P.R. Xavier

Avaliação hematológica e bioquímica de equinos suplementados com óleo de arroz semirrefinado, rico em gamaorizanol

The effect of the supplementation with rice oil was evaluated on the weight and hematologic profile of equines submitted moderate physical exercise. Fourteen male equines, averaging 411kg, were distributed into treated group (GT; n=7), supplemented daily with rice oil added to the diet (0.5ml/kg/BW); and control group (GC; n=7), treated with soybean oil (0.5ml/kg/BW). Three evaluations were made before the treatment, and 20 and 40 days after the beginning of the treatment, consisting of the determination of the weight, the clinical examination, and the collection of blood samples before and after the exercise for hematocrit, hemogram, glucose, lactate, and total protein determinations. There was no difference between the groups, neither between evaluations for weight nor total protein. The glucose increased significantly after the exercise in the second collection in the GC and in the third in the GT. The GC lactate increased significantly in the collections after exercise; while in the GT, the results were similar before and after treatments. The supplementation of the diet with rice oil was determinant to hinder the lactate increase in the animals submitted to exercise, what could be relevant to increase their athletic performance.

Histological characteristics of the corpus luteum of Nelore cows in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy.

Foram avaliadas caracteristicas morfologicas do corpo luteo de 48 vacas Nelore gestantes obtidos de abatedouros. Os ovarios com o corpo luteo foram coletados, identificados e divididos em tres grupos, considerando o estagio da gestacao determinado pelo tamanho do feto: Grupo I - onze animais com gestacao ate 90 dias; Grupo 2 - vinte animais com gestacao de 90 a 180 dias, e Grupo 3 - 17 animais com gestacao de 180 a 261 dias. Todos os corpos luteos foram dissecados, submetidos a processamento histologico e avaliados utilizando microscopia de luz. As caracteristicas morfologicas das celulas luteais esteroidogenicas nao mudou durante a gestacao. Porem, foi observado um aumento de tecido conjuntivo, fibroblastos e matriz extracelular durante o final da gestacao. Celulas em degeneracao foram observadas em todos os periodos da gestacao, mas com maior intensidade no fim do terceiro trimestre. Grânulos foram observados apos a coloracao com Tricromico de Gomory e Xylidine Ponceau, caracterizados como grânulos de proteina. Nenhuma explicacao foi encontrada na literatura para coloracao de grânulos pelo Tricromico de Gomory.

Escores de cloaca e de crista e morfometria testicular em galos de matriz pesada com 71 semanas de idade e três categorias de peso corporal

In broiler breeder roosters the weight of the testes is positively associated with daily sperm production and fertility. However, the avian testes are located in the abdominal cavity, not being accessible for reproductive evaluation as mammalian testes. The reproductive evaluation of broiler breeder roosters is subjective and is based on characteristics such as body weight (BW), quality of feet and legs and morphology of cloaca and comb. Studies that validate the potential of associating these phenotype characteristics with testicular morphometric parameters are rare, especially when broiler breeder roosters of commercial flocks are considered. Cloaca and comb scores and testicular morphometric parameters were evaluated in adult Cobb 500 Slow roosters with low (<4.300kg), medium (between 4.300 and 5.250kg) and high (≥5.250kg) BW categories. The coefficient of variation for BW was 12%. The high BW roosters have heavier testes and higher cloaca and comb scores than the low BW roosters. There was no statistical difference between the BW categories in gonadosomatic index, percentage of seminiferous tubule and interstitial tissue, diameter of the seminiferous tubule and height of the seminiferous epithelium. Testis weight is positive, moderate and significantly correlated with BW, cloaca and comb scores, diameter of seminiferous tubule and height of seminiferous epithelium. One of six low BW roosters evaluated for histology of the testis had testicular atrophy. We conclude that in Cobb 500 Slow roosters BW influences the weight and histological quality of the testes. Besides this, cloaca and comb scores can be used with moderate prediction potential to identify roosters with underweight testes.

