Abstract
Hepatotoxic plants are important cause of economical losses in farm animals in Brazil. This report concerns an outbreak of acute hepatic toxicosis, in which seven goats died after consumption of green leaves from a felled Trema micrantha tree. Two of these animals were necropsied and several tissues were processed for histological examination. Main histological finding was observed in the liver that showed centrilobular to massive necrosis consistent with an acute hepatic toxicosis. The overall picture was similar to those described in experimentally induced T. micrantha poisoning of goats. No additional known hepatotoxic plant was found in the paddock where the goats had been kept.
Highlights
Trema micrantha (Figure 1) is a native perennial plant of the Brazil [8]
Hepatocellular necrosis observed in these two necropsied goats was similar to that described in experimentally Trema micrantha poisoned goats [13] and rabbits [14]
High rate consumption of a similar plant has been observed during shortage periods of forage [10], felled branches or trees by pruning or wind action are important risk factors in T. micrantha poisoning
Summary
Trema micrantha (Figure 1) is a native perennial plant of the Brazil [8]. The genus Trema includes many species of fast growing trees, which are not tolerant to shadow [16]. Death due to T. micrantha poisoning has been induced in two goats three days after the consumption of 30g/Kg of green leaves from the plant [13]. The main histological lesion was hepatic necrosis, which ranged from centrilobular to massive and was associated with hemorrhage. Experimental T. micrantha poisoning associated with an acute hepatic intoxication has been reported in rabbits [14]. Very similar diseases associated with the consumption of Trema tomentosa have been described in camel [15], cattle, goat, sheep [10], horse [7] and deer [9]
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