Phosphorus modeling in sheep submitted to experimental infection with Trichostrongylus colubriformis with the use of 32P

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is one of the essential elements for animal metabolism and it is also second most abundant element in animal's body. Environmental problems, supplementation costs and continuous phosphorus depletion of its reserves are major issues on livestock. Isotopic and nuclear techniques play a significant role in food and agriculture, animal health and livestock industry. However, the issue still remains challenging, especially in ruminant gastrointestinal helminth infected with significant changes in mineral metabolism and their nutritional requirements are need to be evaluated. Hence, the objective of this study, proposal modeling of phosphorus in sheep subjected to experimental infection with Trichostrongylus colubriformis by using 32P. Experiment was carried out in 18 Santa Inês sheep were first raised confined from birth to avoid possible previous infection with T. colubriformis will be used. After weaning at two months of age, animals were divided into two treatments: Infected treatment (I) - 12 sheep were offered 5.000 larvae stage of development L3/animal three times a week for three weeks with a total of 45 000 L3 T. colubriformis and control treatment (C) - six sheep remain uninfected. Four weeks after the last infection, sheep will be placed in cages under hygienic and uniform managerial conditions for metabolism studies. After five days of adaptation period, Solution of 32P (29.6 MBq) is injected intravenously into each animal and will follow by seven days to collect samples. At the end of this period the animals will be sacrificed for the collection and evaluation of these tissues (plasma, feces, bone, muscle, kidney, liver and heart). Modeling of phosphorus in animal metabolism, seeking to quantify the metabolic P losses in sheep and estimate the minimum requirements of P. After completion of the project, research work will support technological innovations in nutritional and sanitary management of sheep. In addition, it also improve the sheep sustainability, with respect to the environment, ecologically and economically viable production of ruminant production system. (AU)