A. Fernandez et al., CHANGES IN THE COAGULATION PROFILE OF LAMBS INTOXICATED WITH AFLATOXIN IN THEIR FEED, Veterinary research, 26(3), 1995, pp. 180-184
Twenty-three male lambs were intoxicated with 2.5 ppm aflatoxins in th
eir feed for a period of 3 weeks. Thirteen lambs were maintained as a
control group (0 ppm aflatoxins in their feed). The coagulation profil
es were determined from brood samples that were obtained at 0, 7, 14 a
nd 21 d during the intoxication period and al 1, 2, 4 and 8 d of an 8-
d clearance period. Aflatoxicosis in the animals was characterized by
an increase in prothrombin time (P < 0.01) from d 14 of the intoxicati
on period until the end of the experiment. An increase (P < 0.05) in f
ibrinogen concentration was detected begining on d 21, instead of the
expected decrease. This was probably due to the inflammation found in
the lungs of the intoxicated animals. No difference in activated parti
al thromboplastin time was found between intoxicated and control anima
ls. These results suggest that there was a significant change in some
coagulation factors of the extrinsic pathway in the intoxicated lambs
and that prothrombin time determination could be used as an indicator
of aflatoxicosis in lambs.