The relationship between decrease in feed intake and infection with Trypanosoma congolense and T. vivax in west African dwarf goats.

Twenty-three mature dwarf goats were used to study whether there is a relationship between the decrease in feed intake for individual goats and infection with T.congolense and T. vivax. Furthermore, it was investigated how rectal temperatures and blood parameters were affected by the T. congolense infection and how changes in these parameters can be used to predict the effect of a T. vivax infection on feed intake. For individual goats a ranking correlation was found between relative dry matter intake and infection (r = 0.59; p < .05). Animals with the most marked decrease in dry matter intake during the T. congolense infection showed a smaller increase in urea and a higher increase in non esterified fatty acids and beta-hydroxy butyrate levels in their blood. Evidence was obtained that the relative decrease in dry matter intake for individual goats during a T. vivax infection can be predicted on the basis of urea and creatinine responses measured in the blood during a previous infection with T. congolense infection.