The present study was performed to evaluate the in vivo efficiency of Curcurbita pepo (pumpkin) seeds, Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) essential oil and Plantago lanceolata (ripleaf) leaves against helminth infections in laying hens. In the first experiment, 75 Lohmann LSL Classic hens naturally infected with Ascaridia galli were assigned to groups of five; groups were randomly assigned to one of three treatments with five replicates each (untreated control; lemongrass oil: 1 g/bird/day; pumpkin seeds: 10 g/bird/day). Feed consumption and egg production were continuously recorded, individual faecal egg counts were determined weekly, and E. coli and Lactobacillus spp. three times during the experimental period of 29 days. After slaughter, intestinal worms were counted and sexed. Pumpkin improved feed conversion as compared to the control ( p = 0.008) and to lemongrass ( p = 0.021); no treatment effect on any other parameter was found. In the second experiment, 75 LSL pullets were artificially infected with 3 × 200 A. galli eggs, randomly divided into groups of five and assigned to one of three treatments (untreated control, lemongrass oil: 1 g/bird/day; ripleaf: 5% of ration). After 109 days of sampling as described above, hens were slaughtered and worm burdens determined. Performance of the animals did not change regardless of the treatment and none of the treatments resulted in changes of the microbiological and parasitological parameters. In conclusion, with the exception of improved feed conversion in the pumpkin group, no positive nor negative effects of the additives on performance, parasitological and microbiological parameters of naturally and artificially A. galli infected laying hens were observed.

A case study was conducted with the objective to determine the effects of the tanniferous legume sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) on protein utilisation of dairy cows, which were exposed to excessive dietary crude protein during autumn pasture grazing in a zero-concentrate feeding system. The study was conducted under practical conditions, deliberately accepting a certain lack of controllable variables. In order to assess a system applicable in practice, relatively small amounts of sainfoin were offered, and graded supply levels were compared by varying the duration of offer instead of dietary concentration. Within one dairy herd of 60 Swiss Fleckvieh cows, 30 individuals were chosen and randomly allocated to three groups balanced for milk yield, milk urea concentration, days in milk and parity. Over a period of 5 weeks, 2 kg per cow and day of sainfoin pellets were provided either intermittently, for 2 x 5 days (SST) in weeks 3 and 5 of the experiment or continuously over 35 days (SLT). A control group (CON) received 2 kg per cow and day of ryegrass pellets during the 5 weeks. The entire herd grazed on a protein-rich natural sward and was kept overnight in an open-space barn receiving fresh grass and hay ad libitum. Experimental pellets were offered individually twice per day in buckets. Feed, milk, faeces and urine samples were collected in weeks 0 (baseline), 3 and 5. Milk was analysed for fat, protein and urea, urine for purine derivatives, creatinine and nitrogen, and faeces for protein, fibre and particle fractions. During three sampling weeks, chewing activity was recorded by sensor halters. Treatment SST increased rumination time in the first half of the day, which was the only treatment effect on intake and rumination behaviour. Milk fat and protein yields were greater in SST compared to CON, but no treatment effect on concentration and yield of milk urea was found. The proportion of particle fractions in faeces was smaller in both sainfoin treatments compared to CON. In urine, the ratio of purine derivatives to creatinine tended to be higher in SST than in CON, and total urinary nitrogen excretion was lower, indicating a slightly better protein efficiency in SST. In summary, the study revealed small positive effects on protein metabolism and yield when sainfoin was applied short-term over two short periods, whereas long-term application had no effect.

1. Ascarids (Ascaridia galliandHeterakisspp.) are highly prevalent in free-range laying hens. Ascarid eggs survive for long periods in soil, and one preventive measure is to add litter material to areas close to the henhouse. In this study, recovery rates of ascarid eggs from three common litter materials, namely pea gravel, beech (Fagus sylvatica) and spruce (Picea abies) wood chips were compared to recovery rates from soil. 2. Materials were mixed with faeces containing 1,408 ascarid eggs per g of faeces, placed in plastic fruit boxes and exposed to natural weather conditions in a randomised block design with six replicates per treatment. 3. Numbers of ascarid eggs were quantified at 28 time points over 3.5 years. Ascarid eggs were recovered for over three years from all materials and completely disappeared during the fourth winter of exposure. Time needed to get to a 50% reduction in ascarid eggs did not differ between litter materials and soil (242 to 269 days). A 99% reduction was reached significantly (P < 0.001) earlier in pea gravel (548 days) than in the three other materials, and earlier in the two wood chips (day 682 for beech, day 692 for spruce, P < 0.05) than in soil (1,277 days). 4. Accumulation of ascarid eggs in the area close to the henhouse can be reduced by any of the tested litter materials compared to bare soil. Adding litter to this area is highly recommended for free-range layer farmers in order to reduce numbers of infective ascarid eggs.

