Occurrence of phytobezoars in the digestive tract of sheep reared on natural pasture in Kordofan

Abstract EN

This study was carried out at Kordofan, West Sudan during period from 2012 to 2014.

It's aimed to identifying the real causes of phytobezoars and find out the prevalence of sheep phytobezoariasis.

Husbandry management of this condition was determined in survey using a questionnaire distributed to breeders in Study area.

For chemical characteristics of phytobezoars representative samples of bezoars from slaughtered sheep, and samples from plant (tabar) that had shown to initiate formation and retention of this ball has been taken.

Laboratory analysis results showed that the proteins content of phytobezoars and tabar were on an average of (8.73%, 10.38%), respectively.

A detected ether extract signed (0.00%, 0.60%) for phytobezoars and tabar, respectively.

Results showed that phytobezoars and tabar plant had higher contents of heteropolysaccharits as cellulose and hemi cellulose of (47.5, 29.11%), (28.6%, 12.16%) in both, respectively.

The percentage of lignin was on an average of (28.6%, 14.34%), and tannin recorded of (2.05%, 0.025%) in phytobezoars and tabar, respectively.

After has been identified to bezoars as suspected of causing the most common foreign bodies (35.3%) of respondent confirmed presence of phytobezoars.

23% of breeders indicated this cause due to grazing the animals on special type of (tabar) (Merrimia emarginata).

Also 44.6% of respondents recorded the phytobezoars are caused the death of sheep.

For husbandry management of phytobezoars (81.8%) of breeders didn’t have knowledge to treat with phytobezoars, only 6.4% said that surgery is the only treatment of phytobezoars.

For the preventive procedures, 96.3% of breeder answer they had no prevention methods.

The study predicted that the plant (tabar) special type (Merrimia emarginata) was caused an incidence of phytobezoars in sheep.

Results showed that phytobezoars and tabar plant had higher fiber content of (cellulose, hemi cellulose, lignin and tannin), that may affects the formation of phtyobezoars.