Mineral Content of Liver of Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) Reared in Different Ecosystems in the Eastern Amazon

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different production ecosystems, three in native and cultivated pastures (extensive), at two seasons of the year (dry and rainy), and one in confinement (intensive) in the Eastern Amazon, on the mineral content of buffalo liver raised on these ecosystems. Twelve male buffalo (n = 12), aged between 24 and 36 months, slaughtered in commercial slaughterhouses, were used in each of the ecosystems considered: Marajó; Lower Amazon; Cultivated Pasture, and in confinement system, Pará, Brazil. Approximately 5 g of liver was collected, stored and frozen until lyophilization. Samples were analyzed for mineral content based on inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICPOES) readings. The relationship between extensive ecosystems and an intensive production system (p < 0.05) in the values of potassium (K), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and barium (Ba) was evaluated. The different ecosystems studied influenced (p < 0.05) the mineral values found in the liver of buffaloes raised in the ecosystems, for sodium (Na), K, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and barium (Ba). The period of the year interacted with the values of Na, K, S and Cu; however, an interaction of local vs. period of the yer was observed for the values of K, Mg, P, S and Cu. It can be concluded that the buffalo liver is an excellent source of minerals and can be included in the human diet and that the ecosystem the animals are raised influences its content.