The effect of cottonseed supplementation and helminthosis on some biochemical and reproductive traits in djallonke sheep

Eight experiments were conducted to study the effect of cottonseed supplementation and helminthosis on some biochemical and reproductive traits in Djallonké sheep in the semi-arid zone of Ghana. In each experiment, five ewes per group ‘were assigned to each of four treatments designated as Ti, T2 T3 and T4. T1---Ewes were dewormed and the diet of each supplemented with 200g of raw cottonseed; T2—Ewes were not dewormed but the diet of each was supplemented with 200g of raw cottonseed; T3—Ewes were dewormed but non-supplemented and T4-—Ewes were neither dewormed nor supplemented. All the animals on supplementation were fed in the morning and released to graze at pasture. Experiments 1-4 were conducted in the rainy season while experiments 5-8 were done in the dry season to study the effects of cottonseed supplementation and helminthosis on some biochemical and reproductive traits in Djallonké sheep and the performance of their pre-weaned lambs. In the dry season experiments ewes in their first month of pregnancy were used to study the effect of the treatments on their pregnancy. Experiment 2 involved nursing ewes that were selected on the day of parturition to determine their postpartum anoestrous duration in the rainy and dry seasons. The third experiment studied the effect of the treatments on the reproductive traits of gimmers selected at weaning during the rainy and dry seasons. Experiment 4 studied how the treatment effect on ewes influenced lamb pre-weaning performance of the pregnant ewes The parameters measured included feed intake, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, total protein, progesterone, urea, potassium, glutamic oxalotransaminase, cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, helminth profile, the length of the postpartum anoestrous period, oestrous cycle length, age and weight at first mating, birth and weaning weights, pre-colostral haemoglobin, One month old haemoglobin, precolostral packed cell volume, one month old packed cell volume, pre-colostral total protein and one month old total protein were also measured. In experiment 1 (rainy season), the major helminths encountered included Haemonchus contortus (29.2%); Trichostrongylus colubriformis (25.2%); Oesophagostomum columbianum (17.8%); Ostertagia circumcinta. (14.4%), and Cooperia curtcei (2.8%). Both supplementation and deworming gave better (P<0.001) haemoglobin, packed cell volume, and total protein values in the pregnant ewes. The glutamic oxalotransaminase, alkaline phosphatase, potassium and urea levels were significantly raised (P<0.001) with supplementation and deworming. Deworming raised the level of cholesterol significantly (P<0.001) but not so in the case of supplementation. There was interaction effect between supplementation and deworming on urea (P<0.001), potassium (P<0.05) and cholesterol (P<0.05) levels while supplementation improved (P<0.001) parturition weight of the pregnant ewes, deworming did not. Mean live weight, dry matter intake metabolic size and metabolic intake did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between dewormed and non-dewormed ewes fed raw cottonseed During the dry season, the most prevalent helminths in pregnant ewes included Trichostrongylus colubrformis (37.6%), Oesophagostomum columbianum (17.8%), Ostatagia circumcinta (17.4%), Haemonchus contortus (12.2%) and S. papillosus (10.6%). Both supplementation and deworming gave better (P<0.001) Hb, PCV, and TP values. The GOT, K, and urea levels were raised (P<0.001) with supplementation and deworming. However CHOL and ALK levels were higher (P<0.001) with deworming but not affected significantly (P>0.05) with supplementation. Mean live-weight was similar for both dewormed and nondewormed pregnant ewes fed raw cottonseed. Ewes dewormed gave higher (P<0.001) dry matter intakes. During the rainy season study in experiment 2, the major helminths encountered in postpartum ewes included H contortus (26.7%); T colubriformis (24.7%); O circumcinta. (22.1%). and O. columbianum (9.9%). Both supplementation and deworming