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Relationship of dietary energy and protein during peripartum and lactation in Pelibuey ewes infected with gastrointestinal nematodes


 The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary energy and protein levels on the parasitological and hematological response during the peripartum and lactation of grazing Pelibuey ewes. Forty-eight Pelibuey ewes aged 3–5 years and body weight 31 ± 5 kg were used. Four groups of 12 ewes, including non-pregnant and productive ewes, were formed. Fecal samples were collected to determine the fecal egg count (FEC) of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs), and blood samples were also taken to determine the packed cell volume (PCV) and peripheral eosinophil (EOS) count. A factorial treatment design was formulated, where two levels of energy (high, with 2.7 Mcal/kg, n = 24; and low, with 2.3 Mcal/kg, n =24) and two levels of protein (high, with 15.5%, n = 24; and low, with 8.7%, n = 24) were studied. The high dietary protein allowed lower FEC (837 ± 141 fecal eggs per gram, EPG) and higher PCV (26.5 ± 0.5%) than the low-protein level (1680 ± 248 EPG and 24.6%, respectively). Higher FEC (1085 ± 264 EPG and 2709 ± 359) and lower PCV (26.7 ± 0.7% and 21.9 ± 0.7%) levels were observed in pregnant and lactating ewes, respectively, compared to non-pregnant ones (427 ± 96 EPG and 27.7 ± 0.4%). It is concluded that high levels of dietary protein improve the hematological response and reduce the FEC in Pelibuey ewes under grazing conditions. The non-pregnant ewes maintained some resilience and resistance to GIN infection compared to productive ewes.