Targeted use of bioactive forages as a treatment for lambs

A production-based TST was used to identify individual lambs suffering from parasitism and subsequently graze them on bioactive forages (chicory, plantain, white clover) to provide a chemical free method of control. Overall growth rates of lambs grazing either T. circumcincta or T. colubriformis infected blocks were 200g/d and 160g/d respectively. There was a significant paddock time effect (p1000epg) on both blocks and there were no significant differences in FEC between animals grazing ryegrass or hospital paddocks. In year two the bioactive effect of the plantain /chicory sward was investigated. Drenching of lambs onto bioactive sward was no more beneficial than drenching back onto pasture however LWG were reduced by 80% in untreated lambs grazing on either ryegrass or plantain /chicory sward which suggests that previous results were a response to reduced larval intake and not due to any bioactive forage effect