Effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and faba bean(Vicia faba) on the periparturient rise in ewes infected withgastrointestinal nematodes

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tPrevious research has demonstrated the potential of tanniniferous feed sources to reducethe faecal egg count (FEC) of sheep and lambs infected with gastrointestinal nematodes(GIN). The present study investigates the use of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia, cv. Perly)and faba bean seeds (Vicia faba, cv. Scirocco), either as single condensed tannin sources orin combination, to reduce the periparturient rise in the faecal egg count of GIN-infectedewes. Seventy-eight periparturient Red Engadine ewes (PP ewes) and fifteen ewes of thesame breed in early gestation (EG ewes) were used for the study. All animals experiencedan artificial infection with 1500 infectious larvae of Haemonchus contortus 33 days prior tolambing. For a feeding period of 25 days, PP ewes were allocated to four groups that werebalanced with regard to FEC, number of foetuses and age. PP ewes were fed with either (i)a ryegrass-clover forage, C (n = 21); (ii) a sainfoin forage, S (n = 19); (iii) a combined con-densed tannin feed consisting of sainfoin forage and faba bean pellets, SB (n = 19); or (iv)faba bean pellets and ryegrass-clover forage, B (n = 19). The diets of PP ewes were supple-mented with commercial concentrates to balance the protein and energy intake betweengroups. EG ewes were used to determine the dimension of the periparturient rise in groupsi–iv. During the 25 day feeding period, faecal sampling took place every third or fourth day.Individual FECs were expressed per gramme faecal dry matter (FECDM). Compared to thecontrol group (C), the differences in FECDM over the entire feeding period were −54.7% (S),−40.0% (SB), +7.8% (B) and −41% (EG). A mixed model analysis revealed significant differ-ences between the C and S groups (p < 0.001) and between the C and SB groups (p < 0.001)but revealed no difference between the C and B groups (p = 0.766). The mean daily ingestionof condensed tannins in groups S, SB, and B per kg metabolic live weight was 3.50 ± 0.91 g,3.61 ± 0.89 g and 0.43 ± 0.06 g, respectively. We conclude that condensed tannins originat-ing from sainfoin prevented periparturient egg rise, whereas those from faba beans did notproduce such an effect.