Do triclabendazole medicated molasses blocks have a role in control of Fasciola gigantica in smallholder cattle production in Lao PDR?
P. A. Windsor A , S. Nampanya A C , B. Kinnavong B , P. Phommasone B , R. D. Bush A and S. Khounsy BA The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia.
B Department of Livestock and Fisheries, Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
C Corresponding author. Email: snam7362@uni.sydney.edu.au
Animal Production Science 59(4) 787-793 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN17255
Submitted: 25 April 2017 Accepted: 7 February 2018 Published: 9 May 2018
Abstract
Smallholder cattle production in many developing tropical countries including Laos is compromised by widespread endoparasitism, with limited farmer knowledge of parasites and facilities for administration of therapeutics. We report a pilot study examining the potential for triclabendazole provided in medicated molasses blocks offered to control Fasciola gigantica in smallholder cattle production. This study involved 241 cattle allocated into three groups: (1) triclabendazole (as Fasinex®, Novartis Animal Health Australia, Pty Ltd) medicated molasses blocks (MMB) with each tonne of MMB containing 0.5 kg triclabendazole; (2) unmedicated molasses blocks; and (3) a Control group. Data and faecal samples were obtained at Weeks 1, 4, 8 and 12 for faecal egg counts (FEC) determination. Reductions in FEC in the MMB group of 90.48% and a mean FEC of 4 ± 17 eggs per gram of faeces at 12 weeks post-treatment was observed, with liveweight increasing from 174.60 (±3.35) kg to 191.50 (±3.69) kg in Weeks 1 and 12, respectively (P = 001) and an average daily weight gain of 201 g/day. Reduction in FEC in the unmedicated molasses blocks group was also observed, by 28.78% and 18.96%, with liveweight increasing from 179.50 (±3.35) kg to 189.90 (±6.05) kg in Weeks 1 and 12 respectively (P = 0.3), with an average daily gain of 124 g/day. This study suggests that productivity was enhanced when triclabendazole was added to the blocks, delivering parasite suppression or potentially therapeutic doses on ad libitum feeding of the MMB. Although further work is required to establish the therapeutic potential of MMB, the use of MMB may offer a parasite management and nutritional supplementation strategy for smallholder farmers, particularly in Laos and other countries where unmanaged Fasciola spp. infestations reduce ruminant productivity and facilities for animal restraint to enable delivery of oral anthelmintics, are largely non-existent.
Additional keywords: cattle health and production, medicated molasses blocks, parasites.
References
Allen M (2007) The technology used to make urea-molasses blocks. In ‘FAO Animal Production and Health: feed supplementation blocks’. (Eds HPS Makkar, M Sanchez, AW Speedy) pp. 20-40. (FAO: Rome, Italy)Arias P, Hallam D, Krivonos E, Morrison J (2013) ‘Smallholder integration in changing food markets.’ (FAO: Rome, Italy)
Bush RD, Page B, MacDonald T, Young J, Nampanya S, Suon S, Khounsy S, Henry L, Thomson PC, Windsor PA (2014) Target feeding for improved smallholder beef production in the Mekong region-lessons from Cambodia and Lao PDR. Animal Production Science 54, 1219–1223.
Calvani NED, Windsor PA, Bush RD, Šlapeta J (2017) Scrambled eggs: a highly sensitive molecular diagnostic workflow for Fasciola species specific detection from faecal samples. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 11,
| Scrambled eggs: a highly sensitive molecular diagnostic workflow for Fasciola species specific detection from faecal samples.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Copeman D, Copland R (2008) Importance and potential impact of liver fluke in cattle and buffalo. In ‘ACIAR proceeding 133 – overcoming liver fluke as a constraint to ruminant production in South-East Asia’. (Eds G Gray, R Copland, D Copeman) pp. 2–10. (ACIAR: Canberra)
Craig T (2003) Treatment of external and internal parasites of cattle. The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Food Animal Practice 19, 661–678.
| Treatment of external and internal parasites of cattle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dash K, Hall K, Barger IA (1988) The role of arithmetic and geometric worm egg counts in faecal egg count reduction test and in monitoring strategic drenching programs in sheep. Australian Veterinary Journal 65, 66–68.
| The role of arithmetic and geometric worm egg counts in faecal egg count reduction test and in monitoring strategic drenching programs in sheep.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaL1c7otlWmtA%3D%3D&md5=2316d8c89fa322eca633251bdd8c5a65CAS |
Fairweather I (2011) Reducing the future threat from (liver) fluke: realistic prospect or quixotic fantasy. Veterinary Parasitology 180, 133–143.
| Reducing the future threat from (liver) fluke: realistic prospect or quixotic fantasy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
FAO (2002) ‘Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme – ageing of cattle and buffalo by their teeth for the purposes of Rinderpest serosurveillance.’ (FAO: Rome, Italy). Available at http://www.fao.org/ag/AGAinfo/programmes /documents/grep/Ageing.pdf [Verified 5 May 2010]
Happich FA, Boray JC (1969) Quantitative diagnosis of chronic fasciolosis. Comparative studies on quantitative faecal examination for chronic Fasciola hepatica infection in sheep. Australian Veterinary Journal 45, 326–328.
