Simple Summary
Lice infestation can affect the health, welfare and productive performance of farm ruminants. This study investigated the short-term effects of administering topical eprinomectin, a drug used to control parasite infestations, on lactating buffaloes naturally infested with the sucking louse Haematopinus tuberculatus. Twenty-four lactating Italian Mediterranean buffaloes were divided into two groups: one receiving the drug and the other untreated as a control. Over four weeks after eprinomectin administration, we monitored parasite infestation, health-related indicators, milk yield and milk chemical composition. The treatment did not affect most blood-related parameters or milk yield. However, the treated buffaloes showed lower levels of haptoglobin, an acute-phase protein whose concentrations in blood increase in response to inflammation. This finding may reflect the physiological consequences of parasite removal and recovery from infestation rather than a direct anti-inflammatory effect of the drug. Milk produced by treated buffaloes had higher fat and lower urea contents than the control group; the mechanisms underlying these differences could not be established from collected data. Overall, topical eprinomectin treatment was associated with limited short-term changes in the physiological and productive responses of lactating buffaloes. These results may help farmers and veterinarians make informed decisions about sucking lice control in lactating buffaloes, considering both animal health and milk production performance.
Abstract
This study evaluated the short-term response to pour-on eprinomectin (EPM) treatment in buffaloes naturally infested by Haematopinus tuberculatus, focusing on haematobiochemical parameters, serum and milk cortisol levels, and milk production. Twenty-four Italian Mediterranean buffaloes were allocated to two groups: an untreated Control group and a group receiving 0.5 mg EPM/kg body weight. From treatment day (T0), blood was sampled every 14 days, while milk yield was recorded and milk samples collected every 7 days for 4 weeks. Haematobiochemical parameters, serum and milk cortisol, and milk composition were analysed. Data were statistically analysed using a linear mixed-effects model including treatment, time (as fixed categorical effects) and their interaction, T0 as a covariate and the animal as a random effect. No differences were detected for cortisol and most haematobiochemical parameters between groups (p > 0.05). Haptoglobin showed lower values in EPM-treated buffaloes when compared to Controls (34.8 vs. 43.6 μg/mL; p = 0.026). Milk yield remained unaffected by treatment (p > 0.05), whereas milk fat was higher (83.1 vs. 69.1 g/kg; p = 0.011) and milk urea was lower (36.1 vs. 40.1 mg/dL; p = 0.002) in EPM-treated buffaloes. Overall, EPM treatment against H. tuberculatus infestation was associated with limited short-term changes in physiological and productive responses in lactating buffaloes, including lower serum haptoglobin concentrations and differences in selected milk composition traits.