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Influence of an Experimental Infection of Nodular Worms (Oesophagostomum SPP.) on Performance of Pigs

University of Georgia, College of Agriculture, Coastal Plain Station , Tifton 31793⁶

Abstract

Four trials were conducted to determine the effect of different levels of nodular worm (Oesophagostomum spp.) infection on the performance of growing-finishing swine and on digestion and absorption of nutrients by the growing pig. In each of two growing-finishing trials, 48 crossbred pigs (average body weight 26.6 kg in trial 1 and 24.4 kg in trial 2) were individually housed and given a single infection of nodular worms (0, 550, 1,100 or 1,650 infective larvae/kg body weight in trial 1 and 0, 1,500, 3,000 or 4,500 infective larvae/kg body weight in trial 2). At 21 days postinfection, pigs given either 1,100 or 1,650 nodular worm larvae/kg body weight required more feed (P<.05) per unit of gain than pigs not infected, but for the 77-day test period, as a whole, nodular worms did not significantly affect performance. In trial 2, pigs given either 3,000 or 4,500 nodular worm larvae/kg body weight were lighter (P<.05) and gained weight slower (P<.05) for the first 21 days postinfection than pigs not infected, while pigs given 4,500 larvae gained slower (P<.05) than pigs on the other three treatments. During the first 21 days after infection, pigs given 4,500 larvae/kg body weight consumed less feed (P<.05) than pigs given either 0 or 1,500 larvae. Even at the higher levels of infection, nodular worms did not significantly affect performance over the entire 77-day test period. In each of the two other trials, eight crossbred barrows (average body weight 28.8 kg in trial 1 and 28.4 kg body weight in trial 2) were examined for the effects of two levels of nodular worm infection (0 and 4,950 larvae/kg body weight) on digestion and absorption of nutrients and on N balance. Pigs experimentally infected had a lower digestion coefficient for dry matter (P<.01), ash (P<.05), crude fiber (P<.01), N free extract (P<.05) and N (P<.05) than noninfected pigs. Pigs not infected with nodular worms had a higher (P<.05) N balance.

¹ Dept. of Anim. Sci.

² Present address: Dept. of Vet. Microbiol, and Parasitol., School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge 70803.

³ Animal Parasite Research Lab., USD A, SEA-AR, Tifton, GA 31793.

⁴ Vet. Diagnostic Lab., Tifton, GA 31793.

⁵ Reference to a company or product name does not imply approval or recommendation of the product by the USDA to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.

⁶ Supported by State and Hatch funds allocated to the Georgia Agr. Exp. Sta.