Luiz Alberto Oliveira Ribeiro

Composição do sangue e do leite em ovinos leiteiros do sul do Brasil: variações na gestação e na lactação

Dairy sheep industry has increased intensively in southern Brazil, however, without the corresponding knowledge of variations on metabolic and hematological parameters and on milk composition, with application in research and clinical activities. This work was carried out on Lacaune sheep, intensively grazed in the county of Bento Goncalves (RS), in southern Brazil. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein for metabolic profiles and hematology. Samples were taken randomly from 14 sheep in each of the following periods: nonpregnant ewes; at 60, 90 and 120 of pregnancy and at 7, 30, 60 and 140 days of lactation. During the lactation period, milk samples were also taken to assay the physico-chemical composition. Milk acidity, protein and fat levels were different from reference levels in another countries. The most relevant changes on metabolic profile were noticed at the end of gestation and at the beginning of lactation. Urea values showed variation (P<0.05) during the gestation and lactation periods. The levels of glucose and fructosamine decreased and the BHB increased significantly at the end of gestation period (P<0.05). During the lactation period glucose level lowered and cholesterol level increased significantly (P<0.05). Phosphorus level lowered, specially at 30 days post parturition (P<0.05). Hematologic parameters did not show variation during the physiologic periods studied. An exception was the segmented neutrophils that increased with the advance of the gestation (P<0.05). The data presented here may help for further nutrition and metabolic studies on dairy sheep and milk quality.

Relação entre a condição corporal e a idade das ovelhas no encarneiramento com a prenhez

In this study, the relationship between score of body condition (BC) at the beginning of mating and ewes age with the pregnancy rate (PR) of a Corriedale sheep flock, grazed in the State of Rio Grande do Sul- Brazil are presented and discussed. The BC and PR observed on the flock were 90.4% and 2.84(±0.57) respectively. The mean of BC of the pregnant (P) and non-pregnant (NP) ewes was P 2.86 (±0.56) and NP 2.64(±0.59). The values of P and NP have shown statistic significance (P< 0.001). The results showed, also, that the PR increase as the BC increases, reaching 92 and 98% on the group of ewes with BC 3.0 and 4.0 respectively. Finally, the regression logistic analysis from the data showed that the age of the ewes have no relation with the PR and a positive relationship between pregnancy and body score condition ( p=0.002).

DERMATITE ESTAFILOCÓCICA EM OVINO NO RIO GRANDE DO SUL

SUMMARY A case of Staphylococcal Dermatitis is presented and discussed. The macroscopic and microscopic lesions found are described as well as the characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus strain isolated.

Prenhez em rebanhos ovinos do Rio Grande do Sul-Brasil

In this paper, data from real-time ultrasound pregnancy diagnosis carried out in 45 sheep flock during six reproductive seasons are presented. A total of 27089 ewes from commercial flocks, mated during autumn, were scanned. The mean pregnancy percentage(PP) found was 81.6% showing a variation from 77.3 to 89.9%. Mutton breed flocks (Hampshire Down, Suffolk and Texel) showed the highest PP of 85.6%, followed by cross breeds, with a PP of 82.9%. The PP of wool breeds flocks (Australian Merino, Corriedale and Polwarth) was 80.8%. The causes of low PP founded on some flocks is presented and discussed.

Alterações clínicas e patológicas em ovinos infectados naturalmente pelo vírus da língua azul no Rio Grande do Sul

Bluetongue (BT) is a disease caused by bluetongue virus (BTV) and transmitted by vectors of the genus Culicoides. Serological studies have demonstrated the widespread presence of the virus in Brazil, however, clinical information of BT in South America are limited. This article describes clinical and pathological changes observed in sheep naturally infected by BTV in southern Brazil. In two outbreaks on different farms, 15 sheep showed clinical signs such as severe hyperthermia, apathy, swelling of the face and submandibular area, difficulty in swallowing with regurgitation, greenish mucopurulent nasal secretion, severe weight loss, and erosions in the oral mucosa. Necropsy findings in six sheep included subcutaneous edema of the face and ventral region of the chest, greenish nasal discharge, and dilated esophagus filled with abundant food contents, collapsed lungs with areas of anteroventral consolidation, and trachea and bronchi filled by foamy material mixed with food. In the heart and base of the pulmonary artery there were foci of hemorrhage. Histologically, the main changes were in cardiac and skeletal muscles and consisted of biphasic lesions characterized by hyaline and floccular degeneration/necrosis of myofibers associated with micro-mineralization and mononuclear cell infiltration. Pneumonia associated with the presence of organic matter and bacteria in the lumen of the bronchi was also observed. The diagnosis of BT was confirmed by detection of the viral genome by duplex RT-PCR in blood of affected animals, followed by the identification of BTV, serotype 12 by nucleotide sequencing.

Listeriose em rebanho de ovinos leiteiros na região serrana do Rio Grande do Sul: relato de caso

Clinical cases of listeriosis in two Lacaune rams, fed silage in a lot, are reported. Histological examination of nervous tissue revealed purulent meningoencephalitis, and L. monocytogenes was detected in nervous tissue by immunohistochemistry procedures. This disease should be suspected when oral lesions are visible in dairy sheep fed low quality silage.

Variação estacional na qualidade do sêmen de carneiros Lacaune no Brasil

Existem poucos dados sobre a producao de semen da raca Lacaune, no sul do pais. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi o de avaliar a producao e a qualidade do semen de carneiros desta raca, criados no estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Foram utilizados 12 carneiros, de idades entre 1-4 anos, criados em condicoes intensivas. O semen foi colhido por vagina artificial e foram avaliadas as caracteristicas quantitativas e qualitativas e a circunferencia escrotal, do inverno de 2002 ate a primavera de 2003. Com excecao da concentracao espermatica, foram observadas variacoes estacionais em todas as caracteristicas estudadas. O volume variou de 1.1 ± 0.4 mL, no inverno de 2002, a 1.5 ± 0.4 mL no outono de 2003. O numero total de espermatozoides por ejaculado variou de 4.0 ± 3.3x10(9) (inverno de 2002) a 5.7 ± 3.3x10(9) (verao de 2003). Observou-se variacao estacional significativa (P < 0,05) na circunferencia escrotal em 2002, bem como variacao significativa entre as idades dos animais, no inverno do mesmo ano. Os valores medios da producao espermatica observados no verao e o outono foram superiores aos obtidos no inverno e primavera. O verao e outono foram considerados as estacoes mais indicadas para a utilizacao de machos da raca Lacaune em programas reprodutivos, no RS. Mais estudos devem ser conduzidos, para a verificacao de efeitos estacionais sobre o congelamento do semen.

Effects of different additives on colorimetry and melanosis prevention of Atlantic seabob shrimp (Xyphopenaeus kroyeri) stored under refrigeration

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the food additives, sodium chloride, sodium metabisulfite, sodium nitrite and citric acid on the anti-melanotic activity in shrimp (Xyphopenaeus kroyeri) kept under refrigeration for 13 days post-capture. A sensory panel and color measurements (L*: luminosity, a*: red-green axis saturation and b*: yellow-blue axis saturation) was conducted during storage to evaluate the development stages of melanosis. Statistical differences were found in the colorimetric indexes (L*, a* and b*) and melanosis levels in all the treatments. The best results were found in 2.5% sodium metabisulfite. However, 2% sodium chloride had similar results and presented advantages such as low cost, maintaining firmness, general appearance, flavor, microbiological control, besides not causing allergic reactions. The sodium chloride is an excellent alternative to sodium metabisulfite. Key words: sodium chloride, shrimp storage, sodium metabisulfite, shelf-life.