Miresa Ashenafi, Tolemariam Taye, Duguma Belay, Dierenfeld Ellen S, Nigussie Abebe, Begna Feyissa
Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
PLoS One. 2025 Aug 18;20(8):e0329812. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0329812. eCollection 2025.
Gastrointestinal parasites (GIP) and mineral deficiencies are significant factors affecting health and productivity of free-ranging cattle. Adequate mineral intake, particularly from natural mineral water sources (hora), is vital for immune function, gastrointestinal health, and nutrient absorption. This study aimed to explore the association between GIP burden and serum mineral concentrations in zebu cattle (Bos indicus) routinely accessing hora mineral water in southwestern Ethiopia. A total of 180 fecal samples were collected from cattle across four districts (Bedele, Dabo, Gechi, and Borecha) and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively to determine parasite presence and fecal egg count. Concurrently, blood samples were collected to evaluate serum mineral concentrations. The overall GIP prevalence was 55.6%, with Strongyle-type nematodes being the dominant GIP group. Gechi district showed the highest prevalence (64.4%) and mean egg per gram (EPG) of 212.8 (p < 0.05). Although, serum mineral concentrations were generally adequate, significant variations were observed across districts. Strong negative correlations (p < 0.05) were observed between EPG and serum concentrations of zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu), indicating that adequate intake of these minerals, potentially sourced from the hora mineral water, may be associated with improved resistance to parasitic infections. These negative correlations were supported by negative binomial regression analysis which identified Zn as the strongest predictor of EPG. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of hora as a natural mineral supplement in its association with lower GIP burden in free-ranging zebu cattle. While this study indicates a correlation between serum mineral concentrations and GIP burden in grazing cattle, controlled experiments are essential to determine the specific effects of individual minerals found in hora on parasite resistance and establish causality.
胃肠道寄生虫（GIP）和矿物质缺乏是影响散养牛健康和生产力的重要因素。充足的矿物质摄入，特别是来自天然矿泉水水源（hora）的矿物质摄入，对免疫功能、胃肠道健康和营养吸收至关重要。本研究旨在探讨在埃塞俄比亚西南部经常饮用hora矿泉水的瘤牛（Bos indicus）中，GIP负担与血清矿物质浓度之间的关联。从四个地区（贝德莱、达博、格奇和博雷查）的牛身上总共采集了180份粪便样本，并进行定性和定量分析，以确定寄生虫的存在情况和粪便虫卵计数。同时，采集血液样本以评估血清矿物质浓度。GIP的总体患病率为55.6%，圆线虫类线虫是主要的GIP类别。格奇地区的患病率最高（64.4%），平均每克虫卵数（EPG）为212.8（p < 0.05）。虽然血清矿物质浓度总体上是充足的，但各地区之间存在显著差异。观察到EPG与锌（Zn）、锰（Mn）、铁（Fe）和铜（Cu）的血清浓度之间存在强烈的负相关（p < 0.05），这表明这些矿物质的充足摄入（可能来自hora矿泉水）可能与对寄生虫感染的抵抗力提高有关。这些负相关得到了负二项回归分析的支持，该分析确定锌是EPG的最强预测因子。总体而言，研究结果突出了hora作为天然矿物质补充剂在散养瘤牛中与较低GIP负担相关联的重要性。虽然本研究表明放牧牛的血清矿物质浓度与GIP负担之间存在相关性，但进行对照实验对于确定hora中发现的个别矿物质对寄生虫抗性的具体影响并建立因果关系至关重要。
