Tuberculosis survey of free-ranging marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) in Brazil.

Esophageal-pharyngeal fluids from 53 free-ranging marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) captured for a research program in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, were assayed for tuberculosis. Total DNA was extracted. amplified by polymerase chain reaction using specific primers for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. microti, and M. africanum), and observed by agarose gel electrophoresis stained with ethidium bromide. All samples were negative. This, along with necropsy and histopathology data, suggests that these animals are not shedding and probably do not have active disease.     

Short-term changes in nitrogen availability, gas fluxes (CO2, NO, N2O) and microbial biomass after tillage during pasture re-establishment in Rondônia, Brazil

Anthropogenic conversion of primary forest to pasture for cattle production is still frequent in the Amazon Basin. Practices adopted by ranchers to restore productivity to degraded pasture have the potential to alter soil N availability and N gas losses from soils. We examined short-term (35 days) effects of tillage prior to pasture re-establishment on soil N availability, CO₂, NO and N₂O fluxes and microbial biomass C and N under degraded pasture at Nova Vida ranch, Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon. We collected soil samples and measured gas fluxes in tilled and control (non tilled pasture) 12 times at equally spaced intervals during October 2001 to quantify the effect of tillage. Maximum soil NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ pools were 13.2 and 6.3 kg N ha⁻¹ respectively after tillage compared to 0.24 and 6.3 kg N ha⁻¹ in the control. Carbon dioxide flux ranged from 118 to 181 mg C–CO₂ m² h⁻¹ in the control (non-tilled) and from 110 to 235 mg C–CO₂ m² h⁻¹ when tilled. Microbial biomass C varied from 365 to 461 μg g⁻¹ in the control and from 248 to 535 μg g⁻¹ when tilled. The values for N₂O fluxes ranged from 1.22 to 96.9 μg N m⁻² h⁻¹ in the tilled plots with a maximum 3 days after the second tilling. Variability in NO flux in the control and when tilled was consistent with previous measures of NO emissions from pasture at Nova Vida. When tilled, the NO/N₂O ratio remained <1 after the first tilling suggesting that denitrification dominated N cycling. The effects of tilling on microbial parameters were less clear, except for a decrease in qCO₂ and an increase in microbial biomass C/N immediately after tilling. Our results suggest that restoration of degraded pastures with tillage will lead to less C matter, at least initially. Further long-term research is needed.     

Emissions of CO2, N2O,and NO in conventional and no-till management practices in Rondônia,Brazil

Efforts to restore productivity of pastures often employ agricultural management regimes involving either tillage or no-tillage options combined with various combinations of fertilizer application, herbicide use and the planting of a cash crop prior to the planting of forage grasses. Here we report on the emissions of CO₂, N₂O and NO from the initial phases (first 6 months) of three treatments in central Rondônia. The treatments were (1) control; (2) conventional tillage followed by planting of forage grass (Brachiaria brizantha) and fertilizer additions; (3) no-tillage/herbicide treatment followed by two plantings, the first being a cash crop of rice followed by forage grass. In treatment 3, the rice was fertilized. Relative to the control, tillage increased CO₂ emission by 37% over the first 2 months, while the no-tillage/herbicide regime decreased CO₂ emissions by 7% over the same period. The cumulative N₂O emissions over the first 2 months from the tillage regime (0.94 kg N ha^–1) were much higher than the N₂O releases from either the no-tillage/herbicide regime (0.64 kg N ha^–1) or the control treatment (0.04 kg N ha^–1). The highest levels of N₂O fluxes from both management regimes were observed following N fertilizations. The cumulative NO releases over the first 2 months were largest in the tillage treatment (0.98 kg N ha^–1), intermediate in the no-tillage treatment (0.72 kg N ha^–1), and smallest in the control treatment (0.12 kg N ha^–1). For the first week following fertilization the percentage of fertilizer N lost as N₂O plus NO was 1.0% for the tillage treatment and 3.0% for the no-tillage treatment.     