gave higher (P<0.001) Hb, and PCV, values in the postpartum ewes. Deworming did not significantly (P>0.05) affect TP levels. The GOT, ALK, CHOL and Urea levels were significantly raised (P<0.001) with deworming. Supplementation also raised the levels of ALK significantly (P<0.001) but not so in the case of CHOL, Urea and GOT levels. The only interaction effect between deworming and supplementation occurred with urea levels. Mean live weight, dry matter intakes and metabolic size did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between dewormed and non-dewormed post partum ewes fed raw cottonseed During the dry season, the prevalent helminths in postpartum ewes were H contortus (29.2%), T. colubrformis (25.2%), 0. columbianum (17.8%), 0. circumcinta (14.4%), and S. papillosus (6.2%). Both supplementation and deworming gave higher (P<0.0O1) ALK, Hb, and PCV, values. TP Urea and CHOL levels were significantly (P<O.001) affected with deworming but not supplementation (P>0.05). The K levels were raised (P<0.05) with supplementation but not deworming. There was interaction effect on Hb, PCV, urea and ALK levels between supplementation and deworming. Mean liveweight and metabolic size were similar (P>0.05) for both dewonned and non-dewormed post partum ewes fed raw cottonseed: Ewes dewormed gave higher (P<0.001) dry matter and metabolic intake values. In experiment 3, during the rainy season, the major helminths encountered in gimmers included H. contortus (39.0%); T colubrformis (22.0%); 0. columbianurn (15.6%) and 0. circumcinta (15.4%). Feed supplementation and deworming showed higher (P<0.001) PCV and TP values in the gimmers. Supplementation had no significant (P>0.05) effect on conception weight, K, urea and CHOL levels. There was significant (P<0.05) effect of interaction between supplementation and deworming on levels of GOT and urea. Mean live weight, dry matter intakes, metabolic size did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between dewormed and non-dewormed gimmers fed raw cottonseed. During the dry season study on gimmers in experiment 7, the most prevalent helniinths included H contortus (29.2%) 2”. colubrformjs (25.2%), 0. columbianum (17.8%), 0. circumcjnta (14.4%), and S. papillosus (6.2%). Both supplementation and deworming gave higher (P<0.001) ALK, Hb, and PCV, values. TP Urea and CHOL levels were significantly (P<0.00l) affected with deworming but not supplementation (P>0.05). The K levels were raised (P<0.05) with supplementation but not deworming. There was interaction effect on Hb, PCV, urea and ALK levels between supplementation and deworming. Mean live- weight and metabolic size were similar (P>0.05) for both dewormed and nondewormed gimmers fed raw cottonseed. Gimmers dewormed gave higher (P<0.00I) dry matter intakes than the non-dewormed. In the rainy season study in experiment 4 on lambs, birth weights were heavier (P<0.05) than in the dry season. Rainy season lamb birthweights were 1.7 ± 0.26 kg; weaning weight was 9.83+0.21kg; pre-colostral PCV, Hb and TP were 30.4±1.31%; 10.95±0.68g/dl and 6.98g/dl respectively while one-month-old PCV, Hb and TP were 24.05±0.96%, 10.28±0.39g1d1, and 6.930.22gfdl respectively. In experiment 8 to determine the effect of ewe worm load and cottonseed supplementation on pre-weaning performance of Djallonké lambs during the dry season, the average birth weight was 1.65±0.20 kg; lamb-weaning weight was 9.58±0.49kg. Pre-colostral PCV, Hb and TP were higher (P<0.05) in lambs from Ti than T3. Deworming significantly increased (P<0.05) PCV, Hb and TP levels. Both deworming and feed supplementation decreased (P<0.05) gluteraldehyde agglutination times in the lambs. Gluteraldehyde agglutination times were shorter (P<0.05) during the dry season than the rainy season. This study generally showed that cottonseed supplementation with deworming improved the performance of pregnant ewes, postpartum ewes, gimmers and the lambs of treated pregnant ewes. There were also significant (P<0.05) improvements in the biochemical parameters of non-supplemented non-dewormed sheep compared with the non-dewormed non-supplemented sheep in the northern zone of Ghana.

Source: KNUST