Natália Inagaki de Albuquerque

Biometria testicular, eletroejaculação e características seminais de caititus, Tayassu tajacu Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Tayassuidae) mantidos em cativeiro na Amazônia Oriental

Estudos relacionados a obtencao e avaliacao de semen de Tayassu tajacu sao escassos, sendo necessarias pesquisas a respeito. Os objetivos do estudo foram avaliar a biometria testicular de caititus adultos cativos, testar a eficiencia da eletroejaculacao para obtencao de semen e avaliar suas caracteristicas seminais ao longo do ano. Procedeu-se a eletroejaculacao em oito animais adultos e as amostras de semen colhidas foram avaliadas quanto as caracteristicas fisicas e morfologicas. Os animais tinham testiculo esquerdo com 3,8 ± 0,4 cm X 2,6 ± 0,3 cm e 2,3 ± 0,2 de consistencia, e testiculo direito com 3,8 ± 0,5 cm X 2,7 ± 0,3 cm e 2,3 ± 0,2 de consistencia. A taxa de sucesso nas colheitas foi de 75,21%. O semen possuiu: volume 0,81 ± 0,86 mL, concentracao 137,44 ± 153 x 106 sptz mL-1, pH 7,92 ± 0,73, motilidade 52,66 ± 28,79%, vigor 2,2 ± 0,8, integridade de membrana plasmatica 55,84 ± 28,55%, defeitos maiores 22,87 ± 12,93%, defeitos menores 9,11 ± 5,88% e defeitos totais 31,52 ± 13,81%. Os animais apresentaram simetria testicular, a eletroejaculacao se mostrou eficiente para a obtencao de ejaculados em caititus e as flutuacoes observadas na producao seminal nao foram suficientes para caracteriza-los como animais de reproducao sazonal.

Intensive production system of collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu ) in Brazilian Amazon

good quality. The mating season extends from mid-February to June, with several males in the herd. According to the breeders, the Moka cows have good reproductive capacity and great longevity: they produce one calf per year, on average, along a productive life which can last 15 years. Calving is easy, without supervision or intervention. Marketing is done mostly by direct sale of live or slaughtered animals. Threehundred twenty-five animals were listed on the survey, on 11 farms, with an average of 30 animals per herd. Thirty-three animals typed as Moka by their owners were the subject of a phenotypical description and measurements. The mean value for the thoracic perimeter, the height at withers and the rump width are respectively 1626 15.2 cm, 1166 8.3 cm and 1206 17.6 cm; the mean liveweight of males and females are 4306 85 kg and 3406 45 kg respectively. These results constitute the initial values of a zootechnical description of the breed. They show the underaverage development of the animals, which can be qualified as medium sized. A photographic database of individual animals was created and could be used for the definition of the standard of the breed. The genetic analysis showed that the population presents a good allelic richness (6.7 alleles/locus) and genetic diversity (measured by an unbiased heterozygocity of 0.75), and a low estimated consanguinity (3.3%). Some specific features have been identified, such as the presence of zebu specific alleles, but few admixtures of taurine cattle. The relationship of this breed with African breeds, especially from Madagascar, or with European or Creole cattle will be studied in more detail in the future.

Puberty in male collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) determined by quantitative analysis of spermatogenic cells

Biological studies are necessary for the management of wildlife in captivity, and knowledge of reproduction is one of the important features for increasing production. The objective of the research was to determine the age at which male collared peccaries reach puberty. Testicular samples of 15 animals, aged 7 to 16 months, distributed into five groups (G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5) were used. The testes showed considerably increased weight, length and width (p < 0.05) from G1 to G3, whereas, from this group onward, the development of this organ was slower. There was positive correlation (p < 0.001) between the following testicular parameters: weight and length (r = 0.97), weight and width (r = 0.88), length and width (r = 0.92). Regarding the diameter of seminiferous tubules, an increase was observed (p < 0.05) from G1 to G4. The total number of spermatogenic cells increased significantly (p < 0.05) until G3 and then it stabilized. There was also positive correlation between testis weight and tubular diameter (r = 0.99, p < 0.001), and testis weight and spermatogenic cells (r = 0.98, p < 0.001). The number of Sertoli cells decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from G1, when they were undifferentiated as support cells, to G5, when they occurred together with the complete line of spermatic cells. The results demonstrate that the reproductive development of peccaries can be classified into the following stages: impuberty (G1, 7-8 months); pre-pubertal (G2, 9-10 months); pubertal (G3, 11-12 months); post-pubertal 1 (G4, 13-14 months); and post-pubertal 2 (G5, 15-16 months). Based on the histological analyses, puberty in the male collared peccary was determined to occur between 11 and 12 months of age.

Determinação do ciclo estral em catetos Pecari tajacu: aspectos colpocitológicos e clínicos

RESUMO Este trabalho teve por objetivo estudar o ciclo estral do cateto, aplicando a colpocitologia como metodo diagnostico. As amostras da citologia vaginal foram coletadas em dez femeas adultas, durante tres vezes na semana, por seis meses. Verificou-se que a duracao media do ciclo estral para esta especie foi de 28,45 ± 5,45 dias. Observou-se diferenca estatistica (p<0,01) em relacao a frequencia dos diferentes tipos celulares na mesma fase do ciclo estral. No proestro foi verificado o aumento de celulas intermediarias e superficiais. A fase de estro caracterizou-se pela elevacao significativa de celulas superficiais em relacao aos demais tipos celulares e pela ausencia de leucocitos. Durante este periodo, a genitalia externa estava hiperemica, edemaciada e com muco. No metaestro houve um decrescimo de celulas superficiais, quando comparado com o proestro e com o estro, e uma elevacao significativa de celulas intermediarias, presenca de leucocitos, de celulas de metaestro e de foam. Na fase de diestro, houve um aumento de celulas intermediarias, e um decrescimo no numero de leucocitos. Conclui-se que, por meio da colpocitologia, e possivel diferenciar as fases do ciclo estral em catetos. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: citologia vaginal, reproducao, Pecari tajacu, Tayassuidae, Amazonia Determination of the estrous cycle in collared peccary Pecari tajacu: colpocytological and clinical aspects

Sexual behavior of Pecari tajacu (Cetartiodactyla: Tayassuidae) during periovulatory and early gestation periods

The goal of this study was to describe the sexual behavior in female and male collared peccary. Twenty females and twelve males were monitored in familiar and non-familiar units for two 60 days periods. During both phases, we recorded 2747 sexual interactions initiated by 20 different females toward males and 4461 sexual interactions initiated by 12 males toward females. The frequency of sexual interactions initiated per female significantly increased from proestrus to estrus, and they were significantly more frequently courted. Females initiated olfactory inspections 15.42 times more and were mounted 22.6 times more during estrus than during proestrus. Nulliparous and primiparous females copulated only when exposed to non-parental males. After estrus, the frequency of sexual interactions received by females sharply decreased. One mating event was recorded during the first gestation week and 31 mountings were observed after the second week. In conclusion, the behavioral monitoring is a useful procedure for the recognition of estrus. Our results suggest that ovulation may be associated with the end of the estrus, which will support future work in assisted reproduction in this species. To promote good handling practices, females of reproductive age should be removed from their family unit of origin.

Palm kernel cake ( Elaeis guineensis ) in the diet of collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu ) raised in captivity in Brazilian Amazon (Partial results)

Wild animals have been raised in captivity for commercial purposes in Latin America and the Caribbean. One is the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), that is a good source of protein for Amazonian inhabitants. However, whilst this artiodactyla mammal is well adapted to a captive breeding system the live weight production cost is high. Palm kernel cake Elaeis guineensis, by-product of the extraction of the palm oil, has been used as an alternative diet to partially replace commercial ration ingredients of some animal diets. Its chemical composition means it can be used used in non-ruminants diets. This work evaluated the effects of a partial substitution of the corn (Triticum aestivum) by palm kernel cake in collared peccary diets.