”Levedo de cerveja” na alimentação de ovinos e suínos: intoxicações natural e experimental, margem de segurança e profilaxia

Abstract

Considering the practice of using liquid alcoholic yeast (beer yeast) - a byproduct of the brewery industry - for animal feed on some farms in the southern Fluminense region of Brazil, this study was made to establish the safety margin and the clinic-pathological picture of the intoxication characterized mainly by staggering gait, trips and falls; furthermore, to suggest preventive measures that could avoid or minimize this type of alcoholic intoxication in sheep and pigs. It was seen that the clinic-pathologic picture of the experimental intoxication by beer yeast in sheep, and the natural and experimental intoxication in pigs, is similar to that observed in other animal species poisoned by ethanol, or in cattle by beer yeast. Concentrations of 3.8 and 8.875mL/kg of ethanol contained in the yeast, caused respectively mild to moderate clinical signs and severe ones in sheep. As prophylactic measures are suggested (1) appropriated dilution of beer yeast in water or with beer yeast already stored on the farm (old yeast), (2) beer yeast administration proportionally to animal weight/size, (3) continuous administration without interruption, providing other food is given, as soybean or corn meal, with water ad libitum. It was concluded that despite beer yeast is increasingly used for sheep, pigs and cattle on farms in southern Rio de Janeiro state - since many farmers apply one or more prophylactic measure suggested here - ethanol intoxication through beer yeast is uncommon and death rarely occurs; so, the yeast could be used, providing the prophylactic measures are observed.