Influence of litter size at birth and weaning on the proportion of Pelibuey ewes treated with an anthelmintic in a targeted selective scheme in the hot humid tropics

Publication date: March 2020Source: Small Ruminant Research, Volume 184Author(s): A.M. Aguirre-Serrano, N.F. Ojeda-Robertos, R. González-Garduño, J.A. Peralta-Torres, C. Luna-Palomera, J.F.J. Torres-AcostaAbstractThe present study described the effect of litter size at birth and weaning on the frequency of AH treatments of Pelibuey ewes in a targeted selective treatment (TST) scheme under hot humid tropical conditions. It also compared the time (days) elapsed from parturition to the moment when 50 % of ewes in each litter size category received an AH treatment. A prospective observational study was performed during six months of the rainy season (June to December 2016). Ninety-one pregnant Pelibuey ewes were gradually included in the study from lambing day until 75 days postpartum. Litter size and lambs’ weight at birth and weaning were recorded for each dam, as well as lamb mortality. At parturition and every 15 days each dam’s body condition score (BCS), hematocrit (HT) and faecal egg counts (FEC) of GIN was recorded. On those same dates, ewes with BCS < 2 or HT < 20 % and FEC > 1000 eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) were treated with an AH (Levamisol 12 %, 7.5 mg/kg BW), and those treatment events were recorded. Contingency tables were used to analyze the association between the frequency of treatments and litter size at birth or weaning. Respective Kaplan-Meyer tests compared the time (days) elapsed from parturition to the day when 50 % of the ewes...

Source: Small Ruminant Research - February 14, 2020 Category: Zoology Source Type: research