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Effect of selective anthelmintic treatments on health and production parameters in Pelibuey ewes during lactation

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Abstract

A study was conducted from December to April 2013, with the aim of evaluating a system of selective antiparasitic treatments using the FAMACHA© color chart compared with a conventional suppressive deworming system every 30 days in Pelibuey ewes during lactation. For the study, 54 ewes were used. They were randomly divided into two groups: FAMACHA and chemical treatments. The ewes in the first group received selective treatment depending on the ocular mucosa coloration (FAMACHA) and body condition score (BCS), while in the second group (chemical) all the animals remained under routine deworming every 30 days. Fecal nematode egg counts, proportion of third-stage trichostrongylid larvae, body condition, coloration of the ocular mucosa, and packed cell volume in the ewes were determined, while in lambs only body weight (BW) was recorded. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed in any of the studied variables between groups; however, the use of antiparasitic drugs was reduced during the experimental period in the FAMACHA group and no deaths of lambs or ewes were recorded. The results indicate that during the lactation of ewes, a strategy of selective treatments can be implemented without showing deterioration in major health and productive parameters of these animals.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the International Foundation for Science (Proj. No. B/4610) and the Programa de Alimento Humano of Cuba (Proj. No. PH131LH-0072) for supporting this research endeavor. Acknowledgment is also extended to Nidia Amador for revising the technical and language contents of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Estación Experimental de Pastos y Forrajes “Indio Hatuey”, Universidad de Matanzas, Central España Republicana, Matanzas, Cuba

    Javier Arece-García & Yoel López-Leyva

  2. Unidad Regional Universitaria Sursureste, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Teapa, Tabasco, Mexico

    Roberto González-Garduño

  3. Programa de Ganadería, Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillo, Texcoco, Estado de México, Mexico

    Glafiro Torres-Hernández

  4. Centro Universitario UAEM Temascaltepec, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Temascaltepec, Estado de México, Mexico

    Rolando Rojo-Rubio

  5. Unité de Recherches Zootechniques, INRA Antilles Guyane, Domaine de Duclos Prise d′Eau, 97170, Petit-Bourg, Guadeloupe

    Carine Marie-Magdeleine

Authors
  1. Javier Arece-García
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  2. Yoel López-Leyva
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  3. Roberto González-Garduño
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  4. Glafiro Torres-Hernández
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  5. Rolando Rojo-Rubio
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  6. Carine Marie-Magdeleine
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Javier Arece-García.

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Statement of animal rights

The Indio Hatuey Ethic Committee and the Scientific Council of the Experimental Station “Indio Hatuey” approved the animal procedures in accordance with the Cuban Animal and Plant Protection Society.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Arece-García, J., López-Leyva, Y., González-Garduño, R. et al. Effect of selective anthelmintic treatments on health and production parameters in Pelibuey ewes during lactation. Trop Anim Health Prod 48, 283–287 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-015-0947-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-015-0947-8

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