Physicochemical parameters,fatty acid profile,and sensory attributes of meat from lambs fed with cassava dregs in replacement of corn

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the replacement of corn by cassava dregs (0, 33, 66, and 100%) in the diet of lamb on...     

Chemical and microbiological soil properties in organic and conventional management systems of Coffea arabica L.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic (OS) and conventional (CS) farming of Arabica coffee on chemical and microbiological soil properties and to identify which attributes correlate and/or contribute to distinguishing these two management systems. We collected soil samples on a 100 × 100 m² grid in both, the OS and CS, in winter and summer and submitted chemical and microbiological properties to univariate and multivariate analyses (canonical discriminant analysis – CDA – and redundancy analysis – RDA). The best indicators to discriminate OS and CS were chemical and microbiological properties, as the elements calcium (Ca) and boron (B), besides microbial biomass carbon (MBC), metabolic quotient (qCO₂), acid phosphatase (ACP), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The RDA showed that, regardless of the season, MBC and ACP correlated with nitrogen (N), sulfur (S) and organic matter (OM), whereas basal respiration (C-CO₂) and ACP correlated with qCO₂ and with magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and pH.     

Do traditional sheep breeders perform conscious selection? An example from a participatory breeding program of Morada Nova sheep

The implementation of sustainable breeding programs requires genetic breeding strategies that are appropriate for the reality production systems. It is also essential that the choice of animal selection criteria be based on breeders’ knowledge and objectives. This work is an ethno-zootechnical study of the Morada Nova sheep breed and its crossbreeds. The goals of this study were to register and analyze indigenous breeders’ knowledge and practices regarding animal selection criteria and to generate technical information to support a participatory breeding program of the breed. This study was conducted in the Morada Nova municipality in the state of Ceará, Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were evaluated using two groups of individuals, purebred Morada Nova sheep breeders (RMN, n = 13) and breeders of Morada Nova crossbreeds (MMN, n = 48). Interview questions were used to identify local selection criteria adopted by each group in the choice of animals for breeding. Data from the interviews were submitted to frequency distribution analysis and the Shapiro-Wilk test to verify their distribution. Later, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the two groups of farmers based on that information, in addition to multivariate statistical analysis and evaluation of Smith salience index. Breeders in the RMN group used selection criteria related to breed standards, such as pelage color. In contrast, breeders of the MMN group used criteria related to productivity, such as body conformation and milk production. Breeders should be engaged in the development of breeding programs, and it is important to consider their preferences and objectives when evaluating breeding animals.     

Geochemistry of Mercury Along a Soil Profile Compared to Other Elements and to the Parental Rock: Evidence of External Input

The vertical distribution of mercury along a weathering profile derived from a diabase was compared to the main geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the soil and its parental rock. The sampling site was in a metropolitan area, nearby to an active quarry and relatively close to an industrial park. The samples of a 6-m-deep fresh exposure of the soil profile and also of fresh rock were collected during the dry season. Kaolinite, goethite, hematite, and residual primary minerals were identified in the soil samples. Typically, the concentrations of Hg in the soil are low. Whole samples contained between 1 (rock) and 37 ??g kg^?1 Hg, while the?<?63-??m soil fraction had up to 52 ??g kg^?1 Hg. The higher values of Hg corresponded to the upper layers of A (0?C10 cm) and B (200?C220 cm) soil horizons. Elemental gains and losses calculated against Zr resulted in the following order: Hg>>Pb?>?Zr?>?LREE?>?Nb?>?HREE?>?Al?>?Ti?>?Fe?>?Cr. Total organic carbon in soil samples varied between 0.2 and 5.1 g dm^?3, and correlation with Hg concentrations was moderate. The acid pH (4.2?C5.5) of the soil samples favors the sorption Hg species by predominant secondary phases like goethite and kaolinite. The Hg concentration of the rock is insufficient to explain the large enrichment of Hg along the soil profile, indicating that exogenic Hg, via atmospheric deposition, contributed to the measured Hg concentrations of the soil.