BOVINE CATTLE FED WITH BRACHIARIA AND ANDROPOGON GRASS: HEMATOLOGY AND CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY

Abstract

Outbreaks of hepatogenous photosensitivity in cattle in Brachiaria decumbens pastures has been associated with Pithomyces chartaraum spores or with lithogenic saponins in pastures. The objective of this work was to evaluate the laboratorial aspects of the hepatic alterations of cattle fed with Brachiaria brizantha and B. decumbens mix and Andropogon gayanus grass, as well as their correlation with the live weight gains. Fifty bulls were divided into two groups of 25 animals and fed, from weaning to slaughter, with one distinct type of grass. During 30 months and every 60 days blood samples were collected from all the animals, and they were weighed and clinically examined. Samples of the grasses were also collected in the same periods. The amount of P. chartarum spores and concentration of lithogenic saponins from the pastures were determined for a subsequent comparison with the clinical biochemistry results. Any animal showed clinic alterations, weight gains, however, were greater in the A. gayanus group. Hemoglobin concentration, hematocryte levels and erythrocytes number, total and indirect bilirubin were correlated with weight gains. Cattle fed with Brachiaria spp. e Andropogon gayanus showed similar hematological and hepatic function profiles. During the experimental period, independent of the grass type ingested, an increase of AST, GGT and bilirrubin was observed also with an absence of clinical signals suggesting a presence of sub-clinical chronic hepatic alteration.

KEY WORDS: Aspartate aminotransferase, gama glutamyltransferase, photosensitivity, saponin, sporidesmin.