Source: Sims Brothers, Inc. submitted to
PELLETED SERICEA LESPEDEZA DIET FOR CONTROL OF INTERNAL PARASITES AND PATHOGENS IN GOATS AND SHEEP
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
SMALL BUSINESS GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0221860
Grant No.
2010-33610-20822
Project No.
ALAK-2010-00571
Proposal No.
2010-00571
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
8.3
Project Start Date
Jun 15, 2010
Project End Date
Feb 14, 2011
Grant Year
2010
Project Director
Sims, T.
Recipient Organization
Sims Brothers, Inc.
3924 County Road 87
Union Springs,AL 36089
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Internal parasites are the greatest health and production challenge for sheep and goats in southeastern states and others during warm, humid conditions (including Northeastern, Midwestern and irrigated pastures in Western US). Haemonchus contortus or barber pole worm thrives in warm, humid climates and is a voracious blood feeder that can cause anemia and death to the animal if left untreated. Dewormer resistance has left many producers without any chemical control of worms, which was heavily relied on in the past. Published studies reported that consumption of sericea lespedeza (or Chinese bush clover), a condensed tannin rich forage, has offered control of parasites in sheep and goats. Feeding of condensed tannins may reduce gut pathogens, which would lead to safer meat products. The objectives of this project are to determine the effectiveness of a sericea lespedeza pellet processed by the Sims Brothers, Inc. as an aid in controlling internal parasites in lambs and goat kids and the effect on food safety in lambs. To examine the effect of the pelleted sericea lespedeza on controlling worms, lambs and kids will be fed a proprietary sericea lespedeza pellet or a comparable bermudagrass based pellet as a control from weaning until market weight. Measures of worm infection and growth of the animals will be measured throughout the study. The number of times an animal required deworming (selective deworming based on anemia will be used) will be recorded and economics will be considered. The second study will determine whether bacteria in the gut can be reduced by feeding the sericea lespedeza pellets compared to the bermudagrass control to lambs. Level of bacteria in the feces will be measured. Lambs will be slaughtered seven days after oral introduction of the bacteria and gut contents and tissues will be collected to determine food safety. If successful, this project has the potential to increase sustainability and profitability of sheep and goat producers that have no effective chemical dewormers and provide a product for feedlots or pre-slaughter animals to decrease harmful bacteria on the processed carcass increasing food safety of meat products.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3133820111050%
3133610111050%
Knowledge Area
313 - Internal Parasites in Animals;

Subject Of Investigation
3820 - Goats, meat, and mohair; 3610 - Sheep, live animal;

Field Of Science
1110 - Parasitology;
Goals / Objectives
1. Determine effectiveness as a dewormer and palatability of sericea lespedeza leaf meal from first, second and third cutting incorporated into a 16% crude protein pellet for kids and lambs. Because the sericea lespedeza pellets are made from leaf meal and balanced for crude protein, it is expected that palatability will be similar among cuttings and may be similar to the bermudagrass pellet because all include molasses to enhance palatability. It is expected that the pelleted diet will control parasites to a greater extent than the control diet. 2. Determine whether the sericea lespedeza leaf meal pelleted diet would decrease growth of pathogens in the gut of slaughter lambs. . It is expected that inclusion of the condensed tannins from the sericea lespedeza pellet will reduce fecal shedding and carcass contamination of E. coli.
Project Methods
Objective 1. The objective is to determine palatability of sericea leaf meal pellets from first, second, third cutting (may only get two cuttings if weather conditions not good; i.e., too much or too little rainfall) and effectiveness at controlling worms in lambs and kids from weaning until animals reach market weight. At the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Booneville, AR, weaned meat goat kids and lambs naturally infected with nematode parasites will graze grass pastures post-weaning (90 to 120 days of age; starting May/June 2010) and receive 2% of body weight per day of a 16% crude protein (dry matter basis) pellet containing 75% bermudagrass (control) or sericea lespedeza (Sims Brothers manufactured pellets from at least two different cuttings) hay and remaining ingredients (corn, soybean, molasses) to balance crude protein (n = 16/treatment on 2 reps or 4 plots per species). Amount of feed refused, if any, will be determined. Animals will be dewormed for anemia based on a packed cell volume ≤ 16% on an individual basis as needed. Fecal egg counts and blood packed cell volume will be determined weekly for 12 weeks, along with number of deworming/treatment by the end of the study. Body weights will be determined every 4 weeks. Fecal egg counts will be measured using modified McMaster's technique. Feces will be cultured for recovery of larvae and proportion of Haemonchus contortus. Objective 2. The objective is to determine whether E. coli shedding and infection in the gut of lambs can be reduced by feeding sericea lespedeza leaf meal before slaughter. Market weight lambs (n = 20) will be transported from USDA, ARS in Booneville, AR to Fort Valley State University facilities. Lambs will be housed indoors and acclimated to a diet of 16% alfalfa pellets (control) or the 16% sericea lespedeza leaf meal pellets (n = 10/treatment) at 3.5% body weight for seven days. Lambs then will be individually inoculated with 10 ml of tryptic soy broth containing E. coli O157:H7. Fecal samples will be collected daily for seven days to determine fecal shedding of pathogens. Lambs will be slaughtered seven days after E. coli inoculation and intestinal contents and tissues from ileum, cecum, and rectum will be collected for quantification of E. coli. Bacterial culture and enumeration will be determined. Data for both studies will be analyzed using SAS (1996) using a mixed procedures program with repeated measures for FEC, PCV, body weight and fecal shedding collected over time. Data will be analyzed by Dr. Burke and interpretations will be included in a technical and producer-friendly manuscript for dissemination. The project will be evaluated by other scientists and veterinarians in the Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (www.scsrpc.org). There has been a large demand from sheep, goat, llama, and alpaca producers for pelleted sericea lespedeza. This project is expected to have a large impact on these producers that are searching for methods to control internal parasites in their animals.

