title: Keratinisation degree of rumen epithelium and body condition score in sheep grazing on Brachypodium rupestre.
abstract: This article describes the result of a study focusing on the keratinisation degree of rumen mucosa and changes in the body condition of sheep that had grazed for 20 days in a pasture densely covered with Brachypodium rupestre. Grazing in this type of pasture can reduce the probability of fires in a Mediterranean mountain setting. However, foraging in areas with a prevalence of Brachypodium rupestre can affect animals' well being. In this respect, it is essential to determine the length of time during which the animals can remain in this environment before their welfare is compromised by this type of pasture. Ewes grazing on a semi-mesophilic pasture were included as a control. On days 1, 10, and 20, five ewes from each group were sacrificed to evaluate the variations of the epithelial keratinization degree of the rumen atrium and ventral sac. Body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) were assessed in ten ewes per group. The control animals showed little variation in the keratinisation degree of rumen mucosa without any detrimental effects on the BCS and BW. The experimental animals showed a significant increase in the epithelial keratinisation degree within 10 days and a decrease of BCS and BW within 20 days. The data collected suggest that animals should not remain for longer than 10-12 days on pasture highly covered with Brachypodium rupestre.
authors.affiliation: Scuola di Scienze Ambientali, Università di Camerino, Via Gentile III da Varano, 62032 Camerino, Italy. paola.scocco@unicam.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scocco
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mercati
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brusaferro
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ceccarelli
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Belardinelli
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malfatti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D058431:Brachypodium; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012417:Rumen / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins