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Effect of protein diets based on red worm (Eisenia spp.) meal in the behavior of golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus L.). II. Morphometry of organs and intestine

Abstract:

It was evaluated the weight and volume of the heart (C), kidneys (R), liver (H) and intestine (I), and intestine length (LI), in 72 Golden Hamster (Mesocrisetus auratus L.) consuming diets (D) made with red worm (Eisenia spp.; HL) meal and described as: D1: PB=13.5% (HL: 21%); D2: PB=15.4% (HL: 24%); D3: PB=17.6% (HL: 27%); D4: PB=19.6% (HL: 30%) and two commercial feeds (D0: Conejarina®; PB=11.1% and D5: Ratarina®; PB=21.1%). The study was conducted at the vivarium of the Núcleo Universitario «Rafael Rangel, Universidad de los Andes, Trujillo, Venezuela. The data were analyzed by means of the statistical program SPSS v10.0 as a completely randomized design, in which the diets were considered the treatments. No differences in C weight (280-350 mg) were observed among diets. Animals fed with D2, D3 y D5 exhibit greater R weight (445-458 mg). The greater weight of the I was observed in the animals consuming D3 (12.4 g); while those consuming D4 had a similar weight (13,2 g) at day 9 of the experiment, time at which were removed from the study due to intoxication symptoms. No differences in C (0.35-0.40 cm3) and R (0.26-0.45 cm3) volume were observed among diets. The volume of H and I in the hamsters fed with D2 (H:2.17 cm3; I:17.33 cm3; LI:49.27 cm) and D3 (H:2.30 cm3; I:18,67 cm3; LI:50,33 cm) were greater than in the other experimental groups (H:1.50 cm3; I:10.17 cm3; LI:33.15 cm). Animals consuming D2, D3 and D4 affected drastically the morphometry of H and I, whereas they were similar between hamster fed with D1 and Ratarina®. The HL represent a protein supplement of excellent nutritional quality for the Golden Hamster when is included in the diet in a proportion of 21%. Inclusion of greater percentages of HL, as was done in D2, D3 and D4, might produce harmful effects due to high concentrations of biogenic amines in such diets.