title: Helminthiasis characterization and anthelmintic efficacy for ewes and lambs raised in tropical semiarid region.
abstract: In this study the helminthiasis and anthelmintic effectiveness in ewes and lambs were evaluated in a semiarid region of Brazil. Twelve sheep farms were investigated using semi-structured questionnaires and fecal egg count (FEC) reduction test was employed to analyze the profile of anthelmintic resistance. Groups of at least 10 animals with FEC ≥ 300 were selected. After 12 h of fasting, homogeneous groups of lambs or ewes were treated with albendazole, levamisole moxidectin, or oxfendazole and control groups were not treated. Feces were collected before treatments and 14 days after, and larvae genera were identified after cuprocultures in both periods. Extensive grazing was the predominant creation system, using hybrid Santa Ines animals. The separation by age was promoted in 75% of herds; however, maternity pickets there were only in three farms. The strategic treatments were performed only in 8.4% of sheep farms and 16.6% used the anthelmintic efficacy test and alternated anthelmintic classes after 1 year. The initial FEC means for lambs were significantly higher than ewe FEC averages. For lamb tests, moxidectin and levamisole showed higher efficacy (p ≤ 0.05) than benzimidazoles. For ewe tests, moxidectin and levamisole showed efficiencies >75%. Haemonchus spp. and Trichostrongylus spp. were the most frequent nematodes before treatments and the genus Haemonchus was the most prevalent after anthelmintic treatments (p < 0.05). Variations of anthelmintic susceptibility were observed for categories and herds evaluated, which emphasizes the importance of the effectiveness tests for the choice of anthelmintics for ewes and lambs.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Avenida Universitária, 1000, BairroUniversitário, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 39400-006, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gabriela Almeida
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bastos
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Avenida Universitária, 1000, BairroUniversitário, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 39400-006, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leydiana Duarte
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Avenida Universitária, 1000, BairroUniversitário, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 39400-006, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriano Vinícius
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: de Paiva Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Avenida Universitária, 1000, BairroUniversitário, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 39400-006, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio Morais Soares
authors.initials: MAMS
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Avenida Universitária, 1000, BairroUniversitário, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 39400-006, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Luiza França
authors.initials: MLF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Avenida Universitária, 1000, BairroUniversitário, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 39400-006, Brazil.
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: de Oliveira Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Avenida Universitária, 1000, BairroUniversitário, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 39400-006, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogério Marcos
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Avenida Universitária, 1000, BairroUniversitário, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, 39400-006, Brazil. duartevet@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Eduardo Robson
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Duarte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D058725:Peripartum Period; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics
keywords: Anthelmintic resistance; Peripartum; Sheep; Trichostrongylidae; Worms