Avaliação clínico-laboratorial, histopatológica hepática e desempenho de ovinos alimentados com feno de braquiária ou cana-de-açúcar

Abstract

The species of Brachiaria are important forages from Brazilian tropical regions, mainly the Central-Western region. Some species of Brachiaria have been described as cause of hepatogenous photosensitization in ruminants. Initially, the disease was attributed to the fungus Pithomyces chartarum, but recent studies suggest that the steroidal saponins present in the grasses have toxic principles responsible for the photosensitization. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hepatic function and the performance of lambs fed with B. brizantha hay or sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.), by means of clinical examination, laboratory tests, and macro and microscopic analysis of the liver. Twelve Saint Ines lambs were used. The animals were divided into two experimental groups: group hay (six lambs fed with roughage of B. brizantha hay and concentrate) and group sugar cane (six lambs fed with roughage of sugar cane and concentrate). The hay used to feed the lambs did not contain Pithomyces chartarum spores. The clinical examinations occurred at each seven days, the laboratory tests at each 14 days, and the weighings at each 28 days. At the end of 93 days of experiment the lambs were slaughtered, the macroscopic analysis of the the organs was carried out, and the liver fragments were collected for the microscopic analysis. The lambs were clinically healthy, during the whole period, except at the beginning of the experiment, when some animals presented pneumonia. The only biochemistry alterations suggestive of hepatic damage were the increase of the GGT values and the decrease of total cholesterol in both groups. No animal fed with B. brizantha hay presented macroscopic alteration in the liver. The microscopic analysis of the liver revealed preserved hepatocytes and presence of multifocal infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells in the hepatic parenchyma and also in the portal triads, characterizing cholangitis in both groups. Degenerations suggestive of hepatic esteatosis were observed in four animals fed with sugar cane. Feeding lambs with B. brizantha hay promoted similar performance than feeding the animals with sugar cane. Regardless of the type of feeding, the lambs presented, as biochemistry alteration of the hepatic function, increase of the serum levels of GGT and decrease of total cholesterol, followed by histological alterations, characteristic of light cholangitis.