Caprine aflatoxicosis: experimental disease and clinical pathologic changes.

Groups of 8 male crossbreed domestic goats were given 3 dosage levels of aflatoxin B1 [(AFB1) mg/kg of body weight/day] orally: 0.1 for 34 days; 0.2 for 18 days; or 0.4 for 10 days. Clinical condition, feed consumption, and selected blood values were determined. Clinical signs of toxicosis included decreased feed consumption, slight-to-moderate loss of body weight, mucopurulent nasal discharge, dyspnea, coughing, lethargy, icterus, diarrhea (4 goats), and subnormal body temperature 24 to 48 hours before death. Clinicopathologic changes included increases in total RBC count, PCV, hemoglobin concentration, serum bilirubin concentration, and serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, isocitric dehydrogenase, and ornithine carbamyl transferase. Goats given the 2 smaller dosage levels of AFB1 had slight increases of serum total protein (TP) concentration compared with control goats, but goats given the larger dosage levels of AFB1 initially had a slight decrease in TP. Aflatoxin had little effect on total WBC count. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities in goats given the 2 larger dosage levels of AFB1 were similar to those of control goats, but goats given the smallest dosage level of AFB1 had increased serum ALT activities. Aflatoxin did not produce consistent dose-related changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activities. Seemingly, goats are susceptible to aflatoxin. Onset of clinical signs was dose-related. Onset and magnitude of increases in PCV, hemoglobin concentration, serum bilirubin concentration, and activities of serum aspartate aminotransferase, ornithine carbamyl transferase, and isocitric dehydrogenase were dose-related. Changes in TP and activities of serum ALT and alkaline phosphatase were neither dose-related nor were they potentially useful indicators of toxicosis.