Progress 06/15/10 to 02/14/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Four experiments were conducted and analyzed at USDA, Agricultural Research Service in Booneville, Arkansas and at Fort Valley State University. Three of these studies involved feeding pelleted sericea lespedeza to goats or sheep for parasite control and a fourth to examine the effect of sericea lespedeza on gut pathogens in sheep. Installation was ongoing in the construction of a pellet mill system by Sims Brothers, Inc., a producer of sericea lespedeza, to manufacture dried sericea lespedeza material into pellet form to serve small ruminant farmers and ranchers as well as researchers. Sims Brothers provides information on the growing, harvesting and storing of sericea lespedeza and promotes the use of sericea lespedeza for parasite control. The project fostered collaboration among Sims Brothers, Inc., USDA, ARS, Fort Valley State University, Louisiana State University, Auburn University, and North Carolina A&T State University. Methods for feeding a pelleted sericea lespedeza supplement to sheep and goats for parasite control were developed. PARTICIPANTS: PD/PI: Thomas H. Sims, President, Sims Brothers, Inc., Union Springs, AL-provided sericea lespedeza materials for scientific research; Co-PD/PI: Dr. Joan Burke, Animal Research Scientist,USDA Agricultural Research Service, Booneville, AR - research; Consultant: Dr. Jorge Mosjidis, Agronomist, Auburn University, Auburn, AL - consultant to Sims and Burke ; Partners (research): Dr. Thomas Terrill, Research Scientist, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA; Dr. James Miller, Veterinary Scientist, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA; Dr. Niki Whitley, Animal Scientist Specialist, North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro, NC TARGET AUDIENCES: Sheep and goat producers in southern, Midwestern, and eastern U.S. May also apply to llama and alpaca producers. Educators, veterinarians, specialists, and extension agents working with sheep and goat producers. Members of the Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control will present the information learned from this project to sheep and goat producers at workshops, field days, and scientific meetings. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
A pelleted sericea lespedeza diet for control of internal parasites in grazing goats. A pelleted sericea lespedeza supplement was formulated and processed in collaboration with Sims Brothers, Inc. Scientists at USDA, Agricultural Research Service in Booneville, AR, Fort Valley State University, GA, Louisiana State University, Auburn University, and North Carolina A&T State University determined that when goats were supplemented with sericea lespedeza leaf meal pellets on pasture, the supplement was highly palatable and there is adequate control of Haemonchus contortus or barber pole worm, a blood-sucking gastrointestinal nematode. This was evidenced by a reduction in fecal egg counts, in the proportion of cultured H. contortus, the level of anemia, and the incidence of deworming compared with goats fed a control supplement. The need for purchased chemical anthelmintics was less with this new technology; this will result in lower chemical residues in meat products. Level of adoption of sericea lespedeza pellets by producers is anticipated to be large based on surveys, emails, and direct communication. A pelleted sericea lespedeza diet for control of internal parasites in ewes and lambs. A pelleted sericea lespedeza supplement was formulated and processed in collaboration with Sims Brothers, Inc. Scientists at USDA, Agricultural Research Service in Booneville, AR, Fort Valley State University, GA, Louisiana State University, and Auburn University determined that when lactating ewes were supplemented with sericea lespedeza leaf meal pellets while grazing grass pastures, infection level of their offspring was lower than offspring from ewes fed a control supplement. This was evidenced by lower fecal egg counts and reduced anemia before and at the time of weaning (120 days of age). Incidence of coccidia infection in lambs may have been reduced in lambs that were supplemented with sericea lespedeza pellets post-weaning. This finding could greatly enhance the level of adoption of this technology for parasite control in sheep and could reduce the level of chemical residues in meat due to reduced use of anthelmintics. Peer reviewed publications on these experiments are in progress.

Publications

  • Gujja, S., T.H. Terrill, J.A. Mosjidis, J.E. Miller, A. Mechineni, D.S. Kommuru, and J.M. Burke. 2011. Effect of supplemental sericea lespedeza leaf meal pellets on gastrointestinal nematode infection in grazing goats. Association of Research Directors, Incorporated 16th Biennial Research Symposium, April 9-13, 2011, Atlanta, GA (Abstract).
  • Whitley, N.C., Terrill, T.H., Miller, J.E., Burke, J.M., Moulton, K., Townsend, L., Horton, J.R., French, J., Cooper, A.K. Effect of sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) leaf meal pellets fed to gastrointestinal nematode infected goats. National American Society of Animal Science, July 10-14, 2011, New Orleans, LA.