voutzourakis
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  3. T. Theodosiou
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  4. A. Stefanakis
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  5. S. Sotiraki
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Correspondence to A. Saratsis.

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All animal-related procedures were in compliance with the national animal welfare regulations, as well as the animal experimentation ordinance, and the experimental protocols were approved by the responsible institutional authority.

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Saratsis, A., Voutzourakis, N., Theodosiou, T. et al. The effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and carob pods (Ceratonia siliqua) feeding regimes on the control of lamb coccidiosis. Parasitol Res 115, 2233–2242 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-4966-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-016-4966-9

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