Study of morphometric and ruminal parameters in santa inês sheep fed spineless cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica, MILL)

Abstract

The present study aimed to morphometrically evaluate the ruminal mucosa and ruminal fluid characteristics of Santa Inês sheep fed different levels of spineless cactus as a replacement for Tifton grass hay. A total of 32 intact male Santa Inês sheep, approximately 180 days old and with a mean weight of 32.0±1.6kg, were studied in a completely randomized design with four treatments and eight replicates. The morphometric measurements evaluated in the ruminal epithelium (papilla height and surface area) were significantly affected (P< 0.05) by supplementation of the diet with spineless cactus, and these effects showed increasing linear trends. Evaluations of the ruminal fluid also showed a significant increasing linear effect (P< 0.05) for ammonia and a quadratic effect for microbial protein. The inclusion of spineless cactus in the sheep diet affects the ruminal epithelium morphology, including the papilla height and surface area, and favors the absorption process in the rumen. The diet containing higher levels of spineless cactus led to maximum microbial protein production. These results characterize spineless cactus as a feasible alternative for feeding sheep during periods of drought, when the typical food source is scarce.

Performance and ruminal and intestinal morphometry of Santa Inês sheep submitted to feed restriction and refeeding

“…The organs and viscera, compared to other parts of the body, exhibit different growth rates and are primarily influenced by the chemical composition of the diet and its energy level (Kamalzadeh et al 1998;Porto Filho et al 2020). The gastrointestinal epithelium, for example, is responsible for many physiological functions, including digestion, absorption, transport, and metabolism of nutrients, with digestion and absorption being related to the development of rumen papillae and intestinal villi (Xu et al 2009).…”

“…According to Martens et al (2012), sheep initially fed a low energy diet and subsequently with supplementation of the concentrate undergo changes in the ruminal epithelium, particularly in the size of the papillae, in adaptation to changes in rumen parameters such as pH, fatty acid concentration, and osmotic pressure. The epithelium of the small intestine can also change its structure according to the feed ingested, since it adapts to meet the nutritional requirements of the animal (Penner et al 2011;Porto Filho et al 2020). Despite these reports, there are few studies in the literature that demonstrate the effects of feed restriction and refeeding on the morphology of the digestive system.…”