Atividade folicular ovariana em avestruz (Struthio camelus) avaliada por ultrassonografia e sua relação com fotoperíodo e postura

The objective of the experiment was to verify, through ultrasonography, the follicular activity of ostriches in different seasons of the year, correlating them with photoperiod, number of rainy days in each month and egg laying. Eight females were evaluated monthly, during 12 consecutive months in an ostrich farm located in the Center-West of Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was found that the time of the year for egg laying lasts for eight months, from June to January. The egg laying was positively correlated (r = 0.48; P<0.01) with photoperiod. However, there was no correlation between the egg laying and the follicular activity with the amount of rain. Considering the technique adopted, the right antimere offered better ultrasonographic access. The method was efficient for ovary follicular evaluation in the ostrich, offering adequate subsidies for the evaluation of the reproductive activity of the female.

Stay period of sperm in sperm-storage glands and in infundibular glands in quails

Sperm-Storage Tubules (SSPs) and Infundibular Tubules (ITs) are the structures responsible for sperm storage in the oviduct of birds, snakes, alligators and turtles after mating. Aiming to determine length of stay of sperm-storage tubules (SSPs) and infundibular tubules (ITs) cutting quail, Coturnix coturnix coturnix, we used 12 males and 66 females, totaling 79 quails in the reproductive phase. The females were allocated into 11 groups and mated for 24 hours in individual cages. The males used were merged and separated from contact with females and placed at rest. The poultry of the control-group (G0 six females) was slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment, the 60 previously mated females were allocated into 10 groups (G1 to G10, with six females each) and were slaughtered sequentially. On the 10th day, the last group (G10) was shot. The fragments obtained from the utero-vaginal region and the infundibulum of each female underwent histological techniques, immunohistochemistry and morphometry routine. The morphometric results showed that GHEs had 46% of the sperm in his heat on day 1 after mating, decreasing gradually in the after days reaching 3% on day 5. At this time they increase toward the infundibular tubules, where they remain viable and fertile for at least another 96 hours (4 days) after leaving the SSPs, allowing these birds to lay fertile eggs for 10 days on average after mating.

Proporção volumétrica dos constituintes do corpo lúteo de vacas Nelore nos terços inicial, médio e final da gestação

The volumetric proportion of the corpus luteum was evaluated in 48 ovaries from pregnant Nelore cows slaughtered in abattoirs, and divided into three groups, considering the trimester of gestation, and classified by the size of the fetus: First trimester - eleven animals with gestation up to 90 days; Second trimester - twenty animals with gestation between 91 and 180 days, and Third trimester - 17 animals with gestation between 181 and 261 days. The corpus luteum was dissected and submitted to histological processing and evaluations under light microscopy. The animals with gestation up to 90 days presented a higher proportion of endotelial cells and pericites. In the Third trimester there occurred a smaller proportion of cytoplasm (42,7%) and nucleus (5,1%) of steroidogenic luteal cells, and an increase in the conjunctive tissue, fibroblasts (47,7%).

Comb, cloaca and feet scores and testis morphometry in male broiler breeders at two different ages

In broiler breeder roosters, the weight of the testes is positively associated with daily sperm production and fertility. In birds, the testes are located in the coelomic cavity, not accessible to reproductive evaluation as mammalian testes. The reproductive evaluation of roosters is based on phenotypic traits. Any changes on testes will reflect on fertility levels. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the potential association of phenotypic traits, such as body weight (BW), comb scores (COS), cloaca scores (CLS) and feet scores (FS), with testicular morphometric parameters in adult Cobb® Mx roosters. The experimental design was fully randomized in a 2x3 factorial arrangement: two ages (25 weeks and 45 weeks) and three bodyweight categories (light, medium or heavy) with 10 replicates each; the experimental unit was a single animal. After being weighed and divided into body weight categories, all roosters had the comb and cloaca morphology, as well as the presence of lesions in the feet, inspected by a single trained evaluator. Comb, cloaca and feet scores followed the methodology described by Rezende et al. (2014). The testes were then removed, individually weighed and prepared for histology. Normal data and homogeneous variances were analyzed by a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means were compared by the Tukey test (coefficient of variation lower than 10%) or Duncan test (coefficient of variation greater than 10%) with a significance level of 5% (P ≤ 0.05). The Pearson-Spearman correlation was used to assess the correlation between the different traits. The low BW roosters had lower testes weight (TW), smaller seminiferous tubule diameter (STD) and lower comb and cloaca scores than the medium and high BW roosters (P≤0.05). Heavy roosters had the highest COS and greater seminiferous epithelium heights (SEH). There was no statistical difference in FS and volume ratio of seminiferous tubule (ST) and interstitial tissue (IT) among the BW groups. As to the age effect, 45-week roosters had lower TW and ST than 25-week roosters. Positive, moderate and significant correlation was found between testes weight and phenotypic traits (BW, COS and CLS) in 45-week roosters. Positive, moderate and significant correlation was found between body weight and histological features (STD and SHE) for both ages. In conclusion, the testes weight regressed with age, and this was more intense in Cobb® Mx roosters with lower BW. The BW positively influenced testes weight and histological features. COS and CLS may be used with moderate potential prediction to identify roosters with low testes weight at 45 weeks of age (CEUA/UFMG/Protocol#79/2015).

