Efficiency of various systems of antiparasitic prophylaxis in a flock of sheep

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of various methods of antiparasitic prophylaxis using a conventional chemical agent and a formulation containing plant essential oils. The animal material consisted of 139 mother ewes of two synthetic prolific meat lines: bcp and scp. During the whole experiment, the animals were kept in indoor management system with uniform environmental conditions. The experiment included ewes lambing within the period of 12 consecutive days. Using the results of coproscopic tests performed after lambing, the animals were randomised into three study groups: Group A - wormed with an albendazole-containing preparation (50 sheep), Group L - receiving a lick with antiparasitic essential oils (48 sheep) and Group C - control group, not wormed (41 sheep). Two antiparasitic agents were used. A chemical agent containing albendazole. The procedure was performed on day 35 after lambing, and the dose administered was 5 mg of the active substance per kg bw, which corresponded to 0.5 ml, orally, per 10 kg bw. A natural worming agent was administered in the form of licks containing essential oils of Thymus vulgaris, Allium sativum, Artemisia absinthium, Dryopteris filixmax, Tanacetum vulgare, Cucurbita pepo, Chenopodium ambrosioide, Inula helenium, Peumus boldo, Corallina rubens. The licks were made available to animals on day 21 after lambing. The experiment involved parasitologic tests aimed at the determination of estimated intensity (based of OPG and EPG data) and prevalence of invasions of gastrointestinal parasites in mother ewes. The study material was faeces collected from the rectum on the following dates: after lambing, and on day 28, 42, 56, 70 and 100 of lamb's life. The observations proved that the formulation based on natural plant ingredients had a beneficial influence on the reduction of prevalence of Eimeria and Capillaria. It was also shown that the albendazole-containing chemical preparation is highly efficient in reducing the prevalence of Trichostrongylidae, Nematodirus, as well as Capillaria.