Condensed tannins of the legume sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) are frequently associated with beneficial effects when offered as feed to ruminants. We hypothesised that offering sainfoin to dairy goats may improve the ruminal protein-efficiency indicated by lower urea and higher protein yields in goat milk and as well may lower nematode egg extcretion (EPG). Over a period of 7 weeks, in total 20 alpine goats were fed with 700g sainfoin (n=10) or 700g (n=10) alfalfa pellets daily. Milk protein and urea yield as well as EPG were measured regularly on individual basis. All animals were kept in one group, except for milking and pellet feeding and had access to pasture for approx. 5 hours daily. Intake from pasture or ad libitum offered hay was not determined. The concentration of condensed tannins in sainfoin and alfalfa was 4% and 0.3%, respectively. Crude protein content was 18.2% for sainfoin and 20.1% for alfalfa (corrected for 100% dry matter). Repeated measurement analysis could not reveal significant differences (p=0.148) of the EPG between groups, even though arithmetic mean of EPG in the sainfoin group was 18% lower compared to the control group. Also the total daily milk protein (p=0.700) and total daily urea milk content (p=0.410) per animal did not differ between treatments. Other studies often report a reduced nematode egg excretion if sainfoin was administered ad libitum. As a dose dependent effect for condensed tannins is assumed, the total amount of condensed tannins in our trial might have been too low to provoke any effect.

The leaflet provides an overview of the most important endoparasite which affect chickens, ways to avoid outbreaks, and how to diagnose, and safely treat your animals for endoparasites while preventing the creation of resistance. Regulations according to BioSuisse for deworming treatments are also provided. This short leaflet is aimed at Swiss organic farmers and farm advisors but is also relevant across Europe.

Aim of this study was to test the influence of feeding strategy on faecal particle size distribution as indicator of fibre digestion under on-farm conditions. Seventy-six cows from 11 farms, located in Switzerland and southern Germany were included. Cows were monitored up to eight times during one full lactation. All valid individual test days resulted in a total of 347 datasets. Milk yield and composition were recorded. Diet composition was described in a binary yes/noindication for the presence or non-presence of different roughage components (fresh grass, grass silage, hay, maize silage and straw) and the exact amount of concentrates. Faecal samples were taken at each test day and sieved with a set of four wire‐mesh screens with pore sizes of 4mm, 2mm, 1mm, and 0.3mm under running tap water. Dry matter proportions were calculated. The inclusion of maize silage and an increasing level of concentrates significantly increased the presence of faecal particles in the sieves. Maize silage increased the larger particles, while concentrates enhanced the smaller particle fractions. No effect of fresh grass and grass silage was found. Based on the results, the faecal particle fractions appear to be a practicable tool to predict influences of feeding systems on fibre utilization in dairy cows.

Previous research has demonstrated the potential of tanniniferous feed sources to reduce the faecal egg count (FEC) of sheep and lambs infected with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). The present study investigates the use of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia, cv. Perly) and faba bean seeds (Vicia faba, cv. Scirocco), either as single condensed tannin sources or in combination, to reduce the periparturient rise in the faecal egg count of GIN-infected ewes. Seventy-eight periparturient Red Engadine ewes (PP ewes) and fifteen ewes of the same breed in early gestation (EG ewes) were used for the study. All animals experienced an artificial infection with 1500 infectious larvae of Haemonchus contortus 33 days prior to lambing. For a feeding period of 25 days, PP ewes were allocated to four groups that were balanced with regard to FEC, number of foetuses and age. PP ewes were fed with either (i) a ryegrass-clover forage, C (n=21); (ii) a sainfoin forage, S (n=19); (iii) a combined condensed tannin feed consisting of sainfoin forage and faba bean pellets, SB (n=19); or (iv) faba bean pellets and ryegrass-clover forage, B (n=19). The diets of PP ewes were supplemented with commercial concentrates to balance the protein and energy intake between groups. EG ewes were used to determine the dimension of the periparturient rise in groups i–iv. During the 25 day feeding period, faecal sampling took place every third or fourth day. Individual FECs were expressed per gramme faecal dry matter (FECDM). Compared to the control group (C), the differences in FECDM over the entire feeding period were −54.7% (S), −40.0% (SB), +7.8% (B) and −41% (EG). A mixed model analysis revealed significant differences between the C and S groups (p<0.001) and between the C and SB groups (p<0.001) but revealed no difference between the C and B groups (p=0.766). The mean daily ingestion of condensed tannins in groups S, SB, and B per kg metabolic live weight was 3.50±0.91g, 3.61±0.89g and 0.43±0.06g, respectively. We conclude that condensed tannins originating from sainfoin prevented periparturient egg rise, whereas those from faba beans did not produce such an effect.

