Affiliation(s)
1. Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA
2. Department of Agronomy and Soils, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
3. Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
4. School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AT, UK
5. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Booneville, AR 72927, USA
ABSTRACT
Feeding pelleted sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata) on pasture can reduce
gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) and coccidia (Eimeria spp.) infection in
sheep and goats, but effects on nutritional status are unclear. Therefore, a study was completed
comparing yearling goats grazing grass pasture supplemented with SL or non-condensed tannins (CT) commercial pellets (control group),
respectively, at 1.5% of body
weight for 14 weeks, and then after 14 weeks, they were only fed with non-CT pellets at
2.5% of body weight for additional six weeks. Animal body weight
was measured at the start of the trial, the 7th week, 14th week and end of the trial. Fecal samples were
taken weekly to determine GIN egg output (fecal egg count; FEC) and coccidial oocyst production
(fecal oocyst count; FOC). Blood samples
(to determine packed cell volume; PCV) were taken weekly to monitor anemia
status of the goats, and on days 0, 98 and 137 to determine aspartate
aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and creatine kinase
(CK). The study revealed
that supplemental SL leaf meal pellets
had no effect on FEC, but reduced FOC (P < 0.05) and
improved FAMACHA© scores (P < 0.001) in the goats,
and the SL supplemented goats
tended to gain more weight (P = 0.07) than control animals during the first 49 d, following initiation of pellet feeding. There were no treatment effects on enzymes related to liver function or
muscle turnover (AST, ALT and CK), suggesting that there was no muscle damage
due to long-term feeding of SL pellets. In conclusion, feeding supplemental SL pellets at 1.5% of body
weight on pasture may be a viable strategy for improving health and
productivity of yearling goats.
KEYWORDS
Coccidia, gastrointestinal
nematodes, goats, micronutrient, sericea lespedeza.
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