Evaluation of plant commercial feed additives for equine cyathostomin control.
Authors: Malsa J, Reigner F, Riou M, Gesbert A, Guégnard F, Perrot N, Serreau D, Fleurance G, Sallé G
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Plant-Based Feed Additives for Cyathostomin Control Rising anthelmintic resistance and industry pressure to adopt more sustainable parasite management strategies have prompted investigation into plant-based alternatives to conventional dewormers, though evidence supporting their efficacy remains limited. Researchers administered three commercially available feed additives—mugwort (*Artemisia vulgaris*), echinacea (*Echinacea purpurea*), and curcumin (*Curcuma longa*)—to 18 Welsh ponies naturally infected with cyathostomins, measuring faecal egg count (FEC), larval development, and peripheral blood immune markers at the start and end of treatment compared to an untreated control group. None of the three additives produced statistically significant reductions in FEC, larval development percentage, or immune cell parameters (red blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils), with maximum efficacy measured at 38.6% FEC reduction for the best-performing treatment. Whilst effect-size analysis suggested mugwort may have minor impacts on FEC, larval development, and immune response, these clinically modest findings do not justify practical use of these additives as standalone parasite control measures in equine operations. For practitioners considering alternatives to chemical anthelmintics, this work reinforces that plant-based feed supplements should not replace evidence-based deworming protocols, and further research into combination approaches or optimised dosing regimens would be needed before reconsidering their utility in integrated parasite management programmes.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Do not rely on commercial mugwort, echinacea, or curcumin feed additives as standalone treatments for cyathostomin control in horses—they show insufficient efficacy in field conditions.
- •While natural alternatives appeal to sustainability goals, current evidence indicates these specific plant-based products are not adequate replacements for conventional anthelmintics in parasite management protocols.
- •Continue conventional parasite control strategies while monitoring for anthelmintic resistance; natural alternatives may require further research and development before farm implementation.
Key Findings
- •None of the three plant-based feed additives (mugwort, echinacea, or curcumin) showed statistically significant effects on fecal egg count, larval development, or blood immune cell parameters in naturally infected ponies.
- •Treatment efficacy measured by FEC reduction compared to control was weak at ≤38.6% across all three additives.
- •Despite weak statistical significance, Cohen's d values suggested some incidence of mugwort on FEC and larval development, though not of practical relevance.
- •These results do not support the practical use of these commercial plant-based additives for equine cyathostomin control in farming conditions.