Forages rich in condensed tannins have repeatedly shown potential to reduce gastrointestinal nematode infection in sheep. Similarly, several breeds of sheep have shown a relative resistance to gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN). We hypothesised that additive or even synergic effects may arise from the combination of a relatively resistant breed and a diet rich in condensed tannins. In study I, 160 lambs of the native Red Engadine Sheep (RES) and 113 lambs of the Swiss White Alpine sheep (SWA) were artificially infected with GIN and subsequently grazed for 52 days. The lambs were then distributed to 2 groups for a 14-day experimental feeding period. One group received a diet with a proportion of 55% sainfoin and was compared to a control group on the basis of faecal egg counts (FEC). In study II, 25 RES and 27 SWA lambs grazed infectious pastures for 37 days and were subsequently fed for 13 consecutive days with approximately 100% sainfoin or control forage. In addition to the FEC determination at the start and the end of the experimental feeding, the 52 lambs in study II were slaughtered and necropsied to determine their worm burden. FEC at the end of the feeding period were significantly lower in sainfoin fed lambs compared to controls in study I (p<0.001) as well as in study II (p=0.012). Breed, animal age, live weight, sex and the interaction of breed and treatment did not affect FEC in either study. The main nematode genera found in the sacrificed lambs of study II were Haemonchus spp., Teladorsagia spp., Nematodirus spp. and Trichostrongylus spp. Overall, RES had a significantly lower Haemonchus spp. (p=0.035) and Trichostrongylus spp. (p=0.003) worm burden compared to SWA. Regardless of breed, sainfoin feeding significantly reduced Teladorsagia spp. (p=0.049) and Nematodirus spp. (p<0.001) worm burden. Although, we could not demonstrate additive or synergic effects when using an integrated breed×sainfoin approach, the finding that a proportion of only 55% sainfoin in the diet led to a lower FEC compared to controls is important with respect to the implementation on producing farms.

In Australia and New Zealand the formulation of breeding values for GIN resistance led to large selection programs in sheep successfully improving genetic resistance to GIN. Compared to sheep, the progress with respect to breeding for GIN resistance for various reasons has been much slower in goats. Data on heritabilities of potential auxiliary traits for selection and knowledge about their genetic correlation to production traits is limited. The present Swiss study was designed to fill this gap. A total of 1.500 goats (20 flocks) of the Alpine and Saanen breed were enrolled in the study. They were individually phenotyped twice for faecal egg count (FEC), FEC of Haemonchus (HCFEC; using fluorescin based differentiation of eggs), FAMACHA eye scores and packed cell volume (PCV) within the period from May to October 2012. After the first phenotype recording, GIN infections of all study animals were cleared with either Eprinomectin or Levamisole in order to assure recording of independent GIN populations. The efficacy of anthelmintic treatments was determined by faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs). Heritabilities of and genetic correlations between traits were estimated using mixed linear models with transformed FEC, FAMACHA, PCV and milk yield as dependent variables. Breed, season, sex, type of anthelmintic treatment, age, lactation number were considered fixed effects, whereas animal, classifier, herd and permanent environment were modelled as random effects. The heritability of FEC was around 0.08. Although the heritabilities of Famacha eye scores and PCV were 0.24 and 0.23, the genetic correlation of these traits with FEC was low. The genetic correlation between FEC and milk yield was low. Heritability of HCFEC was slightly smaller (0.05) compared to FEC but the genetic correlations were more pronounced: 0.22 for HCFEC and FAMACHA, -0.52 for HCFEC and PCV. However, we also found the genetic correlation between HCFEC and milk yield to be 0.62, which is a downside for the future implementation of a selection program for increased genetic resistance to GIN in goats. FECRTs revealed considerable resistance of GIN populations against Eprinomectine (30-95% efficacy) and a comparatively good efficacy of Levamisole (85-100% efficacy).

