Efficacy Of Garlic Juice, Copper Oxide Wire Particles, And Anthelmintics To Control Gastrointestinal Nematodes In Goats

Resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) to anthelmintics and a need for nonchemical control of GIN necessitates investigation of alternative control methods. This study examined the efficacy of garlic juice (99.5 percent pure) (G), copper oxide wire particles (COWP), levamisole (L), moxidectin (M), a combination treatment of COWP and G (CG), and no treatment (C) for GIN control in lactating Boer x Kiko does. Treatments were administered at d 0 and the G treatment was repeated every 7 d throughout the 28 d study. Mixed-model procedures for repeated measures were used to evaluate the effect of treatment and date of sampling on fecal-egg counts (FEC), and percentpacked-cell volume (PCV). Larval cultures from fecal samples at d 0 contained H. contortus, but Telodorsagia and Trichostrongylus were the predominant parasites. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in FEC or PCV of does due to GIN-control method. The PCV was greater (P < 0.05) at d 0 (31.2 percent ± 0.7 percent) when compared to d 7 (29.1 percent ± 0.7 percent), d 14 (28.7 percent ± 1.1 percent), and d 21 (28.8 percent ± 0.8 percent). The PCV at d 28 (23.5 percent ± 0.9 percent) was lower (P < 0.001) than all other sampling d. The FEC did not differ (P > 0.05) at d 0 (756 eggs/g ± 414 eggs/g), d 7 (1349 eggs/g ± 448 eggs/g), and d 14 (1782 eggs/g ± 436 eggs/g). The FEC at d 21 (2259 eggs/g ± 464 eggs/g) was trending (P = 0.08) higher as compared to d 0. The FEC at d 28 (3935 eggs/g ± 449 eggs/g) was greater (P < 0.05) than FEC at all other sampling d. Trichostrongylus and Telodorsagia were the primary GIN species and not H. contortus as is often assumed at the research and farm level. These data support determining which GIN species are present in a goat herd at various times of the year and applying an internal-parasite-management protocol accordingly. Treatments used in this study were not effective in controlling any of the GIN species present.