Comparison of two methods for the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in lambs and ewes

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the control of nematode gastrintestinal on ovine meat breeds in Voisin pasturing system during one grazing year. The experiment was carried out at the Research Center Farm of the Passo Fundo University during the period of June 2005 to July 2006. The animals were kept in 85 pasture blocks with 810 square meters each. In the experiment 42 ewe hoggets and 42 Suffolk, Ile de France purebreed and crosses ewes were subdivided in four groups composed of 21 animals each. The groups had been assigned as G1 (traditional sheep), G2 (traditional young ewes) both treated every 60 days with Levamisole; the groups G3 (Famacha® sheep) and G4 (Famacha® young ewes) were evaluated by the Famacha® method. The following variables were evaluated: live weight and worm egg counts (EPG). In relation to the live weights it was proven that it did not have statistics difference (P>0,05) between ewe hoggets and adult sheep of the traditional groups when compared with the ones of the Famacha® method. Differences in EPG counts during of the year in the ewe hoggets were found it had a significant reduction in the frequency of treatments for the Famacha® method when compared with the traditional method, of 90,39% for ewe hoggets and 90.93% for the sheep, becoming this method a viable alternative.