Oregano oil for internal parasite control in sheep, goats, and beef cattle

Internal parasite infestation is a major problem for many livestock farms. Primarily, it impacts farm economics by reducing the growth rates and weight gains for young animals. Coccidia (Eimeria spp) one type of internal parasite, are intracellular parasites. There are many species of coccidia. They are species specific in their infestation but more than one species of coccidia affects each livestock species. Good management including frequent rotation of lamb pastures and not allowing weaned animals to be grazed where adult animals have been for a least a year will help control parasite and coccidial oocyst infestation in young stock. But many small livestock producers are not able to practice the most effective management methods because of a reduced land base. Another limiting factor for farmers with small herds or flocks is that each animal becomes more precious, often becoming a pet. The occurrence of coccidiosis in these management systems becomes so predictable, that coccidiostats are administered prophylactically. Parasitism is a major limiting factor for farmers who would like to become certified organic to receive that additional income from the sale of their livestock. These farmers with small limiting systems would benefit from a certifiable method of coccidiosis control. Regano is an oregano oil based product that has been tested in Italy on adult meat goats and beef cows as a coccidiostat. The studies are titled: Efficiency of Oregano Essential Oil in Coccidiosis Control of Chronically Infected Goats, Baricco G.1, Rambozzi L.2, Birolo M.2, Menzano A.2, Rossi L.21 Veterinarian practitioner2, Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemilogia ed Ecologia, University of Torino, Italy and Observations on a Test of Year-Old Calves with Regano® Carried Out from the Lombardic Consortium Veneto with the Supervision of the University of Milan, Italy. Adapted from a Report Written by Giuseppe Baricco, March 30, 2006. In these initial studies Regano has been shown to be effective at reducing the coccidia load for the test animals in the studies. I would like to test the product on four farms: one beef, one Boer goat and two sheep farms. One is milking sheep and the other Kathadins and Suffolks, both being raised for meat. The tests at each farm will be done on the young stock since those are the animals most seriously affected. This product can be used prophylactically so it will be practical on small livestock operations with the limitations mentioned in the previous section. I am hoping to achieve an additional goal with this study. Since fecal tests are being done, we will be able to see if the treatment affects the levels of any other internal parasites. If there is any possibility that this product affects the survival of other internal parasites, it will be even more valuable. It would be very useful for these small farmers to have a product that would have multiple uses in reducing the livestock’s internal parasite infestation. The use of this product can improve the sustainability of the livestock farms using it. They will be able to have a product that improves the animal’s production levels and the farms profitability. This can be done without the use of a chemical that will promote resistance to the drug. It also limits the farmers’ market. They cannot sell to either the natural or organic markets.