Some Studies on Deviated Appetite (Pica) in Cattle

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97
Alexandria Journal of Veterinary Sciences 2016, Oct. 51 (1): 97-101
ISSN 1110-2047, www.alexjvs.com
DOI: 10.5455/ajvs.241117
Some Studies on Deviated Appetite (Pica) in Cattle
Ibrahim I. Elshahawy1 and Mahmoud A. Aly2
1Department of animal medicine. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine-Alexandria University bDepartment of Animal Medicine and
2Infectious Diseases. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine-Sadat City University.
Abstract
Key words:
Antioxidant,
biochemical
parameters,
pica, cattle.
This study was carried out on Thirty two non-pregnant lactating cows aged (5±0.5) year, these cattle
were examined separately as individual cases in Behera governorate, Egypt. All cattle were admitted to
clinical and laboratory examination. Accordingly, the chosen cattle were divided into two groups. Group
(I) consisted of 22 cow showed signs of pica. Group (II) consisted of 10 healthy cows used as a control.
The most visual signs are ingestion of abnormal materials that are generally uneatable for cows like
wood, paper, plastic and so on, in addition to continuous hair, floor and manager licking with decrease in
the body weight and loss of its conditions. The biochemical findings reveals mild significant decrease (p
< 0.05) in serum glucose and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) concentration, with moderate significant
decrease (p < 0.01) in serum Zinc, Copper, Iron, Cobalt, Magnesium and Selenium concentrations and
sever significant decrease (p < 0.001) in Phosphorus concentrations in group (I). There is mild
significant increase (p < 0.05) in BUN and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, with moderate
significant increase (p < 0.01) in Creatinine, AST and Bilirubin concentrations and sever significant
increase (p < 0.001) in ALT concentration in diseased group. On the other hand there is no significant
difference in serum calcium and total protein concentration between two group.
Corresponding Author: Ibrahim I. Elshahawy : Hemas_82@yahoo.com
1. INTRODUCTION:
Pica is a depraved or abnormal appetite, it is
usually associated with animals that chew or eat
wood, fences, trees, buildings, dirt, bones, or other
inanimate objects not usually considered feedstuffs.
The mechanism of pica are not yet understood, it
has been associated with parasitism and deficiencies
of phosphorus, salt, protein (smith, 2015). Mostly,
Allotriophagia (pica) associated with dietary
deficiency or imbalances, either of bulk fiber or of
animal nutrients, mainly salt, phosphorus and
cobalt. Serious complications of pica include
cannibalism, foreign bodies penetrating alimentary
tract as traumatic reticuloperitonitis, poisonings
particularly by lead, botulism, or accumulations of
wool, fiber or sand may cause obstruction of
digestive tract (fibrolith) (Radostits et al., 2007).
This case is found in dairy cattle, buffaloes
(especially pregnant and lactating) and in other
animals as sheep and goats (Anderson, 1994). There
are numerous reasons of pica including lack in
certain proteins, α-amino-acids, vitamins and follow
components and in addition diminishment in salt
store of body, unequal dietary calcium-phosphorus
ratio and phosphorus deficiency (Aytekin and
Kalinbacak, 2008). Inadequacy of Soda salts or
phosphates in the animal food may cause this issue
(Smith et al., 2000). Follow component lacks,
specifically copper, zinc, and cobalt, have been
implicated in the etiology of pica and fleece dietary
pattern in sheep (Fahmy et al., 1980). Pica also
appear in the form of soil eating, surface licking, a
craving to eat non-nourishment objects, weight
reduction and lessening in body imperviousness to
diseases in view of the influenced resistance
framework (Abdelrahaman et al., 1998). It has also
been associated with a nervous derangement,
probably interfering with nutrition. In some animals,
pica is a reflection of boredom, as animals kept
singly suffer more frequently than those kept in
groups. In some lactating buffaloes, pica may be a
sign of subclinical ketosis. Ketosis-associated pica
is characterized by rejection of concentrate but the
continuation of eating of roughages (Ranjhan and
Pathak, 1992). The aim of this study was to
determine the main causes of pica in cattle through
the clinical, serum biochemical, metabolic and
oxidative changes.
1- MATERIAL AND METHODS
2.1. Animals

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Thirty two non-pregnant lactating cow aged
(5±0.5) year were included in this study. These
cattle were visualized and examined in different
areas in Behera governorate, Egypt. All the chose
cattle have been raised correspondingly under
disorderly cultivating with unacceptable models of
cattle administration and eating. All cattle were
previously treated with two successive doses with
anthelmintic drugs, fecal examination were
performed before sampling to ensure absence of
internal parasite infestation. Accordingly, the chose
cattle were divided into two groups. Group (I)
consisted of 22 cow showed signs of pica. Group
(II) consisted of 10 healthy cows used as a control.
2.2. Blood samples:
One blood samples was collected from
jugular vein into plain tubes without anticoagulant
for serum collection from both group I & II. The
serum was gathered by centrifugation of tubes at
3000 rpm for 10 min. then preserved at −20°C until
investigation.
2.3. Biochemical analysis:
Serum Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe),
Cobalt (Co) and selenium (Se) were determined with
Flame emission atomic absorption
spectrophotometer – model 210 vgp, Buck
scientific, USA.
Serum Phosphorus (Ph), Calcium (Ca),
Magnesium (Mg), glucose, blood urea nitrogen
(BUN), Creatinine (Cr), alanine transaminase
(ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total protein
(TP) and Bilirubin were measured
spectrophotometrically by using commercial test kits
supplied by Biomed diagnostics (Germany) as
indicated by the maker's directions.
Serum Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Total
antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured by
spectrophotometric strategy utilizing financially
accessible test packs supplied by Bio-diagnostics
(Egypt) following standard methods mentioned in
the leaflet of the manufacurer.
2.4. Statistical Analysis
All data are represented by means± SD
standard deviation. All values obtained by PRISM
application at 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001 probability.
2- RESULTS:
3.1. Clinical findings
Biting or ingesting materials other than normal
food and varies from licking (hair, earth and
manager) to actual eating (wood, paper, plastic and
so on), loss of body conditions, decrease in the body
weight, ended by depraved appetite and excessive
demand for water drinking.
3.2. Biochemical findings
In table (1), there is moderate significant
decrease (p < 0.01) in serum Zinc, Copper, Iron,
Cobalt and Magnesium concentrations in group (I)
when compared to control group. Also there is sever
significant decrease (p < 0.001) in Phosphorus
concentrations in Pica group compared to control
one. In the other hand there is no significant
difference in serum calcium concentration between
two groups.
As shown in table (2), there is mild significant
increase (p < 0.05) in BUN concentration and
moderate significant increase (p < 0.01) in
Creatinine, AST and Bilirubin concentrations with
sever significant increase (p < 0.01) in ALT
concentration in group (I ). In the other hand there is
mild significant decrease (p < 0.05) in serum
glucose concentration in diseased group. Also there
is no significant difference in serum protein
concentration between two groups.
In table (3), there is mild significant increase (p
< 0.05) in serum Malondialdehyde, while Total
antioxidant capacity concentrations show mild
significant decrease in group (I) than group (II).
Also there is moderate significant decrease (p <
0.01) in serum Selenium concentrations between
two groups.
