Antinutritional factors
Mango kernels are fairly rich in tannins, which progressively lead to reduced growth rates and less efficient feed utilization when included as a major component in diets for pigs and poultry (Moore, 2004). They also contain cyanogenic glucosides (64 mg/kg DM), oxalates (42 mg/kg DM) and trypsin inhibitors (20 TIU/g DM) (Ravindran et al., 1996). Several treatments (soaking, boiling, HCl or NaOH treatment, autoclaving or HCl followed by Ca(OH)2) may remove tannins and HCN but the most effective method proved to be soaking as it removed 61% of the tannins and 84% of HCN (El Boushy et al., 2000).
Choking
Like other fruits of similar size, mango fruits can be dangerous to cattle when swallowed whole, as they may lodge in the oesophagus, causing obstruction and subsequent meteorism (choke bloat) and heart attack (da Silva, 2008; Vishwanatha et al., 2012). Similar problems have been reported with mango seeds in buffaloes (Kumar et al., 2010).
Ethanol intoxication
Cattle fed mangoes in excess or consuming fallen mangoes at the time of harvest can experience difficulties in rumination and dizziness, due to possible ethanol intoxication (Assis et al., 2010).
Dermatitis
Mango peels contain urushiol, a chemical that can cause contact dermatitis in susceptible people (Geller, 1989).
Rancidity
Mango kernels contain oil and must be dried to prevent rancidity (de la Cruz Medina et al., 2002).