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are one of the most important problems affecting health and therefore performance and welfare in small ruminant husbandry. The control of these parasites in the past strongly relied on the repeated use of anthelmintic drugs. This has led to nematode populations which are resistant to most of the currently available anthelmintics. Furthermore customer's demands for organic and residue free animal products are increasing. The aforementioned problems have given a strong impetus for the development of new non-chemical strategies to control GIN. Previous research has pointed out the anthelmintic potential of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and other tanniferous (CT) feed sources in goats and lambs infected with GIN. A recent Swiss experiment focussed on the use of sainfoin and field bean (Vicia faba, cv. Scirocco) as single CT sources as well as in combination for additional synergic effects, to reduce periparturient GIN egg rise of ewes in late gestation and early lactation. Another experiment with Alpine goats concentrated on the influence of sainfoin on milk performance and cheese quality. The results of these experiments will be presented and discussed in connection with previous knowledge on (i) anthelmintic effects of sainfoin and (ii) the influence of sainfoin administration on performance.

Layer runs are often bare and loaded with nutrients and with infectious stages of helminths. Various management strategies are recommended in order to better distribute the hens in the run, thereby preventing local accumulation of droppings and related problems. However, little is known about the impact of those strategies.A series of on farm experiments has been performed in order to test the effects of flock size and of artificial structures on the dispersal of the hens in the run. Further studies evaluated the effects of mowing and run size as well as rotational use of runs on turf quality, nutrient load in the soil and on the infection of the hens with internal parasites.As a summary, introducing structures or applying a rotational management scheme improves run use and facilitates mowing, thus improving turf quality in the run in front of the henhouse. However, the expected reduction of helminth infections and nutrient accumulation has not been observed.

The aim of this field study was to investigate interactions between gastro-intestinal nematode (GIN) infection, milk performance and age in goats in order to identify animal groups with higher susceptibility to GIN. On 3 farms (farm A: n = 29, farm B: n = 33, farm C: n = 117 milking goats) fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) were performed in summer. All 179 milking goats were enrolled in FECRT and individual milk performance was recorded before and after FEC for FECRT. Furthermore, in early summer and autumn bulk fecal samples were cultured for every farm and GIN genera were determined.

The aim of this study carried out in 6 commercial layer houses was to examine the effect of litter management on water content, helminth egg count and litter infectiousness with the intestinal nematodes Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinarum, and Capillaria spp. Three types of litter management were established in each layer house in parallel: in compartment A, litter was left undisturbed, in compartment B, wet litter was replaced and in compartment C, new litter material was added weekly. Dry matter (DM) contents of the litter and parasitological parameters (helminth egg concentration in litter samples, faecal egg counts (FECs) in the permanent layer flocks, helminth prevalence and burdens in two series of tracer animals) were determined every 4 weeks during the first 32 weeks of one laying period. DM contents of the litter varied in a broad range (48–95%); 8 weeks after onset of the study, there were significant differences between sites (P<0.001) but not between management regimes. A. galli/H. gallinarum eggs were isolated from 91% of the litter samples, whereas eggs of Capillaria spp. were only extracted from 13% of the samples. Egg concentrations in litter remained at a similar level during the observation period. Neither management regime reduced helminth egg concentrations in the litter compared to the unmanaged regime. Laying hens started excreting helminth eggs 8 weeks after introduction to the layer house. In treatment C (litter added) FECs were lower than in the unmanaged treatment A in weeks 8 (P<0.0001), 20, and 28 (both P<0.1). There was no correlation between the concentration of helminth eggs in the litter and the FECs of the layer flocks. The prevalence of A. galli in tracer animals was lower (<10%) than the prevalences of H. gallinarum (68–80%) and Capillaria spp. (30–58%). Prevalences and H. gallinarum burdens did not differ significantly between management regimes. Although high helminth egg concentrations were found in litter, the prevalence and worm burdens in tracer animals were low compared to a similar study with tracers kept in poultry runs. The reasons for this may be that poultry litter negatively affects viability and infectiousness of helminth eggs. However, underlying mechanisms need to be clarified.