| Quantitative diagnosis of chronic fasciolosis. Comparative studies on quantitative faecal examination for chronic Fasciola hepatica infection in sheep.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaF1M3nslegug%3D%3D&md5=28c012e5ed625597e21f48b5cc161ab0CAS |
Makkar HP (2007) Feed supplementation block technology – past, present and future. In ‘FAO animal health and production paper: feed supplementation blocks’. (Eds HPS Makkar, M Sánchez, AW Speedy) pp. 3–12. (FAO: Rome, Italy)
Mas-Coma S, Bargues MD, Valero MA (2005) Fascioliasis and other plant-borne trematode zoonoses. International Journal for Parasitology 35, 1255–1278.
| Fascioliasis and other plant-borne trematode zoonoses.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD2MrivFCnsg%3D%3D&md5=7f400edafe647d7cd4405cfbd480926bCAS |
Molina EC, Lozano SP, Barraca AP (2006) The relationship between haematological indices, serumgamma-glutamyl transferase and glutamate dehydrogenase, visual hepatic damage and worm burden in cattle infected with F. gigantica. Journal of Helminthology 80, 277–279.
Nampanya S, Rast L, Khounsy S, Windsor PA (2010) Assessment of farmer knowledge of large ruminant health and production in developing village-level biosecurity in Northern Lao PDR. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 57, 420–429.
| Assessment of farmer knowledge of large ruminant health and production in developing village-level biosecurity in Northern Lao PDR.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3cbmsVKktA%3D%3D&md5=28ac9234c031f4b074419fce0b4eddd2CAS |
Nampanya S, Khounsy S, Rast L, Young J, Bush RD, Windsor PA (2014) Progressing smallholder large ruminant productivity to reduce rural poverty and address food security in upland northern Lao PDR. Animal Production Science 54, 899–907.
Nampanya S, Khounsy SK, Phonsivay A, Windsor PA (2015) Improving smallholder food security through investigations of carcass composition and beef marketing from buffalo and cattle in northern Lao PDR. Tropical Animal Health and Production
| Improving smallholder food security through investigations of carcass composition and beef marketing from buffalo and cattle in northern Lao PDR.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rast L (2013) PhD Thesis. Toxocara vitulorum and Fasciola gigantica in cattle and buffalo in northern Laos. Available at https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/handle/2123/10466 [Verified 25 April 2017]
Rast L, Nampanya S, Toribio JA, Khounsy S, Windsor PA (2013) Liver fluke in large ruminant in northern Lao PDR. In ‘ACIAR proceeding138 – cattle health, production and trade in Cambodia’. (Eds J Young, L Rast, S Soun, PA Windsor) pp. 29–33. (ACIAR: Canberra)
Rast L, Nampanya S, Toribio JA, Khounsy S, Windsor PA (2015) Fasciola gigantica infection in large ruminants in northern Laos: smallholder knowledge and practices. Animal Production Science
| Fasciola gigantica infection in large ruminants in northern Laos: smallholder knowledge and practices.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sanyal PK, Gupta SC (1996) Efficacy and pharmacokinetics of triclabendazole in buffalo with induced fasciolosis. Veterinary Parasitology 63, 75–82.
| Efficacy and pharmacokinetics of triclabendazole in buffalo with induced fasciolosis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK28XksVOht78%3D&md5=7f63235a39ea31150410144a01124338CAS |
Suhardono CD, Copeman D (2008) Epidemiology of Fasciola gigantica in cattle and buffalo. In ‘ACIAR proceeding 133 – overcoming liver fluke as a constraint to ruminant production in South-East Asia’. (Eds G Gray, R Copland, D Copeman) (ACIAR: Canberra)
Tum S, Puotinen M, Skerratt L, Chan B, Sothoeun S (2007) Short communication: Validation of geographic information system model for mapping the risk of fascioliasis in cattle and buffalo in Cambodia. Veterinary Parasitology 143, 364–367.
| Short communication: Validation of geographic information system model for mapping the risk of fascioliasis in cattle and buffalo in Cambodia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD2s%2FktVKruw%3D%3D&md5=bb58a690cf2f6ee21d0366b7c8b204b8CAS |
Vercruysse J, Holdsworth P, Letonja T, Bath D, Conder G, Hamamoto K, Okano K (2001) International harmonisation of anthelmintic efficacy guidelines. Veterinary Parasitology 96, 171–193.
| International harmonisation of anthelmintic efficacy guidelines.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD3M3lvFGgsA%3D%3D&md5=d8589f509d091dd09dcb5aadda7bf7eaCAS |
Windsor PA, Nemanic T, Selwood N, Calvani N, Nampanya S, Khounsy S, Suon S, Bush RD (2016) Internal parasite control in large ruminants by use of anthelmintic medicated urea molasses blocks. In ‘Proceedings, 17th AAAP animal science congress’, 22–25 August. (AAAP Animal Science Congress: Fukuoka, Japan)
