Meiby Carneiro de Paula Leite

Follicle-stimulating hormone to substitute equine chorionic gonadotropin in the synchronization of ovulation in Santa Inês ewes

The substitution of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in protocols for synchronization of ovulation in Santa Ines ewes was assessed. Ten females were submitted to the insertion of intravaginal sponges containing 60 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate for 10 days; after this period sponges were withdrawn and the animals were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 (n = 5): intramuscular injection of 0.5 mL d-cloprostenol and 300 UI eCG; Group 2 (n = 5): intramuscular injection of 0.5 mL d-cloprostenol and 20 mg FSH. Interval between sponge withdrawal and estrus beginning was 27.7 h and 35.9 h for eCG and FSH, respectively. Interval between sponge withdrawal and the end of estrus was 55.8 h for eCG treatment and 55.6 h for FSH treatment. Estrus length was 29.3 h and 19.6 h, for eCG and FSH treatments, respectively. The biggest follicle and the second in size measured 0.74 cm and 0.54 cm for eCG treatment, whereas for the FSH treatment they measured 0.73 and 0.50 cm. The interval between the beginning of estrus and ovulation was similar within all groups: 21.0 h for eCG treated ewes and 25.2 h for the ones treated with FSH. Ewes treated with eCG presented an interval of 47.5 h between sponge withdrawal and ovulation, while the ones treated with FSH presented a 61.1 h interval. Ovulation occurred 8.3 h before the end of estrus in the eCG group. On the other hand, ewes treated with FSH ovulated 5.5 h after the end of estrus. Estrus and ovulation were efficiently synchronized in Santa Ines ewes by using long-term progestogen protocol associated to the administration of 20 mg FSH, along with Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) at the moment of sponge withdrawal, thus substituting the use of eCG.

Evaluation of the reproductive performance of rabbits does fed a half-simplified diet based on cassava byproducts

A total of 70 five-month-old female New Zealand White rabbits were assigned in a completely randomized design, over three reproductive cycles, with two treatments: a reference diet and a half-simplified diet containing 79.83% cassava byproduct. The study evaluated body weight and feed intake of does, feed cost, number and total body weight of kits at kindling and weaning per female during three cycles, number and percentage of mortality/female/cycle, and weight gain of kits from birth to weaning. No interaction was observed between the diets and among the reproductive cycles for any evaluated characteristics. The body weight of does at the moment of weaning was similar in both groups for all three reproductive cycles. However, does fed the half-simplified diet had lower feed intake during the three reproductive cycles and, consequently, more reproductive flaws. The number of kits at weaning, body weight of kits at kindling and weaning, weight gain of kits from birth to weaning, and total body weight of kits at weaning were lower for the group of does fed the half-simplified diet and, consequently, there was a higher number and percentage of dead kits in this group. The total numbers of kits at kindling and weaning and total body weight of kits at birth during all three reproductive cycles were similar between the groups; however, total body weight of weaning rabbits was higher for the animals receiving the reference diet. It is possible to conclude that although the use of the half-simplified diet decreases the reproductive performance of does, it reduces feed cost per kg of body weight by 23.63% compared with the reference diet, proving to be a viable nutritional option for rabbit production.

Avaliação de dieta formulada com subprodutos de mandioca na produção de sêmen de coelhos

The quantitative and qualitative rabbit semen characteristics fed with a reference diet and a diet formulated with 79.83% of cassava by-products were evaluated. 20 New Zealand White rabbit bucks, with initial average age of seven months were used, individually allocated and distributed in a completely ramdomized design, with two diets (treatments) and ten replications. The ten semen collections per animal were taken during six months. The evaluated parameters were: semen volume without gel and gel volume, color of semen, pH, spermatic progressive motility, spermatic vigor, spermatic concentration, spermatozoa number in the ejaculation, normal spermatozoa, abnormal and primary and secondary abnormalities spermatozoa. The semen volume without gel, the normal spermatozoa, primary and secondary abnormalities spermatozoa were similar (P>0.05) to the animals fed with cassava by-products diet and reference diet. Other semen parameters were better (P<0.05) in the animals fed with the cassava by-products diet. The results of the quali-quantitative characteristics of the semen from New Zealand White rabbits showed that it is possible to use diets containing 79.83% of inclusion of cassava by-products in the diet of rabbit bucks, without affecting semen characteristics, since we observed the reduced level of tannins and hydrocyanic acid.

Características de carcaça e de não componentes da carcaça de cordeiros suplementados com sal forrageiro de Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walq

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the inclusion of Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walq forage species for the confection of the fodder salt gliricidia according to the characteristics of carcass and non-carcass components of lambs. Thirty confined, not castrated crossbred Santa Ines lambs, ageing approximately 180 days, with mean live body weight of 25kg, were distributed in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and six repetitions. Treatments were zero (100% NaCl), 93, 95, 97 and 99% inclusion of gliricidia hay (7, 5, 3 and 1% NaCl in the formulation of fodder salt, respectively). The supplementation with gliricidia fodder salt did not affect (P>0.05) the fasting live body weight (28.39kg), hot carcass weight (9.76kg), hot carcass yield (34.12%), cold carcass weight (9.42kg), cold carcass yield (32.95%), chilling loss (3.40%), or white (2.19kg) and red viscera weight (1.29kg). The inclusion of up to 99% gliricidia in the production of fodder salt did not affect (P>0.05) the characteristics of carcass and non-carcass components of lambs.