Intérêt du pâturage mixte entre ovins et bovins dans la gestion du parasitisme digestif en système d’élevage Agriculture Biologique

Summary

Gastrointestinal trichostrongylosis represent one of the main constraint associated with the breeding of ruminants on pastures which is associated with Organic Farming. Besides the repeated use of anthelmintic treatments, the control of these parasitic infections can also be based on an improvement of the host response and on the reduction of animal infection by decreasing the contact with infective larvae through pertinent grazing management. Mixed grazing between different hosts species, particularly between cattle and small ruminants, represents one of the method to reduce the infestivity of pastures. This method is based on the relatively high specificity of many nematode species for one host. The advantages and limits of mixed grazing practices, either by alternate or simultaneous mode, are discussed both in regard of parasite infection and production measurements.