A red clover-based dietary intervention limits nematode egg excretion and reshapes parasite-host-microbiome interplay within the sheep abomasum

ABSTRACT: Helminth infections, such as gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are highly prevalent in grazing-based livestock systems, compromising animal health and welfare and causing substantial economic losses. Although anthelmintics remain the primary control strategy, resistance is becoming increasingly widespread. Thus, sustainable alternatives are urgently needed to improve parasite control and support animal health. We formulated a red clover–based forage diet using the biorefinery by-product red clover pulp. In sheep infected with three common GIN species, this diet reduced fecal egg counts by ~40% (P = 0.0006) without negatively affecting feed intake or weight gain. The diet also significantly increased the abundance of Bacteroidales RF16 and Bacteroidales p-251-o5, taxa associated with short-chain fatty acid production, while reducing Methanomethylophilaceae, a family linked to methane production. Moreover, the red clover diet markedly altered the abomasal environment, and these changes were mirrored by shifts in the Haemonchus contortus gut microbiome, whereas the microbiomes of Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis remained largely unaffected by diet. These findings highlight a sustainable dietary strategy to reduce GIN transmission and improve ruminant health, while also revealing distinct interactions between host and parasite-associated microbiomes that could be key to designing future control strategies.

ORGANISM(S): Ovis aries

PROVIDER: GSE325079 | GEO | 2026/06/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO