Utilização de Baccharis coridifolia na indução de aversão condicionada para plantas que contêm swainsonina

Abstract

To determine the ability of Baccharis coridifolia to induce aversion to consumption to Ipomoea carnea var. fistulosa in goats and sheep, as well as evaluating the duration of the aversion and the behavior of animals applying this technique, two experiments were performed. In the first, 13 goats were divided into two groups: Group 1 was treated with 175 mg/kg of body weight of LiCl and Group 2 was treated with 0.25 g/kg of body weight of B. coridifolia for three consecutive days. B. coridifolia induced incomplete aversion for 30 days after the start of experimentation in two goats, while complete aversion was observed for 330 days after the start in five goats. No goat was completely averted by LiCl. In the second experiment, 15 sheep were divided into three groups: aversion with LiCl; aversion to B. coridifolia, and control group. The sheep were challenged to consume Ipomoea carnea until the 74th day after the first day of aversion. The time allotted to consumption of I. carnea was 2.4%±1.6% of total grazing time. Both B. coridifolia and LiCl induced incomplete aversion to consumption of I. carnea in sheep. This was likely due to I. carnea not naturally being consumed by sheep. The results of the first experiment showed that B. coridifolia could be advantageously used in inducing aversion to toxic plants when compared with LiCl. A literature review was conducted on the application of the technique of conditioned aversion in Brazil.