Helminth co-infections have no additive detrimental impact on milk yield and milk quality compared to mono-infections in German dairy cows.

Autor: May K; Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University of Gießen, 35390, Giessen, Germany., Hecker AS; Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany., König S; Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University of Gießen, 35390, Giessen, Germany., Strube C; Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559, Hannover, Germany. christina.strube@tiho-hannover.de.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Parasites & vectors [Parasit Vectors] 2024 Sep 19; Vol. 17 (1), pp. 398. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Sep 19.
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06470-8
Abstrakt: Background: Infections with (tricho-)strongyles, Dictyocaulus viviparus or Fasciola hepatica have been shown to reduce milk production in dairy cows. However, the current published studies focused on one single helminth infection by neglecting helminth co-infections and their possible (additive) effects on host performance. Hence, for the first time, we investigated differences in the impact of patent helminth co-infections versus mono-infections on milk production parameters in individual cows.
Methods: A total of 1583 dairy cows from 27 herds were included in this study. Faecal samples were examined in 2015 and 2021/2022 to determine the number of eggs/larvae per gram faeces for (tricho-)strongyles, D. viviparus, F. hepatica and rumen flukes. The cows were classified as non-infected, mono-infected and co-infected. Linear mixed models were applied to analyse the association between infection status (non-infected vs. mono-infected vs. co-infected) with milk yield, milk protein and milk fat content by including potential confounders.
Results: Infections with (tricho-)strongyles, D. viviparus, F. hepatica and rumen flukes were detected in 100%, 28.6%, 50.0% and 21.4% of herds, and 27.4%, 2.6%, 10.8% and 0.8% of faecal samples in 2015, while 100%, 0.0%, 86.7% and 60.0% of herds and 52.3%, 0.0%, 13.3% and 26.8% of faecal samples were positive in 2021/2022. Co-infections with two or more helminth taxa were detected in 74.4% of herds and 5.0% of faecal samples in 2015, and in 93.3% of herds and 21.7% of faecal samples in 2021/2022. The correlations between strongyle EPG, D. viviparus LPG and F. hepatica EPG were significantly positive in 2015. Significantly higher mean EPGs were identified in 2015 in faecal samples presenting co-infections with F. hepatica and one or two other helminth taxa than in faecal samples presenting F. hepatica mono-infections (P = 0.013). Although expected, the infection status (mono- or co-infected) had no significant impact on milk yield, milk protein and milk fat content in the linear mixed model analyses based on individual faecal examinations.
Conclusions: Patent helminth co-infections had no additive detrimental impact on milk production parameters in the present study. This might be a result of presumably low worm burdens, but should be confirmed in future studies.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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