Coadministration of nematophagous fungi for biological control over gastrointestinal helminths in sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil

•Coadministration Duddingtonia flagrans and Monacrosporum thaumasium was effective over gastrointestinal helminths in young and adult sheep.•Fungi-treated group had reductions in EPG of 76% in adult sheep and 83% in young sheep, when compared to control group.•Fungi-treated group needed less salvage deworming and presented better packed cell volume percentages than the control group.•Fungi-treated group presented better weight gain and lower levels of L3/kg dry matter in their paddock than the control group.

This study aimed to evaluate coadministration of Duddingtonia flagrans and Monacrosporium thaumasium in a sodium alginate matrix for controlling gastrointestinal helminths in young and adult sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. An area of 1 ha was divided into two paddocks, in which two experimental groups (fungus and control) were formed, each consisting of six adult females and ten young males. In each group, two subgroups were formed in accordance with the animal category (adult or young). In the fungus group, each animal received 3 g of pellets containing 0.6 g of fungal mycelium, with 0.3 g of D. flagrans and 0.3 g of M. thaumasium for each 10 kg of body weight, in their feed twice a week, for six months. In the control group, each animal received 3 g of pellets without fungus for each 10 kg of body weight, in their feed twice a week, for six months, serving as a witness group. Reductions in numbers of eggs per gram of feces of 76% among the adult sheep in the fungus group and 83% among the young sheep in the fungus group were observed, in comparison with their respective control subgroups. The groups that received these fungi needed less salvage deworming and presented better packed cell volume percentages, better weight gain and lower levels of L3/kg dry matter in their paddock than the control groups. Thus, it was concluded that coadministration of D. flagrans and M. thaumasium was effective in controlling gastrointestinal helminths of adults and young sheep in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil.