http://orgprints.org/4520/ Influence of different forages on gastrointestinal namatode infections in grazing lambs Thamsborg, S.M. Mejer, H. Bandier, M. Larsen, M. Health and welfare Nematode infections of sheep may be influenced by secondary compounds in the diet, e.g. condensed tannins. A study was performed with 7 groups of lambs experimentally infected with Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostronglylus vitrinus. All groups were grazed on clean clover-grass pasture and then moved to paddocks with bioactive forages with either sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) (groups Pre-S and Post-S), chicory (Cichorium intybus, cv. Grasslands Puna) (Pre-C and Post-C) or clover-grass as reference (Pre-G and Post-G). Pre-groups were infected before the move to bioactive forages, whereas all Post-groups were infected after the move. Group Pre-ctrl. was slaughtered for worm counts at the time of the move while the other groups were slaughtered after 5-8 weeks on bioactive forages. The faecal egg counts of pre-groups dropped markedly after the move, and Pre-S showed the fastest decline, by 80% within 3 weeks after the move. The mean faecal egg counts of Post-S was reduced by 40% 4 weeks p.i. compared to Post-G (p<0.01) whereas Post-C was 30-100% higher (p<0.01). T. circumcincta worm counts of Pre-S, Pre-C and Pre-G were 4300, 3200 and 7000 but differences were not significant due to large variation within groups (Pre-C vs. Pre-G: p=0.12). Other worm counts were not significantly different. The study indicates a marked reduction in faecal egg counts when lambs graze sainfoin and a possible anti-parasitic effect of chicory on abomasal worms. Harrington, Kathleen Story 2003 Conference paper, poster, etc. NonPeerReviewed source http://orgprints.org/4520/1/4520.doc Thamsborg, S.M.; Mejer, H.; Bandier, M. and Larsen, M. (2003) Influence of different forages on gastrointestinal namatode infections in grazing lambs. The 19th International Conference for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology: Old Dreams - New Visions: Veterinary Parasitology in the 21st Century, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 10.-14. August 2003. In: Harrington, Kathleen Story (Ed.) Proceedings of the 19th International Conference of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology, August 10th-14th 2003, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, p. 189, p. 189. * http://orgprints.org/4520/http://orgprints.org/4520/1/