Histopathological Effects of Different Levels of Palm Kernel Cake Fed to Dorper Lambs

Abstract

Palm kernel cake (PKC) is a nutrient-rich by-product of oil mills that contained a high concentration of copper (Cu) among other minerals elements. The higher dietary concentration of Cu was reported to impair some physiological functions in some breeds of sheep due to Cu toxicity. Hence, this study was aimed to investigate the histopathological effects of PKC based diet on vital organs of Dorper lambs. Fifteen male Dorper lambs (8 month-old) were randomly assigned to three treatment groups. Lambs were fed with a diet supplemented with different levels of PKC based on dry matter (DM) (PKC 750 gm kg-1 DM, PKC 700 gm kg-1 DM, and PKC 650 gm kg-1 DM) for 120 days. At the end of the experiment, all the lambs were slaughtered, liver, kidney, and testis samples were examined for gross pathological lesions. Microscopic examination showed that the liver of PKC75 group animals was histologically normal. However, cell hepatocyte abnormality was observed in PKC70 and PKC65 groups. No clinical symptoms or severe histological lesions were noticed in the kidney and testis of all groups. Therefore, the histomorphological normal organs observed indicated the PKC contents provided detoxification and immune defense in male lambs.

Keywords

• copper toxicity
• palm kernel cake
• liver
• dorper lamb
• histopathology