Study of the impact of gastrointestinal nematode infection on the performance of Morada Nova lambs for the development of a selective parasitic control method

• Grant number: 19/05409-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2019
• End date: May 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carolina de Souza Chagas
• Grantee: Luciana Aparecida Giraldelo
• Host Institution: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

It is intended to measure the impact of infection by GIN on the growth curve of the animals, in order to develop a model of deworming of the animals by means of selective treatment (TST), using the daily weight gain as an indicator (Happy FactorTM). This strategy seems to be more adequate than the egg count per gram of feces (EPG), or even the FAMACHA© method since Morada Nova lambs with high parasitic load remained with elevated hematocrit. Thus, in the future, the Happy FactorTM could be evaluated, because by means of this practice we can detect the most infected animals, optimize their weight gain and reduce the contamination of pasture by GIN, maintaining representative refuge and minimizing the selection of alleles of resistance. The future validation and availability of a TST would reduce costs with anthelmintic, drug residues in meat, dissemination of genes that confer resistance to anthelmintics, with a consequent increase in their time of use. Thus, through the provision of practical and reliable parasitic control tools, the Morada Nova production in the state of São Paulo would be encouraged.