@conference {40788,
	title = {Supplementary feeding and gastrointestinal nematode parasitism in young grazing sheep},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {56},
	year = {1996},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {94-98},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Young Merino wethers (n=240) were allocated to 1 of 8 treatments in  a replicated field experiment. Animals grazed semi-improved pasture and  received supplements for 14 or 28 weeks based on fish meal (F14, F28),  sunflower meal (S14, S28) or oat grain (O14, O28). Unsupplemented  parasite-free (C-) and parasitised animals (C+) were included as controls.  Animal performance and parasite status were evaluated. During weeks 1-14 faecal egg counts (FEC) were below 120 eggs per gram  (epg), due to low larval intake from pasture. Cumulative live-weight gain  (LWG) over this period was increased as a result of supplementary feeding  from 8.6 (mean C- and C+) to 11.4 kg (F14; P<0.01) or 9.9 or 9.7 kg (S14  and O14 respectively; P>0.05). From week 15 animals were dosed fortnightly with 6000 Trichostrongylus  colubriformis and 2000 Haemonchus contortus larvae. Lucerne hay was fed  twice weekly from week 17 onwards (2 kg/sheep/week). The FEC increased  to about 5900 epg in week 28 for groups C+, F14, S14, O14 and O28 and  about 3000 epg for groups F28 and S28 (P<0.05). Cumulative LWG from  weeks 15-28 for groups C-, F28, S28 and O28 (0.9, 1.1, 0.6 and 1.4 kg  respectively) was higher than for groups C+, F14, S14 or O14 (-1.2, -1.7, - 2.2 and -0.9 kg respectively; P<0.05).  Supplementation with F, S and O during parasite infection enhanced the  resilience of grazing sheep to gastrointestinal nematodes, while  supplementation with F and S appear to have reduced peak FEC.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Van Houtert MFJ and Barger IA and Steel JW}
}