Table (1): Micro and macro element levels (Means ± SD) in cattle suffering from Pica and control group * p<
0.05, ** p < 0.01 and *** p < 0.001
Parameter
Control group
Diseased group
Zinc (ppm)
0.396± 0.029
0.217± 0.037**
Copper (ppm)
1.334± 0.076
0.655± 0.521**
Iron (ppm)
1.108± 0.069
0.853± 0.082**
Cobalt (ppm)
0.0121± 0.001
0.004± 0.001**
Calcium(mg/dl)
9.464± 0.248
10.5± 0.543
Magnesium(mg/dl)
2.3± 0.212
1.146± 0.298**
Phosphorus(mg/dl)
4.9± 0.667
1.74± 0.512***

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Table (2): Biochemical parameters (Means ± SD) in cattle suffering from Pica and control group *p<
0.05, **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.00
Parameter
Control Group
Diseased Group
Glucose (mg/dl)
64.74± 3.498
52.64± 3.445*
Protein (mg/dl)
7.84± 0.343
7.12± 0.311
BUN(mg/dl)
26.98± 2.794
32.26± 1.956*
Creatinine (mg/dl)
1.056± 0.084
1.29± 0.073**
ALT(u/l)
16.46± 3.690
39.56± 3.721***
AST(u/l)
31.9± 3.238
58.38± 6.989**
Bilirubin(mg/dl)
1.176± 0.175
1.702± 0.098**
Table (3): Oxidant and antioxidant profile (Means ± SD) in cattle suffering from Pica and control group
*p< 0.05 and **p < 0.01
Parameter
Control Group
Diseased Group
Selenium (ppm)
2.64± 0.180
2.07± 0.174**
Malondialdehyde MDA(μmol/L)
47.88± 6.537
52.64± 1.594*
Total antioxidant capacity TAC
(mmol/L)
0.198± 0.008
0.163± 0.006*
3- DISCUSSION
Pica is a generally issue in the world, particularly
the mineral inadequacies furthermore, lopsided
characteristics for dairy cattle (Garg et al., 2013). In
this study, the most clinical findings are aberration
of feeding habit as biting or ingesting materials that
are generally unaccustomed for a cows like wood,
sticks, paper, plastic and so on, continuous licking
of hair, manager, walls, floors and other equipment
in nearby (Blood and Radostits, 1989; Davenport et
al., 1990; Aytekin and Kalinbacak, 2008). Animals
suffering from pica will want to feed more but will
not have a proportionate weight increase, finally
ended by decrease in the body weight, depraved
appetite and excessive demand for drinking water.
The body condition was slightly weaker than normal
and no significant clinical signs suggesting any
mineral deficiency were detected (Aytuğ, 1991).
Until now previous researches failed to confirm any
specific deficiency as a main cause, also our results
indicated a collection of many deficiencies. There
are many reasons effective in the etiology of pica,
which are mainly the deficiency in some proteins, α-
amino-acids, vitamins and trace elements as well as
reduction in alkali reserve of body, unbalanced
dietary calcium-phosphorus ratio and phosphorus
deficiency (Davenport et al., 1990; Sahin et al.,
2001; Aytekin and Kalinbacak, 2008). It generally
occurs with a complication of the dietary deficiency
(Aytuğ, 1991). There is moderate significant
decrease in serum Zinc, Copper, Iron, Cobalt and
Magnesium concentrations in diseased cows when
compared to healthy group, these results coincided
with (Ghergariu et al., 1994; Jain and Chopra, 1994;
Smith et al., 2000). In buffalo (Ranjhan and Pathak,
1992). In sheep (Sahin et al., 2001). In camel (Singh
et al., 1986), these attributed to Copper plays an
important role in transporting iron across
membranes (Rosen et al., 1995). Large proportion of
copper circulating in plasma is combined with
serum glycoprotein, ceruloplasmin, which has
ferroxidase action and is required to deliver iron to
circulation, so, low iron level might resulted from
copper deficiency (Haris et al., 1995) and the last of
trace elements deficiencies in pica may by caused
directly by deficiency of these minerals in the feed
intake. An iron deficiency was also suspected in
pica in various animal species (Lawlor et al., 1965).
Also there is sever significant decrease in
Phosphorus concentrations in diseased cows, these
results agreed with (Jain and Chopra, 1994) and this
attributed to decrease of phosphates in the diet.
