Biological Control of Sheep Parasites using Duddingtonia flagrans: Trials on Commercial Farms in Sweden

Waller P, Ljungstrom BL, Schwan 0, Rudby Martin L, Morrison DA and Rvdzik A: Biological Control of Sheep Parasites using Duddingtonia flagrans: Trials on Commercial Farms in Sweden. Acta vet. stand. 2006, 47, 23-32. -Trials were con-ducted on 3 commercial sheep farms in Sweden to assess the effect of administering spores of the nematode trapping fungus, DiuLlingionia flagrans, together with supple­mentary feed to lactating ewes for the first 6 weeks from turn-out on pastures in spring. Also control groups of ewes, receiving only feed supplement, were established on all 3 farms. Groups were monitored by intensive parasitological investigation. The ewes and their lambs were moved in late June to saved pastures for summer grazing, the lambs re­ceiving an anthelmintic treatment at this time. After approximately 6 weeks on summer pasture the lambs were weaned, treated a second time with anthelmintic, and returned to their original lambing pastures for finishing. Decisions as to when Iambs were to be mar­keted were entirely at the discretion of the farmer co-operators. No difference in lamb performance was found between the two treatments on all three farms. This was at­tributed to the high levels of nutrition initially of the ewes limiting their post-partum rise in nematode faecal egg counts in spring, which in turn resulted in low levels of nema­tode infection on pastures throughout the autumn period. Additionally, pastures were of good quality for the Iambs during the finishing period, so they grew at optimal rates as far as the farmers were concerned.