Preconditioning For Export In Charolais Calves With Diets Added With Nopal (Opuntia Ficus-Indica): Productive And Hematological Response

Abstract

The objective of the study is to evaluate the addition of two sources of nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica) in diets for preconditioning of Charolais calves for export with regard to productive and hematological parameters. A total of 30 weaned calves of 180 days of age, with a live weight (BW) of 155.53 kg, were assigned to three homogeneous treatments. T1) Control (n = 10; 154.05 ± 3.26 kg BW; fed a base diet (DB) consisting of corn stubble, rolled corn, dry distillers' grain, urea, probiotics, and molasses; T2) DBNN (n = 10; 155.79 ± 2.26 kg BW), fed with DB + 10% natural prickly pear; T3) DBNE (n = 10; 156.75 ± 3.10 kg BW), fed with DB + 10% protein-enriched prickly pear. The alterations in PV and daily weight gain (GDP) were meticulously observed, in conjunction with a comprehensive array of hematological parameters. These included leukocytes (uL), segmented neutrophils (%), lymphocytes (%), mixed cells (%), segmented neutrophils (uL), lymphocytes (uL), and mixed cells (uL), erythrocytes (uL), hemoglobin (g/dL), hematocrit (%), mean corpuscular volume (MCV, fl), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (HCM, Pg), mean hemoglobin concentration (MHC, g/dL), platelets (uL), and cortisol (ug/dL). Subsequent analyses revealed no statistically significant differences between the treatments for PV and/or GDP (p > 0.05). The hematological variables, HCM and MCV, exhibited significant differences (p < 0.05 and p < 0.10, respectively), with the highest values recorded in the control group at the conclusion of the test. The cost-benefit analysis revealed that the DBNN and DBNE were 26% and 29% more economical than the conventional base diet. Therefore, it is concluded that the inclusion of 10% natural and/or enriched nopal in the diets of preconditioning export calves is an economically viable option. This practice does not affect the productive response or the health of the animals.