Question about pumpkin seeds

[centrarchid]

We are having a major weather change here with ground striking lightening so can not sleep. Had to do something.

Links provided by lazy gardener with comments following each.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27598135

Dosage not defined in what I can access. Is needed dosage practical when provided by pumpkin seeds representing a realistic portion of the diet? I cannot not see pumpkin seeds representing more than 25% of the chicken's intake for any length of time.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22684690

Fecal egg counts reduced by inclusion of pumpkinseed meal. Does this translate to reduced worm burden and health of ostriches? What happens with worm burden after treatment ends? Does fecal egg count come back up if worms still present?


http://www.academicjournals.org/journal/JPP/article-full-text-pdf/831473255099

Can effective dose found effective for mice be realized for chickens eating pumpkin seeds? Extracts were used with this.

http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/12/3/129

Not something I would use to justify feeding anything to an animal for control of internal parasites.


http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/12/3/129

This same as linked immediately above. Editing problem I have all the time.


http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/5709/1/NPR 7(5) 466-475.pdf

A review that does not provide new information stronger than original research cited above. Serves as a starting point for finding what is needed.

https://www.anniesremedy.com/chart.php?prop_ID=43

This one is not suitable evidence, for or against, with respect to using pumpkin seeds in diet to control health issues relating to intestinal parasites.



Needed evidence hopefully is among the multitude of articles not cited owing to time constraints.

What I need to see is a study, ideally more than one, that examines use of pumpkin seeds as part of diet for chickens. The study needs to look at not only fecal egg counts, it needs to look at actual worm burden well after treatment terminated. The study also needs to consider the performance of the birds. I assume my birds always have worms. It is their performance, weight or ability to convert feed to growth / egg production, that I am really interested in to decide whether a given bird needs parasite management.


To be fair, I do not pass up feeding my chickens pumpkin and pumpkin seed in the off chance some benefits to parasite management are being realized. I have no proof, not even anecdotal, that doing so works. Pumpkins are seasonally cheap and a fun way to interact with my birds. Shortly, I will have ability to process pumpkin seeds into a meal. Maybe a study of sorts could be done, but killing birds or running the fecal samples needed are beyond what my resources can support. It is 0300 here so do not hold my writing to high standards.

 

[lazy gardener]

I assume my birds always have worms. It is their performance, weight or ability to convert feed to growth / egg production, that I am really interested in to decide whether a given bird needs parasite management.


To be fair, I do not pass up feeding my chickens pumpkin and pumpkin seed in the off chance some benefits to parasite management are being realized. I have no proof, not even anecdotal, that doing so works. Pumpkins are seasonally cheap and a fun way to interact with my birds. Shortly, I will have ability to process pumpkin seeds into a meal. Maybe a study of sorts could be done, but killing birds or running the fecal samples needed are beyond what my resources can support. It is 0300 here so do not hold my writing to high standards.

Agreed. Internal parasites are most likely present in varying numbers in all species. It is the relationship between the parasite load, and the health of the animal that is of primary importance. It would be interesting to see a cross sample of fecal float tests in your birds before and after incorporating pumpkin seeds into their diet. IMO, a lot can be done to improve the habitat of the animal to decrease the frequency of internal parasite infestation. In my own flock, they are on deep litter when penned, and they otherwise have a widely varied free range. I have not done any testing, nor would I consider doing so, unless health of flock told me that there was an issue. Have not seen any indication of round worms when doing internal gut examination of birds being processed.

 

[centrarchid]

Agreed. Internal parasites are most likely present in varying numbers in all species. It is the relationship between the parasite load, and the health of the animal that is of primary importance. It would be interesting to see a cross sample of fecal float tests in your birds before and after incorporating pumpkin seeds into their diet. IMO, a lot can be done to improve the habitat of the animal to decrease the frequency of internal parasite infestation. In my own flock, they are on deep litter when penned, and they otherwise have a widely varied free range. I have not done any testing, nor would I consider doing so, unless health of flock told me that there was an issue. Have not seen any indication of round worms when doing internal gut examination of birds being processed.

That would be more than I can do now. Up to my ears in critter research already and must invest more in the writing up about it. When I process an outwardly healthy bird, I have to look on most to find the worms. In a few the worms are abundant but usually the birds are in good "apparent" health otherwise. Those that come down sick do pass a lot of worms when treated with de-wormer.