Poisonous plants for ruminants in the dairy region of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil

Plantas tóxicas para ruminantes na bacia leiteira de Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil

ABSTRACT:

A survey carried out in the dairy region of Pernambuco was conducted to determine the most important poisonous plants for ruminants in the region. A total of 95 farmers from 19 municipalities were interviewed and the grazing areas of ruminants were inspected. According to the survey, the most important poisonous plants for ruminants were Manihot esculenta, Palicourea aeneofusca, Brachiaria decumbens, Indigofera suffruticosa, Ricinus communis and Cestrum axillare. Less reported classes of poisonous plants included nephrotoxic plants and plants that cause abortions or congenic malformations. Psychotria hoffmannseggiana, Psychotria colorata and Psychotria capitata were reported by farmers as the cause of sudden death in cattle. These plants should be better investigated to evaluate their importance as the cause of cattle deaths.

INDEX TERMS:
Poisonous plants; ruminants; cyanogenic plants; monofluoracetate; disease of cattle; Brazil