Interactions between nutrition and gastrointestinal infections with parasitic nematodes in goats

Summary

Parasitic nematodes of the digestive tract remain one of the main constraints to goat production both in temperate and tropical
countries. The usual mode of control of these gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) based on the repeated use of anthelmintics
is now strongly questioned because of the increasing development of resistance to these molecules. Among the alternative
methods to anthelmintics currently available, the manipulation of host nutrition in order to improve the host resistance and/or
resilience to parasitic infections seems to represent one of the most promising options to reduce the dependence on conventional
chemotherapy and to favour the sustainable control of gastro intestinal nematode infections. This paper will review the available
information on the interactions between nutrition and nematode parasitism in dairy or meat goats both in temperate and tropical
conditions. It will refer to quantitative aspects of the diet (influence of the protein and/or energy parts) as well as to qualitative
components (effects of plant secondary metabolites on worm biology) and will discuss the specificities of goats in regard of
theses interactions.