Spontaneous and experimental poisoning of cattle by Palicourea aeneofusca in the region of Pernambuco and induction of conditioned food aversion/Intoxicacao espontanea e experimental por Palicourea aeneofusca em bovinos, no agreste de Pernambuco, e inducao de aversao alimentar condicionada

• Published in: Ciência rural p. 138
• Main Authors: de Brito, Luiz Bezerra, Albuquerque, Raquel Feitosa, Rocha, Brena Pessoa, Albuquerque, Samuel Salgado, Lee, Stephen Tomas, Medeiros, Rosane Maria Trindade, Riet-Correa, Franklin, Mendonca, Fabio de Souza
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidade Federal de Santa Maria 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Brasil
• ISSN: 0103-8478
• DOI: 10.1590/0103-8478cr20150079

The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, and pathological aspects of Palicourea aeneofusca poisoning in cattle in the region ofPernambuco, Brazil and to determine if it is possible to induce food aversion by P. aeneofusca poisoning in cattle raised under extensive management conditions. To determine the occurrence of poisoning, 30properties were visited in five municipalities of the region of Pernambuco. Three outbreaks of poisoning of cattle were monitored. To induce conditioned food aversion by the consumption of P. aeneofusca, 12 animals were randomly distributed into two groups of six animals each. Cattle were weighed and received green P. aeneofusca leaves in their trough at a dose of 35mg kg1 body weight for spontaneous consumption. The control group (CG) animals received water (1ml [kg.sup.-1] body weight) via a feeding tube after the first ingestion of the plant, while the other animals, constituting the aversion test group (ATG), underwent induced aversion with lithium chloride (LiCl 175mg [kg.sup.-1] body weight) via a feeding tube. For the ATG cattle, the aversion to P. aeneofusca induced by a single dose of LiCl persisted for 12 months. In contrast, the CG animals continued to consume the plant in all tests performed, indicating the absence of aversion. This study showed that aversive conditioning using LiCl was effective in preventing poisoning by P. aeneofusca for a period of at least 12 months. Key words: toxic plants, sudden death, monofluoroacetate, lithium chloride. O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever os aspectos epidemiologicos, clinicos e patologicos da intoxicacao por Palicourea aeneofusca em bovinos, no Agreste de Pernambuco, e comprovar se e possivel induzir aversao alimentar a intoxicacao por P. aeneofusca em bovinos criados sob manejo extensivo. Para determinar a ocorrencia da intoxicacao, foram visitadas 30 propriedades em cinco municipios do Agreste de Pernambuco. Tres surtos de intoxicacao em bovinos foram acompanhados. Para se induzir aversao alimentar condicionada ao consumo de P. aeneofusca, 12 bovinos foram distribuidos aleatoriamente em dois grupos de seis animais cada. Os bovinos foram pesados e receberam, no cocho, folhas verdes de P. aeneofusca, na dose de 35mg [kg.sup.-1] de peso corporal, para consumo espontaneo. Os bovinos do GC receberam agua (1mL [kg.sup.-1] de peso corporal), via sonda esofagica, apos a primeira ingestao da planta, e os demais constituiram o GTA, que foram induzidos a aversao com cloreto de litio (LiCl - 175mg [kg.sup.-1] de peso corporal), via sonda esofagica. Para os bovinos do GTA, a inducao de aversao a P. aeneofusca, em que se utilizou dose unica de LiCl, persistiu por 12 meses. Por outro lado, os bovinos do grupo GC continuaram ingerindo a planta em todos os testes realizados, indicando a ausencia de aversao. Este trabalho comprova que o condicionamento aversivo usando LiCl foi eficaz para prevenir a intoxicacoes por P. aeneofusca por um periodo de, pelo menos, 12 meses. Palavras-chave: plantas toxicas, morte subita, monofluoroacetato, cloreto de litio.