Calliandra calothyrsus as a Supplement for Milk Production in the Kenya Highlands

Two on-farm experiments and one on-station observation were conducted between July 1994 and September 1995 to study the effect of supplementation with fresh fodder of Calliandra calothyrsus on milk production from grade Friesian and Ayrshire cows in the second trimester of their lactations. The cattle were kept under zero-grazing systems on small farms in the coffee-based land use system at altitudes of 1500 to 1800 m on the slopes of Mt Kenya. These cows form a pivotal part of the farming system since they produce both milk for sale and manure for crop production. Milk production is normally in the region of 10 kg/cow per day when the animals are fed on a diet based on Napier grass and crop residues, together with 2–4 kg/day of commercial concentrate. In terms of milk production, 3 kg of fresh calliandra had the same effect on yield as 1 kg of additional dairy meal and, at normal production levels, the effects of the two supplements were strictly additive. Calliandra had a marked positive effect (about a 10% increase) on the butterfat content of the milk, a factor that was highly valued by farmers, even though institutional buyers as yet offer no premium price for milk quality. The average small farm can produce enough calliandra fodder to supplement two dairy cows and some additional small stock from relatively underutilized niches along the farm perimeter and terrace risers, without any adverse effect on current levels of crop production.     

The Feeding of Leaf Meal of Calliandra calothyrsus to Laying Hens

A 67-day feeding experiment was conducted to study the effects of inclusion of 5%, 7.5% or 10% leaf meal of Calliandra calothyrsus (calliandra) in the diets of laying hens on feed intake, egg production, egg weights, yolk colour and the birds' weights. While no significant effects were seen on either egg numbers or egg size, feed intake increased and the efficiency of feed utilization decreased with increasing inclusion of the foliage. Absolute initial and final body weights did not show significant treatment differences but live weight changes over the course of the experiments were statistically significant, weight gains decreasing with increasing calliandra levels. The strength of colour of the yolks increased within 3 days of offering the calliandra, irrespective of the level of inclusion. The persistence of the colour change after withdrawal of the leaf meal ranged from 3 days at the 5% inclusion to over 10 days at the 10% level. While it may be possible to include calliandra leaf meal in poultry rations along with other, local, low-cost components, there would appear to be little advantage in using it in conjunction with commercial layers meal at levels higher than those necessary to provide the desired pigmentation level in the yolks (5% or less).     

不同菌种发酵对朱缨花叶粉营养价值的影响

本试验旨在研究不同菌种组合发酵对朱缨花（Calliandracalothyrsus）叶粉的营养成分、抗营养成分（干物质基础）的影响。在相同条件下,以2%（v/w）的接种量添加罗伊氏乳杆菌（A）、乳酸片球菌（B）、枯草芽孢杆菌（C）,同时将这三种菌组合,加入双菌组合（2%/2%）或三菌组合（2%/2%/2%）发酵6天。结果表明：①与未发酵朱缨花叶粉（CON）相比,发酵处理显著降低了朱缨花叶粉粗脂肪（EE）、单宁含量（P<0.05）;B、A+B、A+C、A+B+C组显著提高了朱缨花叶粉粗蛋白质（CP）含量（P<0.05）;C、A+B、A+C、B+C、A+B+C组显著提高了粗灰分含量（P<0.05）;不同发酵处理对朱缨花叶粉中性洗涤纤维（NDF）、酸性洗涤纤维（ADF）、钙、磷、碳水化合物和能量均无显著影响（P>0.05）。②A+B+C组天冬酰胺含量显著高于A、B、C、A+B、A+C组（P<0.05）;B+C组丝氨酸含量显著高于CON、A、B、C、A+B+C组（P<0.05）;A+B+C组谷氨酸、丙氨酸、苯丙氨酸、脯氨酸含量显著高于其他各组（P<0.05）;CON组半胱氨酸含量显著高于其他各组（P<0.05）;CON、B+C组蛋氨酸含量显著高于A、A+B、A+C、A+B+C组（P<0.05）;CON、A+B+C组甘氨酸、异亮氨酸、亮氨酸、赖氨酸、组氨酸、精氨酸、总氨基酸（TAA）含量、必需氨基酸（EAA）、非必需氨基酸（NEAA）、EAA/TAA、EAA/NEAA显著高于其他各组（P<0.05）;不同发酵处理对朱缨花叶粉苏氨酸、缬氨酸、酪氨酸含量无显著影响（P>0.05）。③未发酵与发酵的朱缨花叶粉EAA/TAA、EAA/NEAA均接近FAO/WHO理想蛋白,EAA总量、苏氨酸、亮氨酸、酪氨酸+苯丙氨酸含量均高于鸡蛋蛋白或FAO模式,但发酵朱缨花叶粉半胱氨酸+蛋氨酸低于鸡蛋蛋白和FAO模式。综上所述,未发酵及发酵的朱缨花叶粉都是优质的蛋白质饲料,不同菌种中以A+B+C发酵效果最佳。     

