Increasing Sustainability of Goats Production through Management of Gastrointestinal Nematodes

Increasing Sustainability of Goats Production through Management of Gastrointestinal Nematodes

Summary

This project was set out to identify cost effective way of raising goats using alternative means of deworming other than high cost antihelmintic method. Pine bark was an alternative used in the research to accomplish this purpose. The project site was designed and samples were collected and other project activities carried out on 20 goats, 10 of which were on pine bark and the other ten without pine bark. Pine barks was mixed with supplemental feed and fed to 10 goats.

Goats like other livestock ate selectively. This was observed during the project monitoring and animal care period. Goats ate the supplemental feed before the pine bark. Goats ate more of pine bark when they were constraint in the small area and had little or no forage to eat. On the other hand, the FAMACHA system value showed good conditions (pink eye) for the goats on pine bark.

Generally in the first six months, there were no differences observed between the two sets of goats. On the other hand, in the last six months, a total of 5 goats without pine bark were dewormed; 2 in October and 3 in November of 2014. The goats dewormed had poor body condition and pale eye color. In addition, those goats had a running stole. Initial results showed that pine bark could be a potential dewormer.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The objective of the project was to identify production cost reduction and increase productivity of goats when pine bark is used as an alternative integrated approach to control gastrointestinal nematodes in goats and reduce parasite resistance to anthelmintics.

Accomplishments/Milestones

The project involved goat production mainly a woodland grazing/browsing type of operation. Animal used for the studies were cross breed of Kinkos and Spanish. Vegetation included a pine plantation, natural mix hardwood, pine and brush. Open pasture spots for pasture grazing were improved with winter and summer forages in 2014. Site preparations include designing the site for the experiment to set the feeding area for the goats on pine bark, amending the soils according to soil test results and recommendations, improving forage availability and obtaining necessary materials and supplies for the study. A total of 20 goats were used for the study, 10 goats were feed with pine bark and 10 were without pine bark, otherwise they had the same forage to graze and browsed.

Some activities carried out included using FAMACHA system, fecal egg count and blood analyses, body condition scoring, weighing goats and keeping record. Different personnel involved in the projects were those in charge of plant and fecal sample collection, monitoring goats, deworming when necessary, feeding pine bark to goats, sample analyse, project coordinator and collaborators. Samples were collected every six months or as dictated by FAMACHA system. Goats were only dewormed based on FAMACHA, blood and fecal sample analysis.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

FAMACHA system identified goats that are in need of anthelmintic or have an anaemic condition. Goats were treated when eye color was in categories 4 and 5 with effective anthelmintic. No cull animals with heavy worm load were detected with the herd. This probably was due to the fact that the goats had a lot of browse on the site and did not graze a lot on grasses, where they could possibly pick up worms. Paleness or redness of the eyes did not correlated with the fecal egg count and blood analysis.

Results from goats feed with pine bark were compared with those without pine bark in their feed. In the first six months, there were no differences observed between the two sets of goats, but later on, a total of 5 goats without pine bark were dewormed; 2 in October and 3 in November of 2014. This happened during the months of forage scarcity. The goats dewormed had poor body condition and pale eye color. In addition, those goats had a running stole. Initial results showed that pine bark could be a potential dewormer.