<b>Production and contamination by sheep parasites helminths in different growth habits grasses</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v26i3.1824

Abstract

The experiment was carried out during summer and winter seasons at Centro de Pesquisa do Arenito (Arenito Research Center) from Universidade Estadual de Maringá (State University of Maringá) in Cidade Gaúcha, Paraná, Brazil. Sixty ½ Bergamacia ½ Corriedale ewes were distributed randomly, allocated in three plots of one hectare each, with grasses of different growth habits: Paspalum notatum, Cynodon dactylon and Panicum maximum. The objective of this research was to evaluate the behavior of infective larvae of ewes in the superior third of the grasses, during the day and to determine the dry matter grass availability. No difference in the larvae contamination rate of the grasses between summer and winter nor among the grasses was observed. However, the number of infective larvae due to the insolation period was linear. There was probably a migration of the larvae to the lower parts of the plants during the day, leading the sheep into grazing in the highest solar hours. There was no difference in the dry matter production between the periods. However, the Paspalum notatum presented less availability in the winter (1259kg MS/ha) than in the summer (1551kg MS/ha). All kinds of grass presented smaller crude protein in winter.