Semina: Ciências Agrárias (Feb 2015)

Use of castor meal (Ricinus communis L.) as a source of dietary protein in goats during the mating period: impact on reproductive and metabolic responses

  • Liliane Moreira Silva ,
  • Cláudio Henrique de Almeida Oliveira ,
  • Cleidson Manoel Gomes da Silva ,
  • Aline Maia Silva ,
  • César Carneiro Linhares Fernandes ,
  • Roselayne Ferro Furtado ,
  • Diana Célia Sousa Nunes-Pinheiro ,
  • Maria Izabel Florindo Guedes ,
  • Davide Rondina

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2015v36n1p203
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 36, no. 1
pp. 203 – 216

Abstract

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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the total substitution of soybean meal with castor meal, detoxified or non-detoxified, on the response to estrous synchronization, conception rate, early fetal development, presence of IgG, and metabolic-hormonal response. Sixty mixed goats were fed diets without castor meal (WCM), with detoxified castor meal (DCM), and with castor meal (CM) during early pregnancy. The goats had their estrous synchronized and were then submitted to the mating season. The number of fetuses was determined by ultrasonography after 25 days of mating and their development was followed until 60 days of gestation. Plasma levels of progesterone (P4), liver enzymes, and urea were determined along with the evaluation of the immunological response. After 15 days of experimental feeding, immunoglobulin G (IgG) was detected by western blotting only in goats that received non-detoxified castor meal. There was no effect (p > 0.05) of type of diet on response to estrous synchronization, plasma P4 levels, conception rate, or embryonic/fetal development. In pregnant goats, there was an effect of diet (p 0.05). In addition, plasma levels of LDH in WCM goats and of urea in all types of diet were higher in non-pregnant goats than pregnant goats. In conclusion, it can be inferred that the inclusion of 15% castor meal, whether or not it is detoxified, to the diet of goats does not affect the reproductive performance, embryonic and early fetal development, or blood metabolites.

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