Economic impact of gastrointestinal nematodes in Morada Nova sheep in Brazil

Author(s)

Ana Carolina de Souza Chagas ^[1] ; Oscar Tupy ^[2] ; Isabella Barbosa dos Santos ^[3] ; Sérgio Novita Esteves ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste - Brasil

^[2] Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste - Brasil

^[3] Universidade Estadual Paulista. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - Brasil

^[4] Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária; v. 31, n. 3 2022-08-19.

Abstract

Abstract This study evaluated the economic impact of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection in Morada Nova lambs under different parasite chemical control conditions. For this, 246 lambs, in the rainy and dry season, were randomized into groups according to their anthelmintic treatment with levamisole: control (CT: no treatment); routine treatment (RT: treated every 42 days); and targeted selective treatment (TST: treated according to the average daily weight gain, DWG). From 63 days of age (D63) to D210, the lambs were weighed and monitored for GIN infection parameters. Spending on anthelmintics in the production system was 1.3% of the total economic result. The economic result per animal (R$ 5.00 = US$ 1.00) was higher in the RT group, amounting to US$ 6.60 in the rainy and US$ 5.69 in the dry season, due to higher DWG. Thus, RT presented economic results 14.4% and 10.9% higher than CT, and 7.2% and 1.9% higher than TST, in the rainy and dry season, respectively. However, fast development of resistance made RT unfeasible. Here, the economic impact of GIN infection on a national scale is discussed, demonstrating its importance and the impossibility of profitable and sustainable sheep production without adequate control. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/16070-1 - Study of the impact of gastrointestinal nematodes infection on the performance of Morada Nova Lambs for development of a targeted selective treatment
• Grantee: Isabella Barbosa dos Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 19/02929-3 - Target selective treatment based on liveweight gain as nematode control strategy in Morada Nova lamb
• Grantee: Ana Carolina de Souza Chagas
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants