Simone Maria Massami Kitamura Martins

Post-thaw addition of seminal plasma reduces tyrosine phosphorylation on the surface of cryopreserved equine sperm, but does not reduce lipid peroxidation

The objective was to verify the relationship between equine semen cryopreservation and changes related to increased lipid peroxidation. Also, addition of autologous or homologous seminal plasma from a stallion with a good freezing response to post-thawed sperm was tested to determine whether it would confer protection. Frozen-thawed sperm were evaluated and allocated into three groups: without plasma addition, and supplemented with either homologous or autologous seminal plasma. All groups were evaluated at 0, 60 and 120 min after incubation at 37 °C. Cryopreservation did not increase plasma membrane disorders (mean ± SEM 9.48 ± 0.65 and 1.62 ± 0.23% in raw and frozen-thawed sperm, respectively). However, both membrane peroxidation and protein phosphorylation were increased (P < 0.05) compared to raw semen (1.74 and 5.20-fold, respectively). There was a correlation (r = 0.73; P < 0.05) between the increase in lipid peroxidation and tyrosine phosphorylation. Seminal plasma, regardless of origin, reduced (P > 0.05) tyrosine phosphorylation present on the surface of cryopreserved sperm; however, lipid peroxidation was not significantly reduced. In conclusion, we inferred that emergence of phosphorylated proteins on the surface of cryopreserved sperm was due to increased lipid peroxidation that occurred during the freezing/thawing process; however, reduced tyrosine phosphorylation that occurred after addition of seminal plasma was triggered by other mechanisms, apparently independent from the reduction in membrane peroxidation.

Phytogenic feed additives in piglets challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium

The effects of phytogenic feed additives on piglet performance and fecal score (FDD), as well as on lipid oxidation of pork meat were evaluated. One hundred and twenty crossbred weaned piglets were randomly assigned to six treatments according to a 2 × 3 factorial design with five replicates per treatment. Factors were: challenge with Salmonella Typhimurium at 35 days of age or no challenge, and three different additives (control (CTR), basal diet; phytogenic feed additives (PHY), basal diet plus 2000 ppm of phytogenic feed additives - Rosmarinus officinalis, Mentha piperita, Lippia sidoides and Porophyllum ruderale; and antimicrobial agent (ATB), basal diet plus 100 ppm of tylosin, 2000 ppm of zinc and colistin sulfate, 30 ppm in the pre-starter basal diet, 10 ppm in the starter basal diet I and II, and 5 ppm in growth and finishing basal diet). Body weight (BW) of the piglets of ATB was greater throughout the experimental period, without any differences detected between CTR and PHY. Nevertheless, from 96 to 106 days of age, the BW of the CTR group was greater than PHY. From 21 to 34 days of age, feed conversion of ATB was lower than CTR; however, PHY showed an intermediate result, which did not differ from either ATB or CTR. Challenged animals reduced feed intake from day 35 to 48 compared with unchallenged animals. Piglet performance and fecal score from 21 to 48 days of age were lower in piglets that received ATB compared with the other treatments. However, from 35 to 48 days of age, the FDD of PHY was lower than CTR. Lipid oxidation was not reduced in treated animals. Antimicrobial agent improved the growth performance of piglets until 63 days of age, and no difference was observed between the treatments from 64 to 131 days of age. Antimicrobial agent reduced FDD; the FDD of PHY was similar to that of ATB after 48 days. None of the treatments affected lipid oxidation of pork meat.

Nutraceuticals in reproduction of bulls and stallions

The industry has made available in the market a series of substances (nutraceuticals) which intent would be to optimize the use of nutrients in some metabolic paths, influencing positively reproductive performance in animals. However, the response to the use of nutraceuticals varies according to the animal. As the organism is highly complex and in order to achieve a perfect activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, an ideal interaction in molecular basis is needed, where the nutraceuticals can have their direct action. The aim of this study was to review the function and research results using the main nutraceuticals (β carotene, vitamin A, L-carnitine, omegas 3, 6 and 9 and Gamma-oryzanol) on reproductive characteristics of bulls and stallions.

Novel Flow Cytometry Analyses of Boar Sperm Viability: Can the Addition of Whole Sperm-Rich Fraction Seminal Plasma to Frozen-Thawed Boar Sperm Affect It?

Boar semen cryopreservation remains a challenge due to the extension of cold shock damage. Thus, many alternatives have emerged to improve the quality of frozen-thawed boar sperm. Although the use of seminal plasma arising from boar sperm-rich fraction (SP-SRF) has shown good efficacy; however, the majority of actual sperm evaluation techniques include a single or dual sperm parameter analysis, which overrates the real sperm viability. Within this context, this work was performed to introduce a sperm flow cytometry fourfold stain technique for simultaneous evaluation of plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential. We then used the sperm flow cytometry fourfold stain technique to study the effect of SP-SRF on frozen-thawed boar sperm and further evaluated the effect of this treatment on sperm movement, tyrosine phosphorylation and fertility rate (FR). The sperm fourfold stain technique is accurate (R2 = 0.9356, p > 0.01) for simultaneous evaluation of plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential (IPIAH cells). Centrifugation pre-cryopreservation was not deleterious (p > 0.05) for any analyzed variables. Addition of SP-SRF after cryopreservation was able to improve total and progressive motility (p < 0.05) when boar semen was cryopreserved without SP-SRF; however, it was not able to decrease tyrosine phosphorylation (p > 0.05) or improve IPIAH cells (p > 0.05). FR was not (p > 0.05) statistically increased by the addition of seminal plasma, though females inseminated with frozen-thawed boar semen plus SP-SRF did perform better than those inseminated with sperm lacking seminal plasma. Thus, we conclude that sperm fourfold stain can be used to simultaneously evaluate plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential, and the addition of SP-SRF at thawed boar semen cryopreserved in absence of SP-SRF improve its total and progressive motility.

Associação de probióticos adicionados à dieta de leitões no aleitamento e na creche: índices zootécnicos e economicidade

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotics association added to piglets diets in lactation and nursery. A total of 144 piglets from birth to 62 days old were raised. The design with two treatments (Control and Probiotic A) was totally randomized in lactation. In the nursery, randomized blocks with factorial arrangement 2x3 were defined: Probiotic A and Probiotic B; Control and Probiotic B; Probiotic A and Probiotic A; Control and Control; Probiotic A with challenged animals; and Control and challenged animals. At 35 days from birth 48 animals of the nursery were orally inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium. Average weight, feed consumption, average weight gain and feed conversion were assessed. For economic analysis, the costs of diet during the nursery and income of animal’s sale were calculated. Feed consumption considered for analysis was the one related to the period of 21 to 62 days of life. No effect was observed on evaluated parameters in the maternity. Positive effect was observed on feed conversion for Probiotic A and Probiotic A treatment in nursery. In economic evaluation, Control and Probiotic B treatment showed lower cost compared to other ones, thus representing a satisfactory alternative.

Avaliação da suplementação de vitamina A nas características seminais em reprodutores suínos

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin A feed supplementation on the following boar semen characteristics: volume, motility, vigor, seminal pH, spermatic concentration, total number of spermatozoa, percentage of living sperm cells and morphologic abnormalities. The experiment was carried out with 10 hybrid boars (328.5 ± 2.12 days of age and 191.0 ± 12.0 kg live weight). The boars were separated into two treatments and fed with two vitamin A levels: control, 10.000 UI/kg feed daily; and vitamin A, 16.000 UI. The boars received 2.5 kg feed daily. A randomized complete design was used with replication measurements in time. There was no significant effect of vitamin A supplementation on the characteristics studied, and nor on the time and treatment interaction. The was significant effect of time on pH, spermatic concentration, total number of spermatozoa, percentage of living sperm cells, morphologic abnormalities, motility and vigor. Although detect significant differences were not detected between both treatments, numerical differences were detected indicating that vitamin A influenced the average increase in motility and the percentage of living sperm cells and the reduction in the percentage of morphologic abnormalities. Data showed support the idea that vitamin A is intimately associated with spermatogenesis.

Probiotics association in the suckling and nursery in piglets challenged with Salmonella typhimurium

This work aimed to study the probiotics association in 144 piglets from birth to 62 days old. In lactation, the design was completely randomized with two treatments, CTL, 1 mL of distilled water and ProbA, 5g in 15 ml of distilled water, both orally, and in the nursery in randomized block design, with 2x3 factorial arrangement of treatments, ProbA ProbB: 30g/ton of ProbB in the ration; CTL ProbB: 30g/ton of ProbB in the ration; ProbA ProbA, CTL CTL; ProbA CHA (challenged); CTL CHA. At 35 days of age the animal of the nursery were inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium orally. There was no effect of the parameters evaluated during the maternity. In nursery, the feed conversion was favorable to the ProbA. In the evaluation of fecal score, the challenged group had more diarrhea and increased elimination of S. typhimurium. Results showed the positive action of probiotics when applied at birth by the direct influence on the formation of the intestinal microbiota.

Glândula mamária do mocó (Kerodon rupestris - Wied Neuwied, 1820): aspectos morfológicos

Procurando colaborar com a exploracao zootecnica racional dos mocos (Kerodon rupestris) foi descrita a morfologia da glândula mamaria destes roedores, que por sua vez podem tornar-se uma fonte de alimento para populacao nordestina. Foram utilizados cinco animais cedidos pelo Centro de Multiplicacao de Animais Silvestres (CEMAS) da pela Escola Superior de Agricultura de Mossoro (ESAM) registrado junto ao IBAMA como criadouro cientifico sob o numero 12.492-0004. As glândulas mamarias foram retiradas atraves de dissecacao e foram fotografadas. Cada animal apresentou duas glândulas mamarias localizadas na regiao inguinal. Histologicamente a glândula mamaria era composta por uma grande quantidade de lobulos, repletos de glândulas tubulos-alveolares com epitelio simples cubico. Na papila mamaria fibras musculares apresentaram-se dispostas de modo circular, o que possivelmente auxilia na contracao para excrecao do leite.