The effect of the nematode-destroying fungus Duddingtonia flagrans against Oesophagostomum dentatum larvae in faeces from pigs fed different diets

This study examined the effects of the nematode-destroying fungus Duddingtonia flagrans on the development of Oesophagostomum dentatum infective, third stage (L-3) larvae in faecal cultures from pigs fed five and four different diets with different levels of undigested dietary fibre residues and dry matter. The results demonstrated that different isolates of the nematode-destroying fungus D. flagrans were equally able to significantly reduce the number of O. dentatum infective larvae in vitro. The recovery of larvae was apparently higher in faecal cultures established on faeces from pigs fed diets with high levels of insoluble DF and relatively low total digestibility of non-starch polysaccharides. Recovery was also high in cultures prepared from the diet groups with a high faecal dry matter content.