Abstract
The aim of the present study is identification of fungi as a causative agent of abortion in sheep experimentaly fed on contaminated ration in correlates this finding with haematological and biochemical alteration before and after turmeric supplementation in ewes rations during pregnancy to evaluate these spice material in the prevention or reducing the risk of mycotic abortion especially in late of gestation period. Thirty pregnant ewes aged 3 – 5 years during the last three months of pregnancy were divided randomly into three equal groups (each of 10 animals). Animals in groups (G1, G2 and G3) were housed separately in semi-roofed yards and received uncontaminated diet (control G1), diet naturally contaminated with fungus and mycotoxins (G2) and the same contaminated diet with curcumin spices at level of 10gm/head/day (G3). Blood and serum samples were collected from each animal at two months post feeding trial for haematological and biochemical studies. Swabs from vaginal discharge, placenta and stomach content of the aborted foeti in addition to serum samples from aborted ewes were collected for mycological and serological examination. The obtained results showed that abortion happened at the last 2 – 3 weeks of pregnancy in 4 ewes (G2) and only in one ewe (G3) and was not observed in control (G1). Mycotic examination revealed that A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. parasiticus, Mucor species, Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis were isolated with different percentages from the collected samples. Most of isolated fungi were also recovered from concentrate and hay offered as ration for feeding. The results of blood parameters should that the mean values of Hb%, RBCs count, MCH, MCHC and lymphocytes were reduced with contaminated diet G2 when compared with control G1 or curcumin treated group G3. The biochemical analysis of serum revealed significant elevation in the activities of serum enzymes AST and ALP. While the levels of serum total protein and globulin were significantly reduced in contaminated diet fed group (G2) when compared with other groups. It could be concluded that the pollution of ration with fungi and mycotoxins may be considered important cause of abortion in pregnant ewes. The dietary supplementation of curcumin for pregnant ewes fed on polluted ration with fungi and mycotoxins at dose level (10 gm/head/day) during the last 3 months of pregnancy help in reducing the risk of mycotic abortion and improve the general health condition without any toxic effects as evidenced by haematobiochemical parameters.
Highlights
IntroductionAbortion in sheep and goat as in large animals is due to a wide variety of causes such as chemical, mechanical, nutritional, bacterial, viral and mycotic causes
Abortion in sheep and goat as in large animals is due to a wide variety of causes such as chemical, mechanical, nutritional, bacterial, viral and mycotic causes.Aspergillus species is the main cause of mycotic abortion followed by Mucor, Absidia and Candida in cattle (Hoedemake and Held, 1985; Munoz and Gonazalez, 1987); and in ewes) Subhash et al, 1999 and Mohamed, 2002)
It could be concluded that the pollution of ration with fungi and mycotoxins may be considered important cause of abortion in pregnant ewes
Summary
Abortion in sheep and goat as in large animals is due to a wide variety of causes such as chemical, mechanical, nutritional, bacterial, viral and mycotic causes. Aspergillus species is the main cause of mycotic abortion followed by Mucor, Absidia and Candida in cattle (Hoedemake and Held, 1985; Munoz and Gonazalez, 1987); and in ewes) Subhash et al, 1999 and Mohamed, 2002). Abortion usually occurred during the last trimester of pregnancy (Corbel, 1988). Aspergillus fumigatus is a fairly common in both hay and silage (Radostits et al, 2000). Mycotoxins in genital tract are spermicidal to spermatozoa (Saxena and Ishaque, 1977). Regarding the blood chemistry and abortion in goats, Zaghloul et al (1985) investigated the blood biochemical alteration of goats with chlamydial abortion and found an increase in the level of serum protein blood urea, nitrogen, creatinine and alanine aminotransferase
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