The physico-chemical plant defenses and its effect on ruminant feeding

Keywords: plant-herbivore evolution, secondary metabolites, ruminants

Abstract

Plants are consumed by various organisms, this situation puts their survival at risk, so they have developed defense mechanisms that prevent their intake. For example, anatomical adaptations, chemical defenses or secondary metabolites. These phytochemicals inhibit the attack of pathogens, cause contact irritation, affect the cutaneous, gastrointestinal, cardiac and nervous systems of herbivores or can cause death. Ruminants have mechanical, physiological and ethological adaptations to evade plant defenses: rejection, regulation and biotransformation. They developed anatomic-physiological adaptations to house microbial symbionts to degrade cellulose and plant toxins. Some secondary metabolites may have beneficial effects in food or animal medicine, but more study needed on the subject.

Author Biographies

Marco Antonio Camacho-Escobar, Universidad del Mar, Campus Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Profesor-Investigador, Lider del Cuerpo Académico Ciencias Agropecuarias. Posgrado en Producción y Sanidad Animal

Diego Arturo Ramos-Ramos, Universidad del Mar, Campus Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Estudiante de la Maestría en Producción y Sanidad Animal

Narciso Ysac Ávila-Serrano, Universidad del Mar, Campus Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Profesor-Investogador, Licenciatura en Zootecnia. Posgrado en Producción y Sanidad Animal

Edgar Iván Sánchez-Bernal, Universidad del Mar, Campus Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca

Profesor-Investigador, Ingenieria Forestal. Posgrado en Producción y Sanidad Animal

Serafín Jacobo López-Garrido, Universidad del Mar

Profesor-Investigador, Jefe de Carrera de la licenciatura en Zootecnia, Profesor del posgrado en Producción y Sanidad Animal.

Published
2020-05-18
Section
Special Number

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