Abstract
An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the toxicological effects, if any, due to feeding of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton plants to sheep. A total of 32 sheep of one year of age belonging to Deccani breed were randomly divided into four groups, consisting of eight sheep in each group. Group 1 was maintained on basal diet (concentrate feed at the rate of 300 g + green fodder at the rate of 3 kg/sheep/day), group 2 on non-Bt cotton plant at the rate of 1.5 kg + green fodder at the rate of 1.5 kg + concentrate feed at the rate of 300 g/sheep/day, group 3 on Bt cotton plants (50%) at the rate of 1.5 kg + green fodder at the rate of 1.5 + concentrate feed at the rate of 300 g/sheep/day, and group 4 on Bt cotton plants ad libitum + concentrate feed at the rate of 300 g/sheep/day. All the groups of sheep were maintained for three months and various hemato-biochemical parameters were studied at monthly intervals. The activity of aspartate transaminase, gamma glutamyltransferase, and creatine kinase in sera samples, and the concentration of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine did not differ significantly among different groups at different time intervals. The histological examination of liver and kidney did not reveal any significant changes in Bt and non-Bt cotton-fed groups. In conclusion, the results of the present investigation enunciated that feeding of genetically modified (Bt) cotton plants to sheep was without detrimental effects in the biological system of sheep.