A Review on Effects of Toxic Plants on Livestock Health and Its Economic Importance

Abstract

Toxic plants are a category of non-infectious diseases that have a negative impact on livestock that leads to a loss of economic production. Historically, the community in developing countries used to treat the livestock disease with the use of medicinal plants. As the result of inappropriate use of medicinal and poisonous plant, lead livestock to be poisoned by toxic plants. Therefore, the objective of this review is to highlight the effects of toxic plants on livestock health and their economic importance. Toxic plants have their own secondary metabolites that are used for defense against enemies, but they cause toxicity to livestock health. The most common secondary metabolites of toxic plants that toxify livestock include alkaloids, saponins, cyanides, nitrates, tannins, phenolics, terpenes, oxalates, glycosides, and lectins. Livestock are suffering from poisoning while they consume the toxic plants. The most common families of toxic plants are commonly categorized into Euphorbiaceous, Fabaceae, Asclepiadaceae, and Solanaceae. The most common effects of toxic plants on the health of livestock include teratogenic and abortifacient; hepatoxicity; photosensitization; effects on urinary tracts; and disturbing respiratory and circulatory systems. Toxic plants have a huge economic importance that is raised by the death of livestock, abortion, loss of milk quality, loss of skin and hide production. In addition to this, toxic plants cause direct economic loss through the cost of treatment and management. Generally, toxic plants have significant effects on livestock health as well as an influence on livestock production, resulting in economic losses. Therefore, critical attention and further study should be applied to identify the most common toxic plants that disturb livestock health.