Liver status of goats fed with cactus cladodes genotypes resistant to Dactylopius opuntiae

Abstract

The effects of diets containing cactus cladodes genotypes resistant to Dactylopius opuntiae on the hepatic condition of crossbred male goats were evaluated. Thirty-six goats (19.0 ± 2.8 kg body weight) were distributed in a completely randomized design, with three treatments and twelve replications. For 70 days, the animals were provided with a diet containing Tifton hay as exclusive roughage (control) and two more diets in which the hay was partially replaced by Miúda or Orelha de Elefante Mexicana (O.E.M.) cactus cladodes. Blood samples were collected one day before (baseline) and 50 days after the introduction of the tested diets to determine enzyme activities, bilirubins concentration and indicators of energy and protein metabolism, as well as, after slaughter, liver samples were collected for histopathological analysis. The use of cactus cladodes, regardless of genotype, decreased the serum concentration of cholesterol (P = 0.0023), whose averages were 73.24; 51.55 and 56.93 mg/dL, for the control treatments, with Miúda and with O.E.M. cactus cladodes, respectively. The animals that consumed cactus cladodes showed a predominance of degenerative and inflammatory processes and the O.E.M. cactus cladodes caused diffuse and accentuated coagulative necrosis in liver tissue (P = 0.0334). The cactus cladodes causes a decrease in serum cholesterol and, especially the O.E.M. genotype, causes outstanding tissue damage in the liver of goats, without affecting productive parameters.