Gastro-intestinal nematodes (GIN) are the most important problem in small ruminant production with regard to animal welfare and economics. The control of GIN currently relies almost exclusively on the use of synthetic anthelmintics. This is unsatisfactory for organic as well as for conventional small ruminant farmers because of rapid increase of resistant GIN populations and risk of residues in meat and milk. Alternatives to synthetic anthelmintics are therefore needed. This poster presents the main alternative control strategies for GIN. The strategies are divided into measures aimed at freeliving GIN stages (grazing management, biological control) and at stages within the host (genetic resistance, vaccination, anthelmintic plants, feeding strategies).

The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of physically acting substances (oils and silicas) and plant preparations for the control of the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer 1778). Reproduction and survival of fed D. gallinae females were evaluated in vitro for a total of 168 h using the "area under the survival curve" (AUC) to compare survival of the mites between treatments. Four oils (two plant oils, one petroleum spray oil and diesel), one soap, three silicas (one synthetic amorphous silica, one diatomaceous earth (DE) and one DE with 2% pyrethrum extract) and seven plant preparations (derived from Chrysanthemum cineariaefolium, Allium sativum, Tanacetum vulgare, Yucca schidigera, Quillaja saponaria, Dryopteris filix-mas, and Thuja occidentalis) were tested at various concentrations. All the oils, diesel and soap significantly reduced D. gallinae survival. All silicas tested inhibited reproduction. DE significantly reduced mite survival, but amorphous silica was less effective in vitro. Except for pure A. sativum juice and the highest concentration of C. cineariaefolium extract, the plant preparations tested resulted in statistically insignificant control of D. gallinae.

The aim of our experiments was to investigate the transmission and infectivity of the two main helminth parasites of poultry (Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum) under different run and litter management regimes. In experiment (a) two stocking rates were simulated in outdoor runs and the effect of a simple management practice (mowing) on helminth transmission was studied during two subsequent flocks. Stocking rate seemed not to change helminth transmission patterns and repeated mowing of runs did not reduce helminth infections. Lower stocking rates led to a substantial improve- ment of the run vegetation. In experiment (b) two litter management regimes (replace or add litter material) were compared to unmanaged litter with regard to parasitological parameters and water content of the litter. The regimes had no significant effect on water content or on parasitological parameters. These results suggest that positive effects of run and litter management regimes on helminth infections of laying hens are often overestimated in practice. Einleitung und Zielsetzung Im ökologischen Landbau werden Legehennen in Systemen mit Einstreu und Grün- auslauf gehalten. Diese Haltungsform ist tierfreundlich, aber Auslauf und Einstreu stellen auch eine bedeutende Infektionsquelle für Parasiten und andere Pathogene dar. Die Rundwürmer Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum sind in der Hühner- haltung die wichtigsten parasitären Wurmarten. Neben direkten Auswirkungen auf das Tier wird starker Wurmbefall oft auch mit Federpicken in Verbindung gebracht. Da präventive anthelminthische Behandlungen im ökologischen Landbau nicht zulässig sind, ist vorbeugendes Management essentiell. Bei weidenden Wiederkäuern bewirkt eine Senkung des Infektionsdrucks auf der Weide auch eine entsprechende Redukti- on des Wurmbefalls im Tier. Zahlreiche Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, dass tiefere Besatzdichten auf der Weide zu tieferem Trichostrongylidenbefall bei Rindern und Schafen führten. Bei Nicht-Wiederkäuern existieren hingegen nur wenige Studien zu den Übertragungsmustern parasitärer Wurmarten. Besonders beim Geflügel scheint die Reduktion der Besatzdichte als alleinige Massnahme nur einen beschränkten Einfluss auf den Wurmbefall zu haben. Deshalb sollte mit den hier beschriebenen Experimenten (a) der Einfluss von Besatzdichte und Auslaufpflege und (b) der Effekt einfacher Einstreupflegeverfahren auf die Infektiosität und die Qualität des Auslaufs bzw. der Einstreu untersucht werden.

Parasitic infections are likely to be more important in organic and other free-range hens than in birds kept indoors. Several workpackages of QLIF aim at improving prevention and therapy of helminth (Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum) and arthropod (Dermanyssus gallinae) parasites of laying hens. This paper is a summary of the work undertaken in the first 3 years of QLIF.

Control of the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae is a challenge for organic as well as conventional egg producers. In organic agriculture, control should be attempted by mechanically acting substances (e.g. oils or diatomaceous earth), before acaricides are applied. Diatomaceous earth (DE) without acaricides was at least as effective as DE supplemented with pyrethrum or essential oils and a liquid formulation of silica in vitro. In on farm experiments, DE was effective during a limited period only, whereas the liquid formulation had a very good residual effect over several weeks.