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. 2025 Jan 27;57(2):34.
doi: 10.1007/s11250-025-04279-w.

Modulation of Eimeria spp. parasite load on productivity parameters in lambs fed with babassu byproduct

Sara Silva Reis  1 , Henrique Nunes Parente  1 , Anderson de Moura Zanine  1 , Gisele Thamires Araújo da Silveira  1 , Edegleicia Alves de Sousa  1 , Arlan Araújo Rodrigues  1 , Thalia Caldas da Silva  1 , José Gracione do Nascimento Souza Filho  1 , Janaina Marques do Nascimento  1 , Thiago Vinicius Costa Nascimento  2 , Michelle de Oliveira Maia Parente  3 , Carlos Rodrigo Hermosilla  4 , Ivo Alexandre Leme da Cunha  5
Affiliations

Modulation of Eimeria spp. parasite load on productivity parameters in lambs fed with babassu byproduct

Sara Silva Reis et al. Trop Anim Health Prod. .

Abstract

This study investigated the modulation of Eimeria spp. parasite load and its impact on productivity parameters in lambs fed varying levels of babassu by-product (BBP). Twenty-four Dorper × Santa Inês lambs naturally infected with Eimeria spp. were divided into four groups and assigned to dietary treatments with increasing levels of BBP inclusion: Control group (0% BBP; n = 6), G1 (5% BBP; n = 6), G2 (10% BBP; n = 6), and G3 (15% BBP; n = 6). Fecal oocyst counts, dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), and apparent digestibility coefficients were monitored throughout the experiment. Results revealed that 9.5% BBP inclusion was associated with the lowest mean oocyst count per gram of feces, without compromising ADG. Nine Eimeria species were identified, with E. crandallis, E. parva and E. ovinoidalis being the most prevalent. Principal component analysis revealed a negative correlation between Eimeria spp. infection intensity and lamb performance, with higher BBP inclusion levels being associated with improved DMI, ADG, and digestibility. These findings suggest that dietary BBP at 9.5% inclusion effectively modulates Eimeria spp. parasite load in lambs while maintaining productivity. Although the exact mechanisms require further investigation, these results highlight BBP as a promising natural alternative for coccidiosis management in sheep production. This natural, sustainable approach offers a promising strategy for coccidiosis management in sheep, particularly in tropical and subtropical production systems.

Keywords: Orbignya phalerata; Coccidiosis; Daily Gain; Feed Intake; Sheep.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: All procedures using animals were approved by the Committee on Ethics in the Use of Animals of the Federal University of Maranhão (Process No. 23115011750/2018–52). Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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