Caracterização da intoxicação natural por brachiaria spp. em ovinos no Brasil central

Vanessa da Silva Mustafa

This work aimed to report outbreaks of Brachiaria spp poisoning in Central Brazil from 2002 to 2008. Brachiaria spp. is the main forage in the region, but it is potential toxic causing heavy losses on sheep flocks. Data from 24 outbreaks were collected from the records of the Veterinary Hospital at the University of Brasília. In the other 11 outbreaks occurred from 2006 to 2008 the farms were visited to observe epidemiologic and clinical characteristics. Eighteen (51,4%) of the outbreaks occurred in the Federal District, 9 (27,7%) in Goiás State, and 2 (5,7%) in Minas Gerais State. Outbreaks occurred during all year, 51.7% during the dry season (May- September) and 48.3% during the rainy season. Morbidity, mortality and lethality rates were of 23.2%, 20%, and 86.7%, respectively. In 10 out of 11 farms visited only lamb younger than 1-year-old were affected. Main clinical signs were edema of the face (42.8% of the cases), ocular hyperemia and/or discharge (40%), and dermatitis of the pinna (37.1%). Gross lesions observed in 18 necropsies were yellowish, whitish, or greenish liver (66.7%), hepatomegaly (46.7%), emaciation (40%), and jaundice (33.3%). In five outbreaks saponin concentrations of the pastures were 0.3%, 0.8%, 1.06%, 1.29% and 2.56%. Higher concentration occurred during the rainy season. Pasture samples were examined in 11 outbreaks for Pithomyces chartarum spores. In nine samples spores were not observed and in two less than 25,000 spores were counted. Considering the results and previous researches in this subject it is possible to assume that poisoning by Brachiaria spp observed in central Brazil affects young animals with high rates of morbidity and mortality causing serious losses to sheep production.

Caracterização da intoxicação natural por brachiaria spp. em ovinos no Brasil central

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