Aloevera as a deworming agent in Endoparasitic management of Sheep

Introduction

In parts of Erode district, Tamilnadu, Sheep rearing is an important source of livelihood. The periodic failure of monsoons has turned it in to a primary occupation for many households, while for other it remains on par with agriculture and is an equally important source of income.

Among the various breeds Mecheri is more popular in the district. Mutton from the district has very great marketing potential and sheep from the southern regions of the district are regularly transported across the nation.

The sheep in this region are maintained in small flocks and open grazing is the normal feeding practice. Open grazing has its advantages but also limitations such as parasitic infestation. Periodic deworming is a known and accepted practice. Easy to administer chemical dewormers like Albendazole, panacur etc. are what are most commonly used. Indigenous botanical dewormers like NSKE, neem oil and bitter vegetable extract are also perceived as being effective they are locally accessible and ecologically more acceptable but not very widely used.

On farm trial

Kendra after the participatory need assessment with the community took the initiative to study or evaluate the performance of different deworming agents for the control of the intestinal parasites and the growth performance of sheep under rural conditions. The study was done in association with the TNVUTRC, Erode and TANUVAS, Namakkal.

The comparison was between the following four sets of ingestible:

1. Albendazole admininstered at the rate of 7.5 mg per kg of body weight.
2. Neem oil administered at 50 ml per animal
3. Extract of neem seed (20gms),bitttergourd ( 20 gms),garlic, edible banana stem( 50 gms) combined with jaggery and orally administered.
4. Aloevera ( 50 gms to 75 gms of edible mucilage) combined with jaggery ( 10 gms) and orally administered

40sheep belonging to a single flock and similarly managed in all other aspects were randomly divided in to sub groups of 10, with each group being administered one of the above dewormers. Body weight measurement and blood samples test were done before and one month after administering the dewormers. Faecal samples from each group were collected and analysed before and on the 7th, 14 th and 28 th days after administering the dewormers. The results were evidently favourable to aloevera as shown in the following Table.

Comparitive effectiveness of various dewormers

MKVK followed up the trial with a number of training programmes, publications in their quarterly Tamil newsletter and integrating the veterinary promoters in the dissemination process.

Scaling up- Aloevera as a dewormer

It is true that even though the MKVK facilitated trials were conducted in one village (Elur) in one block of Erode district (T.N palayam) in December2002, the spread of the practice could be confirmed in at least two other blocks ( Talavadi and Anthiyur). However, it is likely that this spread would not have been an automatic outcome from one demonstration.

To confirm the spread of the activity, a survey was conducted with 40 sheep rearers selected from blocks where MKVK was actively working on several programs, though aloevera administration had been demonstrated only in one village of T.N. palayam Block.

The findings revealed the following aspects.

In general majorities have started the practice with aloevera only after the intervention and have understood administering it properly. Spread took place through MKVK directly, the MKVK trained animal husbandry promoters, the sheep rearers (through discussion in self helf groups) and the MKVK newsletter. Interestingly MKVK trained veterinary promoters did not initially recommend aloevera because it was felt to affect their own incomes. Later there seemed to be an acceptance that it was necessary to share this information both because it was a workable local remedy and because they had to be seen as people who were knowledgeable, and not ignorant, about it. Thus over81% of the 27 aloevera users said that the MKVK trained veterinary promoters were one of the sources of knowledge on this practice.

Economics on Aloe vera Vs Albendazole

Method of administering Aloevera for deworming in sheep

• Select a healthy aloevera plant with succulent leaves
• Cut leaves from base of plant ,wash with clean water and remove thorns and outer skin
• Take the edible mucilage (jelly portion) and mix with jaggery
• Orally administer this mixture to sheep once in 3 months.

Sheep rearers preferred using it for the following reasons-local availability, ease of use, cheap and effective option and some found it to trigger several positive developments on the general health of the animals.

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