Cecal dilation in cattle ingesting Megathyrsus maximus (syn. Panicum maximum) cv. Mombaça and cv. Tanzânia

Authors: SCHONS, SANDRO - University Of La Rioja; SOUZA, TACIANE - Universidade Federal De Rondonia; FILHO, JERONIMO - Universidade Federal De Rondonia; FERREIRA, ELVINO - Universidade Federal De Rondonia; PRADO, ED - University Of Catolica De Brasilia; PFISTER, JAMES - Retired ARS Employee; Cook, Daniel; RIET-CORREA, FRANKLIN - Federal University Of Bahia (UFBA)

Submitted to: Toxicon
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/19/2023
Publication Date: 12/27/2023
Citation: Schons, S.V., de Melo Souza, T.L., Dantas Filho, J.V., Ferreira, E., da Rosa Prado, E.J., Pfister, J., Cook, D., Riet-Correa, F. 2023. Cecal Dilation in cattle ingesting Megathyrsus maximus (syn. Panicum maximum) cv. Mombaça and cv. Tanzânia. Toxicon. 238. Article 107586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107586.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107586

Interpretive Summary: Nine outbreaks of cecal dilatation occurred in cattle in Northern Brazil in pastures of Megathyrsus (Panicum) maximum varieties Mombaça and Tanzânia during the raining season. The animals showed cecal dilatation 6-24 hours after entering the pasture and recovered 8-12 hours after their removal from the paddocks. All cases occurred in rotational grazing systems with one day grazing and rest intervals of 23 to 28 days. All farms used fertilization with 80-120 kg of urea/year. In six farms, in addition to urea, chicken litter was also used as a fertilizer. A pasture of M. maximum was divided into five blocks of 16 m2 and each block subdivided into four plots each, totaling 20 plots of 4 m2. One plot of each block was randomly chosen for 1 of 4 different treatments: 1. fertilized with 8t/he of poultry litter; 2. fertilized with 6 t/ha of poultry litter; 3. fertilized with180k/ha urea; 4. control without fertilization. In December and March samples were collected from the plots, lyophilized and sent to the Equi-Analytical-Laboratories to determine water-soluble carbohydrates, non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC), ethanol soluble carbohydrates, fructans, and starch. All plots were mowed each 28 days. In December, the M. maximus from plots fertilized with urea or 16t/h of chicken litter had significantly higher NFC concentrations. NFC concentrations were significantly higher in December than in March in all treatments. Starch concentrations were significantly higher in plots treated with urea and with 16t/h of chicken litter and they were significantly higher in December than in March in all treatments. In another experiment a pasture of M. maximum was divided in 23 paddocks and submitted to a rotational grazing with a one-day grazing period and a resting period of 28 days Ten paddocks, chosen at random, were fertilized with 180kg/ha of urea and in five 8t/ha of poultry litter was also added to the soil. The other paddocks remained as control. The concentration of NCF and starch were significantly higher in the pastures fertilized with urea and with urea plus poultry litter. These results suggest that cecal dilatation in pastures of M. maximus are caused by the high concentrations of starch in the pastures.

Technical Abstract: Nine outbreaks of cecal dilatation occurred in cattle in Northern Brazil in pastures of Megathyrsus (Panicum) maximum varieties Mombaça and Tanzânia during the raining season. The animals showed cecal dilatation 6-24 hours after entering the pasture and recovered 8-12 hours after their removal from the paddocks. All cases occurred in rotational grazing systems with one day grazing and rest intervals of 23 to 28 days. All farms used fertilization with 80-120 kg of urea/year. In six farms, in addition to urea, chicken litter was also used as a fertilizer. A pasture of M. maximum was divided into five blocks of 16 m2 and each block subdivided into four plots each, totaling 20 plots of 4 m2. One plot of each block was randomly chosen for 1 of 4 different treatments: 1. fertilized with 8t/he of poultry litter; 2. fertilized with 6 t/ha of poultry litter; 3. fertilized with180k/ha urea; 4. control without fertilization. In December and March samples were collected from the plots, lyophilized and sent to the Equi-Analytical-Laboratories to determine water-soluble carbohydrates, non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC), ethanol soluble carbohydrates, fructans, and starch. All plots were mowed each 28 days. In December, the M. maximus from plots fertilized with urea or 16t/h of chicken litter had significantly higher NFC concentrations. NFC concentrations were significantly higher in December than in March in all treatments. Starch concentrations were significantly higher in plots treated with urea and with 16t/h of chicken litter and they were significantly higher in December than in March in all treatments. In another experiment a pasture of M. maximum was divided in 23 paddocks and submitted to a rotational grazing with a one-day grazing period and a resting period of 28 days Ten paddocks, chosen at random, were fertilized with 180kg/ha of urea and in five 8t/ha of poultry litter was also added to the soil. The other paddocks remained as control. The concentration of NCF and starch were significantly higher in the pastures fertilized with urea and with urea plus poultry litter. These results suggest that cecal dilatation in pastures of M. maximus are caused by the high concentrations of starch in the pastures.