Anthelmintic efficacy of pelleted cranberry leaf powder against experimental Haemonchus contortus infection in lambs

View the project final report

• 2014 annual report
• 2015 annual report

Commodities

• Fruits: berries (cranberries)
• Animals: goats, sheep

Practices

• Animal Production: parasite control
• Education and Training: extension
• Production Systems: organic agriculture

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections are a major health concern for small ruminant producers in the Northeast. Anthelmintic resistance can be seen in all species of gastrointestinal nematodes. In the search for alternative methods of GIN control in small ruminants, one of the most promising findings has been the discovery that some forages containing condensed tannins, also called proanthocyanidins (PAC), suppress GIN infection. This study will be to investigate the anthelmintic efficacy of cranberry leaf powder (CLP) additive in grain against an experimental infection of H. contortus in lambs. The anthelmintic effect of CLP on H. contortus will be tested in vivo. Cranberry leaf will be obtained from local cranberry producers after the fall harvest. The cranberry leaf will be dried and incorporated into a pelleted grain supplement at 0, 100, 200 or 400 grams of dried cranberry leaf powder per 0.91 kg of pellet. The control and cranberry leaf pellets will be fed to lambs (n=7 lambs per group). This addition of CLP into a grain as feed will potentially provide a viable alternative for producers to use to control their small ruminant GIN infections. The product developed by this study can be used on organic farms, providing a natural alternative to chemical dewormers. Results will be shared with producers through extension factsheets, scientific meetings and our small ruminant website.

The objective of this project is to determine whether cranberry leaf powder, incorporated into a concentrated feed pellet, will be an effective dewormer for young lambs experimentally infected with the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus. If successful, pelleted cranberry leaf powder may be a tool that small ruminant producers can use as a natural alternative to chemical dewormers for gastrointestinal parasites.

The specific objectives of this study are:

1) To develop a grain supplement containing varying concentrations of cranberry leaf powder that lambs will readily consume.

2) To determine the anti-parasitic potential of varying concentrations of cranberry leaf powder provided daily, through a grain supplement, to lambs experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus.