Data Sheet 1_Effect of zinc oxide nanoparticle supplementation on parasite infection and rumen environment of grazing lambs.pdf

This study investigated the effect of zinc nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) on the growth parameters, parasitological status, ruminal fermentation, and histopathology of lambs that were experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus larvae. The infected lambs were divided into two groups (n = 10/group) and grazed on pasture while being fed one of two diets: a control diet consisting of 350 g/d of a dietary concentrate (CONTROL), and a diet consisting of 350 g/d of concentrate enriched with ZnO-NPs (ZINC). Pasture aboveground plant coverage and plant taxa from phytosociological relevés were used as descriptors to investigate differences in vegetation based on plant medicinal properties and the nutritional value. Communities dominated by plants with medicinal properties were mainly found in the CONTROL group's pasture, while the pasture of the ZINC group contained most plants with outstanding nutritional value. The number of eggs per gram of feces was quantified on days D14, D20, D28, D42, D56, D70, D84, D98, and D107 post-infection. There was a significant decrease in egg shedding from D42 onwards in the ZINC group, and from D56 and D70 onwards in the CONTROL group. The ruminal concentration of ammonia nitrogen (p = 0.018), n-butyrate (p = 0.025), n-valerate (p = 0.002), total protozoa count (p < 0.001), and the enzymatic activities of α-amylase (p < 0.001) and xylanase (p = 0.006) were significantly higher in the ZINC group than in the CONTROL group. The molar proportion of acetate was lower (p = 0.011) in the ZINC group than in the CONTROL group. Morphological observations of the rumen indicated that the homogeneity of the ruminal papillae was slightly impaired, the lamina propria was inflamed, or lymphocytes had infiltrated. In conclusion, the dynamics of gastrointestinal nematode infection were significantly reduced, probably due to the medicinal and nutritional properties of the pasture plants. This effect was also enhanced by the supplementation with ZnO nanoparticles, which possess strong anthelmintic potential.

本研究探究了氧化锌纳米颗粒（zinc nanoparticles, ZnO-NPs）对实验感染捻转血矛线虫（Haemonchus contortus）幼虫的羔羊的生长性能指标、寄生虫学状态、瘤胃发酵及组织病理学的影响。将感染羔羊分为两组（每组n=10），于放牧状态下饲喂两种日粮之一：对照组日粮为每日350g浓缩饲料（CONTROL组），试验组日粮为每日350g添加氧化锌纳米颗粒的浓缩饲料（ZINC组）。本研究以植物社会学样方中的地上植被覆盖度与植物类群作为描述指标，基于植物的药用特性与营养价值探究植被群落差异。结果显示，以药用植物占优势的群落主要分布于CONTROL组的放牧草地，而ZINC组放牧草地则以高营养价值植物占比最高。分别于感染后第14、20、28、42、56、70、84、98、107天量化每克粪便中的虫卵数：ZINC组自感染后第42天起粪便虫卵脱落量显著降低，CONTROL组则自第56、70天起出现显著下降。ZINC组瘤胃氨氮浓度（p=0.018）、正丁酸浓度（p=0.025）、正戊酸浓度（p=0.002）、原虫总数量（p<0.001），以及α-淀粉酶（α-amylase）与木聚糖酶（xylanase）的酶活性均显著高于CONTROL组；ZINC组瘤胃乙酸摩尔占比显著低于CONTROL组（p=0.011）。瘤胃形态学观察显示，瘤胃乳头均一度略有受损，固有层出现炎症反应或淋巴细胞浸润。综上，胃肠道线虫感染的动态过程显著缓解，这可能与放牧草地植物的药用与营养价值相关；而添加氧化锌纳米颗粒——其具备优异的抗寄生虫活性——进一步强化了这一效果。