Sustainable agriculture: the use of FAMACHA method in Santa Ines sheep in the Semi-arid region of Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2021v42n3Supl1p1647

Keywords:

Anthelmintic, FEC, Helminths, Hematocrit, Sustainable farming.

Abstract

Sheep farming is of great importance in generating income to smallholders in semi-arid areas worldwide. Gastrointestinal helminths cause important damage to the animals with poor welfare conditions, impacting in local economies. The objective of this work was to evaluate the FAMACHA method (FMC) in a herd of 60 Santa Inês from Paraíba, Brazil, and to compare the data from previous production years. In order to determine anemic sheep, FMC chart was used in biweekly evaluations for 12 months by trained personnel. Blood and fecal samples were collected monthly to determine packed cell volume (PCV), and parasite fecal egg count (FEC), respectively. The animals were divided into: dry, pregnant and lactating ewes, lambs and rams. Haemonchus was the predominant helminth genus (94.7%) during the whole year. There were up to 97% of success on the interpretation of FMC with 90 to 100% efficacy in the treatment decision. Among the 1356 evaluations, in only 40 (3%) were required deworming, being 27 during the rainy season and 13 during the long dry season. A statistically significant correlation (P < 0.01) was observed between FEC and PCV for the dry, lactating, and pregnant categories. The data reports a 94% reduction in deworming, with a greater need for anthelmintic use in lambs and lactating ewes (P < 0.05). Our data validates the use of FMC in Santa Inês sheep, which is considered a local resilient breed in the semi-arid region of Brazil. We recommend that animals should be examined during the rainy season to prevent most of the clinical problems.

Author Biographies

Vinícius Longo Ribeiro Vilela, Instituto Federal da Paraíba

Prof. Ph.D., Department of Veterinary Medicine, Instituto Federal da Paraíba, IFPB, Sousa, PB, Brazil.

Hermano Manoel Francisco Figueiredo Bezerra, Instituto Federal da Paraíba

Student, Department of Veterinary Medicine, IFPB, Sousa, PB, Brazil.

Roberto Alves Bezerra, Instituto Federal da Paraíba

Student, Department of Veterinary Medicine, IFPB, Sousa, PB, Brazil.

Maysa Oliveira Dantas, Instituto Federal da Paraíba

Student, Department of Veterinary Medicine, IFPB, Sousa, PB, Brazil.

Émerson Timóteo Alcântara, Instituto Federal da Paraíba

Student, Department of Veterinary Medicine, IFPB, Sousa, PB, Brazil.

Leonardo Vinícius Silva Oliveira, Instituto Federal da Paraíba

Student, Department of Veterinary Medicine, IFPB, Sousa, PB, Brazil.

Kaio Sá Nóbrega, Instituto Federal da Paraíba

Student, Department of Veterinary Medicine, IFPB, Sousa, PB, Brazil.

Fabrício Barcelos Calazans, Universidade Vila Velha

Student, Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, Universidade Vila Velha, UVV, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.

Thais Ferreira Feitosa, Instituto Federal da Paraíba

Prof. Ph.D., Department of Veterinary Medicine, Instituto Federal da Paraíba, IFPB, Sousa, PB, Brazil.

Fabio Ribeiro Braga, Universidade Vila Velha

Prof. Ph.D., Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, UVV, Vila Velha, ES, Brazil.

Marcelo Beltrão Molento, Universidade Federal do Paraná

Prof. Ph.D., Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal do Paraná, UFPR, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

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Published

2021-04-22

How to Cite

Vilela, V. L. R., Bezerra, H. M. F. F., Bezerra, R. A., Dantas, M. O., Alcântara, Émerson T., Oliveira, L. V. S., … Molento, M. B. (2021). Sustainable agriculture: the use of FAMACHA method in Santa Ines sheep in the Semi-arid region of Brazil. Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 42(3Supl1), 1647–1662. https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2021v42n3Supl1p1647

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