Prevalence of anthelmintic resistant nematodes in sheep in south-east England

The prevalence of anthelmintic resistant nematodes among 52 commercial flocks in south-east England was investigated by comparing the faecal egg counts of groups of lambs before, and seven days after, treatment with thiabendazole and levamisole. Evidence of thiabendazole resistance was found on seven farms. in each case Haemonchus contortus was the only species of nematode involved. In vitro egg hatch assays carried out for isolates from these farms gave ED50 estimates of 0.065 to 0.332 micrograms thiabendazole/ml compared with estimates of 0.027 to 0.031 micrograms thiabendazole/ml for a known susceptible strain of H contortus assayed at the same time. In a series of slaughter trials, there was a 17 to 85 per cent reduction, as compared with controls, in the mean worm burdens of groups of lambs infected with these isolates and killed seven days after treatment with thiabendazole, confirming their resistance to this anthelmintic.     

Prevalence of anthelmintic resistance on sheep farms in New Zealand

AIM: To establish the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in parasitic nematodes on sheep farms in New Zealand.

METHODS: A cross-sectional prevalence study was conducted, using a standardised faecal nematode egg count (FEC) reduction (FECR) test (FECRT) for ivermectin, at a full (0.2 mg/kg) and half (0.1 mg/kg) dose rate, and albendazole, levamisole and albendazole-levamisole in combination, on 60 lambs (n=10 per group) on farms selected from throughout New Zealand. Farms that conformed with selection criteria were chosen at random (n=80) or with a history of suspected resistance to macrocy- clic lactone (ML) anthelmintics (n=32). Resistance to an an- thelmintic was inferred when there was <95% reduction in FEC 7-10 days after treatment. Larval cultures were performed for all control groups and for treated groups for which resistance was evident.

RESULTS: Of the farms randomly selected, 36% showed ≥95% FECR for all anthelmintics tested; resistance to ivermectin at 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg liveweight was evident on 36% and 25% of these farms, respectively. Resistance to both ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg) and levamisole was evident on 8/80 (10%) farms, to ivermectin and albendazole on 10/80 (13%) farms, and to iver- mectin, levamisole and albendazole on 6/80 (8%) farms. The prevalence of resistance to a half dose of ivermectin tended to be more prevalent on farms with a history of suspected ML resistance (p=0.06). Resistance to albendazole was seen across all the main parasite genera, and to levamisole in Nematodirus, Ostertagia (= Teladorsagia) and Trichostrongylus species. Resistance to ivermectin was dominated by Ostertagia spp, although Cooperia, Nematodirus and Trichostrongylus species were also implicated.

CONCLUSION: Anthelmintic resistance in parasitic nema-todes of sheep is common in New Zealand. Not only was resistance to albendazole and levamisole common, but resistance to the ML, ivermectin, was at a higher prevalence than expected. Sheep farmers and advisors in New Zealand need to re-evaluate the way they manage parasites, and more research is urgently needed if the steady decline in anthelmintic susceptibility is to be halted.