Effect of rotational and alternate grazing with adult cattle on the control of nematode parasites in sheep

The effects of rotational and alternate grazing involving cattle and sheep on the control of nematode parasites in sheep were evaluated. Three areas with 1.67ha were subdivided into eight paddocks each. Twenty ewes and four cattle were allotted to areas 1 and 2, respectively. They grazed during five days in each of eight paddocks of each area. The sheep and cattle rotated in each area for 40 days. At the end of this period, ewes were transferred to the area where cattle were previously kept and these animals were transferred to the area where sheep had previously grazed. This arrangement was kept until the end of the experiment. A control group with 20 ewes rotated in the third area, also with eight paddocks. Ewes that alternately grazed with cattle showed the lowest fecal egg counts and the highest values of packed cell volume. The rotational grazing of sheep, without cattle, was not efficient to control gastrointestinal nematodes. The alternate grazing of sheep and cattle resulted in a reduction of parasitic infection in the ewes.