Morfologia e grânulos citoplasmáticos do corpo lúteo de vacas aneloradas (Bos taurus indicus) gestantes e não gestantes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate, in cycling and pregnant Nelore cows, the volumetric proportion of the corpus luteum and the distribution of lutein cells with cytoplasmic granules. Twenty four ovaries with corpus luteum were collected in a slaughterhouse. The ovaries were distributed into two groups: pregnant and non-pregnant cows. The group of pregnant cows was divided according to the stage of pregnancy, by the crown-rump fetus length: 1st third - until 90 days, 2nd third - between 91 and 180 days and 3rd third - between 181 and 270 days. The corpus luteum were processed for inclusion in paraplast, and slides were stained for analysis in light microscopy. The constituents quantified in the volumetric proportion were: lutein cells cytoplasm and nucleus, connective tissue and fibroblasts, endothelial cells and pericyte and blood vessels. The volumetric proportion of lutein cells cytoplasm decreased significantly from 46.1±2.8% to 37.9±3.5%, and also decreased significantly in the nucleus from 9.2±1.0% to 6.2±1.0% between the first and the second trimester of pregnancy. The amount of connective tissue and fibroblasts increased significantly throughout gestation, with 20.9±5.4% on the first trimester and 34.0±4.2% on the second. Granules were evidenced by the histochemical technique of Xylidine Ponceau and Bromophenol blue, indicating their probable protein composition. The amount of lutein cells with granules increased throughout gestation, but significant difference was observed only between the first (2.3±1.9%) and second trimester (25.5±20.3%). The cytoplasmic and nucleus volumetric proportion decreased during pregnancy and the volumetric proportion of connective tissue increased. The amount of lutein cells with granules increased throughout pregnancy.

Ejaculados individuais e pools de sêmen: diferenças em condições experimentais

Individual ejaculates and pooled dog semen submitted to two treatments of medium exchange were evaluated. Semen was collected from six dogs, as individual ejaculates and pooled semen, diluted in a 1:1 ratio in Tris-Yolk medium, centrifuged at 500g/10min and ressuspended to the final concentration of 50x106 sptz/mL. The samples were cooled at rates of 0.26 o C/min between 37 and 16 o C, and 0.08oC/min from 16 to 8oC, and then kept in a refrigerator for 14 days. In Treatement 1 medium was exchanged every six days and in Treatment 2 after twelve days. The cooled samples were evaluated every 48 hours for sperm motility using the Sperm Calss Analyser® (SCA), and membrane integrity with hiposmotic swelling test and PI/CFDA stain. Pooled semen was easier to handle, mainly considering the decreased work due to volume. When submitted to medium exchange, pooled semen behaved similarly to individual ejaculates; however, results obtained from individual ejaculates showed differences between treatments, which were not apparent in pooled semen results.

Perímetro escrotal e características seminais de touros da raça Nelore selecionados para precocidade sexual

Twenty-four young Nelore bulls were divided in group 1 (G1, at puberty) and group 2 (G2, after puberty), according to characteristics of seminal concentration and gradual motility of the spermatozoa. Zoothecnic, seminal and endocrine characteristics were evaluated at puberty and after puberty, at 12, 14, 16 and 18 months of age. The average of age, weight and scrotal perimeter at puberty were, respectively, 15,37±1,58 months, 391,35±55,64 and 26.41±2,35cm, and in the period after puberty they were, respectively, 17,49±1,73 months; 451,75±35,44kg and 29,93±2,59cm. The seminal characteristics after puberty increased in relation to that at puberty. It is concluded that the young Nelore bulls submitted to one program of election for sexual precocity reached puberty around 15 months of age, and young bulls with higher escrotal perimeter had puberty at an early age.