Immunonutrition: Nutritional control of parasites

Whilst it has long been known that improved protein nutrition can increase resilience, i.e. reduce the consequences of subclinical gastrointestinal nematode parasitism on sheep performance, improved protein nutrition can also increase resistance, i.e. immunity to parasites. This would be the case because expression of acquired immunity to parasites is often penalized at times of nutrient scarcity. A recently developed nutrient-partitioning framework postulates that this penalty arises from prioritized scarce nutrient allocation to growth and/or reproductive functions. A large body of evidence shows that at times of protein scarcity, an increased supply of protein, from a wide range of protein sources, can indeed reduce gastrointestinal nematode parasitism in both growing and periparturient sheep. As such, immunonutrition can play a vital role in sustainable, parasite control strategies, either on its own but more likely integrated with other non-chemical strategies, including genetic selection for increased resistance, vaccination and biological control. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved