Calliandra calothyrsus supplementation effects on weight gain and efficacy of control of gastrointestinal nematodes in weanling goats

Abstract

Calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus) is a shrub legume with high concentration of crude protein (CP), ±22%, and condensed tannin (CT), 19 to 30%. These characteristics make it an alternative for supplementing low-quality grass diets and for reducing levels of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infestation. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of feeding Calliandra on live weight (LW) gain and its efficacy against GIN in weanling goats. Eight Boer goats (11.3 kg) were randomly assigned to two treatments: supplementation with guineagrass hay (GH), or with freshly cut Calliandra (FC) leaves and fine stems. Fortnightly the animals were weighed, feces samples were collected to determine fecal egg counts (FEC), and FAMACHA© index scores were assigned. Blood samples were taken every 21 days to determine packed cell volume (PCV). Data were analyzed by using repeated measure analysis. Supplementation with FC had no significant effect on total live weight gain during 105 days (2.16 vs. 1.59 kg), FAMACHA© index (3.4 common value), nor PCV (25.8% vs. 26.6%) for FC and GH, respectively. However, FEC was significantly lower (p = 0.0014) in the group supplemented with Calliandra than in the group given GH; the respective adjusted means were 638 and 982 eggs per gram.The decrease in fecal excretion of GIN eggs could have the beneficial effect of reducing pasture contamination.