Phosphorus deficiency has been recognized as
primary etiological factor in depraved appetite
(Aytuğ, 1991; Blood and Radostits, 1997).
Phosphorus deficiency and concomitant Ze and Fe
deficiency (Ellis and Schnoes, 2005). (McDonald et
al., 1995) similarly reported that pica is not a
disorder solely related to phosphorus deficiency.
(Aytekin and Kalinbacak, 2008) reported significant
decrease of phosphorus and copper mineral
concentrations in the sera of calves having earth
eating behavior. (Faye and Bengoum, 1994;
Ghergariu et al., 1994) stated that circulating
inorganic phosphorus levels were significantly
lower in the animals with pica than in healthy

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controls in camels, cattle and buffalos respectively.
On the other hand, there is no significant difference
in serum calcium concentration between two groups
and this disagreed by (Ghergariu et al., 1994).
(Akgül et al., 2000) reported that serum phosphorus,
calcium, iron, sodium, manganese, and chloride
concentrations in sheep with pica were not changed
from the healthy sheep. While, in the same study,
reported that serum copper and zinc concentrations
from sheep with pica were lower compared with
sheep without pica, however, at the present study,
iron, manganese, calcium, phosphorus, copper and
zinc concentrations were decreased than normal in
diseased group. Although the causes of pica in
animals are not well understood, there is high
consensus that animals behaving pica deficient in
Ca and P (Knottenbelt and Pascoe, 2003). (Naci
Öcal et al., 2008) found that, Zn, Cu, Ca deficiency
with high iron concentration are predisposed with
pica and may play an important role in its cause.
The levels of trace elements (Se, Zn, Cu, Co, I, Ca,
P) in blood of diseased cattle were adjusted after
treatment of depraved appetite (Haili et al., 2014).
There is increase in ALT, AST and Bilirubin
concentrations in group I, these results agreed with
(Abdelrahaman et al., 1998; Aytekin and
Kalinbacak, 2008); these may be returned to an
expand in liver metabolism. Also there is increase in
BUN and creatinine which act on catabolizing of the
protein in the muscles when large qualities of body
reserves are mobilized. This is accordance with
condition score of the body and body weight of the
cattle (Pambu-Gollah et al., 2000; allaam et al.,
2014). Decreased glucose level may attribute to the
high demand for energy (Kaneko et al., 1997) and in
sheep (Aly and Elshahawy, 2016). While (Aytekin
et al., 2011) found there is no change in ALT, AST,
TP and Glucose concentration between affected and
non-affected horses with pica. (Blood and Radostits,
1989) reported that insufficiency of certain amino
acids and a few proteins play an important role in
the cause of pica, however the consequences of
protein level of present study were contrary of this
proposal. Pica is the greater condition which leads
to stress in animal particularly ruminant like cows
and buffaloes. What's more, this case initiates
oxidation process; the oxidation procedure is
predominantly joined by release of oxidizing
substances or decrease in the impact of the activity
of cell reinforcement barriers depend primarily on
the period and seriousness of the stressors (Aly et
al., 2016). Critical decline in serum Total
antioxidant capacity (TAC) and selenium with
expansion in Malondahyde (MDA) concentrations
these levels expand in oxidants and reduce in the
antioxidant levels along the sick time frame.
Selenium required in antioxidant agent impact and
direction of thyroid capacity by shaping glutathione
peroxidase and iodine enzyme, respectively (Berry
et al., 1991; Wenzheng et al., 1996). (Haili et al.,
2014) noticed that, there are critical diminishing in
some antioxidant levels as glutathione peroxidase
and superoxide dismutase levels in cows with pica
than normal ones and these levels adjusted after
treatment of pica with multinutrient pieces. In
conclusion, pica is considered as a multifactorial
conditions including mineral deficiency in addition
to expanded levels of oxidative stress that represent
an additional load on animal, these lead to poor
profitability and deteriorated body condition unless
furnished with adjusted good mineral mix and
antioxidant agents.
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