Carla Renata Figueiredo Gadelha

Estimates of nutritional requirements and use of Small Ruminant Nutrition System model for hair sheep in semiarid conditions

The objective was to determine the efficiency of utilization of metabolizable energy for maintenance (km) and weight gain (kf), the dietary requirements of total digestible nutrients (TDN) and metabolizable protein (MP), as well as, evaluate the Small Ruminant Nutrition System (SRNS) model to predict the dry matter intake (DMI) and the average daily gain (ADG) of Santa Ines lambs, fed diets containing different levels of metabolizable energy (ME). Thirty five lambs, non-castrated, with initial body weight (BW) of 14.77 ± 1.26 kg at approximate two months old, were used. At the beginning of the experiment, five animals were slaughtered to serve as reference for the estimative of empty body weight (EBW) and initial body composition of the 30 remaining animals, which were distributed in randomized block design with five treatments (1.13; 1.40; 1.73; 2.22 and 2.60 Mcal/kg DM), and six repetitions. The requirement of metabolizable energy for maintenance was 78.53 kcal/kg EBW0,75/day, with a utilization efficiency of 66%. The average value of efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization for weight gain was 48%. The dietary requirements of TDN and MP increased with the increase in BW and ADG of the animals. The SRNS model underestimated the DMI and ADG of the animals in 6.2% and 24.6%, respectively. Concludes that the values of km and kf are consistent with those observed in several studies with lambs created in the tropics. The dietary requirements of TDN and MP of Santa Ines lambs for different BW and ADG are, approximately, 42% and 24%, respectively, lower than those suggested by the american system of evaluation of food and nutrient requirements of small ruminants. The SRNS model was sensitive to predict the DMI in Santa Ines lambs, however, for variable ADG, more studies are needed, since the model underestimated the response of the animals of this study.

In situ cultured preantral follicles is a useful model to evaluate the effect of anticancer drugs on caprine folliculogenesis.

Despite the increase in the incidence of cancer, the number of women who survive cancer treatment is growing. However, one of the principal results of chemotherapy is premature ovarian failure (POF). The aim of this study was to use the in situ culture preantral follicles as an in vitro model to evaluate the toxicity of two anticancer drugs, doxorubicin (DXR) and paclitaxel (PTX), on the integrity and development of ovarian follicles. Fragments of the ovarian cortex of goats were cultured in vitro for 1 or 7 days in α‐MEM+ supplemented with different concentrations of DXR (0.003, 0.03, or 0.3 µg/mL) and PTX (0.001, 0.01, or 0.1 µg/mL). Analyses were performed before and after culture to evaluate tissue integrity by classical histology, apoptosis by TUNEL assay, DNA laddering kit and the detection of activated caspase 3, and DNA damage by the immune detection of phosphorylated histone H2A.x (H2AXph139). Both DXR and PTX reduced the number of morphologically normal primordial and developing follicles. Positive staining for TUNEL and active caspase 3 was detected in all the samples (P < 0.05). Therefore, we propose the in situ culture of caprine preantral follicles as a useful experimental model for assessing the toxic effects of the chemotherapeutic agents on ovarian folliculogenesis. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:773–781, 2016.

Supplementation with Cashew Nut and Cottonseed Meal to Modify Fatty Acid Content in Lamb Meat.

This study evaluates the effect of cashew nut meal (CNM), whole cottonseed (WCS), and calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids (Ca-LCFA) on the fatty acid profiles of meat from hair lambs. Thirty-five 60-d-old, male, noncastrated Santa Ines lambs with an initial average body weight of 13.00 ± 1.80 kg were used in a randomized complete-block design with 7 blocks and 5 treatments. The experimental treatments consisted of a control diet (CON) without supplemental lipids and 4 test diets with different lipid supplements that were selected according to the degree of protection from ruminal hydrogenation and their polyunsaturated fatty acid richness. The tests diets included the following modifications: supplementation with WCS, supplementation with CNM, supplementation with both cottonseed and CNM (CSCNM), and supplementation with Ca-LCFA. The C18:1n9c content was highest in the meat of the animals fed the CNM diet (42.00%). The meat from lambs fed the WCS and Ca-LCFA diets had higher C18:0 contents (25.23 and 22.80%, respectively). The C16:1 content was higher in the meat from the animals fed the CNM and CON diets (1.54 and 1.49%, respectively). C18:2c9t11 concentration was higher in the meat from the animals fed the Ca-LCFA and CNM diets. The estimated enzyme activity of Δ9-desaturase C18 was highest in the muscles of the lambs fed the CON, CNM, and CSCNM diets. The use of cashew nuts in the diet resulted in an increase in the C18:2c9t11 content of the lamb meat, which improved the nutritional characteristics of the fat.

Thermophysiological indicators of lambs during pre-slaughter handling

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the thermophysiological indicators (TI) of the lambs during the different phases of pre-slaughter handling. Twenty animals were evaluated in two sample days. At each phase, the TI (rectal temperature, respiratory rate, and heart rate) and the environmental variables were measured. Additionally, the body surface temperature was measured by infrared thermography. During the landing phase, the air temperature was the highest (33.1 °C) and the relative humidity was the lowest (45.2%). ANOVA results showed a significant effect of the pre-slaughter phases on all the TI, except the heart rate. Beyond the pre-slaughter phases, the body region and its interaction with the pre-slaughter phases also showed significant influence on the surface temperature. We conclude that the pre-slaughter handling adopted in Northeast Brazil negatively influences the TI of small ruminants, specifically the lambs. Landing was the phase that rendered maximum physiological damage to the animals.

Diagnosis of canine prostatic disease - histopathological characteristics of canine prostate according to the age

Sixty seven male and intact dogs were grouped according to the age in three groups: 1 3 years (group), 4 6 years (group B) and above of seven years (group C). Ten animals with alterations in parenchyma prostate evaluated by ultrasonography had been grouped separately (group D) independently of the age. Part of the animals was submitted to the transabdominal ultrasonography and biopsy (25 animals) and another part to transrectal ultrasonography and extirpation of the gland after necropsy (42 animals). The ultrasonographic exam was easy execution, as well as the biopsy. The alterations in the size and parenchyma prostate seen by sonograms had been confirmed in the hystopathological examination. The hystopathologic exam showed that all the dogs from 4 years present alteration of the prostate, most frequently the prostate hyperplasia. The majority of the animals presented more than one form of disease simultaneously. Abacterial prostatitis is frequent in adult dogs.

Effect of temperature and humidity index on rabbits' spermatozoa morphology

Efeitos do índice de temperatura e umidade sobre a morfologia espermática de coelhos Effect of temperature and humidity index on rabbits’ spermatozoa morphology Fellype Rodrigo Barroso Costa 1 ; Hiara Marques Meneses 2 ; Monalisa Eva Santos Evangelista 3 ; Dayanne Lima de Sousa 4 ; Karoliny Farias Castelo Branco 5 ; Raisa Rodrigues Rios 6 ; Fabiano Malveira Barboza 7 ; Carla Renata Figueiredo Gadelha 8 ; Ana Cláudia Nascimento Campos 9