Influence of Haemonchus contortus Infection on Nutrient Intake and Its Utilization in Kids Fed Different Levels of Nutrition

Twenty-four non-descript female weaned kids (3–5 months age) were randomly allocated into six groups of four each. Two diets: normal protein and normal energy (NPNE) and high protein and medium energy (HPME) were fed to kids having three levels of Haemonchus contortus infection (W₀, W₅₀₀, W₂₀₀₀) in a 2x3 factorial design for 120 days, to study the level of nutrition with or without infection on nutrient intake and utilization. The highest dry matter intake (DMI) was recorded in kids fed diets without infection W₀ (478 g/d) followed by W₅₀₀ (455 g/d) and lowest in W₂₀₀₀ (441g/d) infection irrespective of dietary treatments. The digestibility coefficient of crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), cellulose and hemicellulose were found to be statistically significant (P<0.05) due to dietary and infection levels and their interaction. The organic matter (OM) and ether extract (EE) digestibility were also found to be significant due to dietary treatments, but without significant effects of infection (W₀ and W₅₀₀). Significantly higher digestible crude protein (DCP) and total digestible nutrient (TDN) intake (g/day) was observed in W₀ (49.94 and 258 g/d) followed by W₅₀₀ (44.59 and 224 g/d) and minimum in W₂₀₀₀ (39.12 and 187 g/d) infected kids respectively. It can be concluded from the present study thatH. contortus infection in kids influenced the nutrient intake, digestibility and utilization.