Effect Of Feeding 'Serala' Sericea Lespedeza Hay On Indicators Of Gastrointestinal Parasitism In Goats

Abstract Thirty-eight intact Spanish male goats 5–6 months old and 26.1 ± 0.16 kg BW were used in a 7-week trial to investigate effects of Serala sericea lespedeza (SER; Lespedeza cuneata) on gastrointestinal parasitism. Naturally-infected goats were individually housed in 1.5x1.5 m pens. Treatments consisted of SER hay (n = 13), and bermudagrass hay without (n = 13; CON) or with anthelminitic treatment (n = 12; CDW). A corn-soybean meal-based supplement ensured isonitrogenous (18%), isocaloric diets. Diets were fed to 10% orts. Treatments were assigned for similar initial FEC and BW. At the start of the study and weekly thereafter, fecal and blood samples were collected for determination of fecal egg counts (FEC) and coccidia oocyst counts (FOC) via the modified McMaster’s technique (eggs or oocysts per gram feces; epg or opg) and percentage packed red blood cell volume (PCV) via microhematocrit centrifugation. Data were analyzed using MIXED procedures of SAS for repeated measures. The FEC and PCV were impacted by a treatment by day interaction (P < 0.0001) in which, compared to day 0, FEC was lower and PCV was higher for each weekly sample for CDW (P < 0.003; ranges: FEC: 315 ±332 epg to 573±332 epg, PCV: 17.5±1.2% to 27.8±1.2%). For CON, FEC were only lower (P < 0.0008) on week 7 (day 0 2630±327 epg vs 1015±332 epg week 7) while PCV was higher on week 5 through 7 for CON (range PCV 18.4 ± 1.2% to 23.6 ± 1.2%). For SER, FEC were lower at week 4 (P < 0.02; 1413±320 epg) and 7 (P < 0.0001; 884±320 epg) compared to day 0 (2688±329 epg) while PCV was higher for each weekly sample for SER (P < 0.04; PCV: 18.0±1.2% to 25.7±1.2%). Overall, there were no effects of SER on FEC and FOC, but PCV was improved.