Herbage intake of dairy cows in mixed sequential grazing with breeding ewes as followers

This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that mixed sequential grazing of dairy cows and breeding ewes is beneficial. During the seasons of spring–summer 2013 and autumn–winter 2013–2014, 12 (spring–summer) and 16 (autumn–winter) Holstein Friesian cows and 24 gestating (spring–summer) and lactating (autumn–winter) Pelibuey ewes grazed on six (spring–summer) and nine (autumn–winter) paddocks of alfalfa and orchard grass mixed pastures. The treatments “single species cow grazing” (CowG) and “mixed sequential grazing with ewes as followers of cows” (MixG) were evaluated, under a completely randomized design with two replicates per paddock. Herbage mass on offer (HO) and residual herbage mass (RH) were estimated by cutting samples. The estimate of herbage intake (HI) of cows was based on the use of internal and external markers; the apparent HI of ewes was calculated as the difference between HO (RH of cows) and RH. Even though HO was higher in CowG, the HI of cows was higher in MixG during spring–summer and similar in both treatments during autumn–winter, implying that in MixG the effects on the cows HI of higher alfalfa proportion and herbage accumulation rate evolving from lower residual herbage mass in the previous cycle counteracted that of a higher HO in CowG. The HI of ewes was sufficient to enable satisfactory performance as breeding ewes. Thus, the benefits of mixed sequential grazing arose from higher herbage accumulation, positive changes in botanical composition, and the achievement of sheep production without negative effects on the herbage intake of cows.     

How does water and salt stress affect the germination and initial growth of Brazilian soya bean cultivars?

The effects of water and salt stress on rate of germination and seedling growth were investigated under laboratory conditions in 46 soya bean genotypes from Central-West region of Brazil to verify how these stresses may limit crop establishment during the initial growth stage and also to identify the most tolerant genotypes to drought and salinity. Mild water and salt stresses were imposed by seed exposure to –0.20 MPa iso-osmotic solutions with polyethylene glycol—PEG 6000 (119.57 g/L) or NaCl (2.357 g/L) for 12 days at 25°C. The germination percentage, seedling length and seedling dry matter were measured, and then, salt or drought tolerance indexes were calculated. The “NS 5909 RG,” “NS 7000 IPRO,” “NS 7338IPRO,” “FPS Solimões RR,” “NS 5151 IPRO,” “SYN 13610 IPRO,” “LG 60177 IPRO,” “NS 6909 IPRO” and “BMX Desafio RR” were identified as the most drought-tolerant genotypes, whereas under salinity conditions, the genotypes “5D 615 RR,” “BMX Desafio RR,” “5D 6215 IPRO” and “BMX Ponta IPRO” were identified as tolerant. The “BMX Desafio RR” is the genotype most adapted to both stress conditions and, therefore, should be used under conditions of water shortage and excess salt in the soil at sowing time.     

Swine viscera preservation in hypersaturated salt solution after alcohol fixation as a preparation method for educational purposes

The use of live animals for educational purposes is an old practice that is still employed in teaching and research institutions. However, there are several objections to this practice, whether for ethical or humanitarian reasons. Surgical techniques teaching using anatomical pieces and/or preserved cadavers promotes greater learning efficiency, provides exercise repetition and increases the confidence and satisfaction of the students when compared to the use of live animals. The current work aimed to analyse the feasibility of using fresh swine urinary bladder and small intestines (jejunum), obtained from slaughterhouses, fixed in 99.8% ethyl alcohol (EA) and preserved in sodium chloride hypersaturated solution (SCHS) at 30%, for 7, 14 and 21 days, as an alternative method for surgical skills training (SST). Swine viscera, fixed in EA and preserved in SCHS, presented a realistic appearance, absence of odour and maintained the viable morphological characteristics during the performance of the operative techniques. Preservation solutions had low cost, were easy to acquire and did not offers risks to human health. Therefore, urinary bladders and small intestines fixed in 99.8% EA for 30 days and maintained in 30% SCHS at different periods were demonstrated as a good viable option as a preservation method for surgical skills training.     

Effects of thermal energy on extrusion characteristics,digestibility and palatability of a dry pet food for cats

The influence of specific thermal energy (STE) applications on extruder preconditioner was evaluated in a dry food for cats. In the first study, six STE applications were tested with mass temperatures of 45°C, 55°C, 65°C, 75°C, 85°C and 95°C. The extrusion parameters, starch gelatinization and kibble formation were evaluated. Diets were given to cats to evaluate digestibility, faecal characteristics and palatability. In the second experiment, three treatments were compared: low STE—a preconditioner temperature of 45°C (_LSTE); high STE—a preconditioner temperature of 95°C (_HSTE); high STE (preconditioner temperature of 95°C) combined with an increase in the mass flow rate to obtain a motor amperage similar to that of the _LSTE (_HSTE_flow). Data were analysed by polynomial contrasts (Experiment 1) or Tukey's test (Experiment 2; p < 0.05). An increase in STE reduced motor amperage, mass pressure and specific mechanical energy (SME) implementation (p < 0.001) and increased total specific energy (TSE) and mass temperature (p < 0.01). The increase in STE induced greater kibble expansion and starch gelatinization (p < 0.001). No changes in apparent nutrient digestibility or faeces characteristics were observed (p > 0.05). Lower STE and starch gelatinization induced higher butyrate and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) contents in faeces (p < 0.01). Cats showed greatest preference for the formulation with the highest STE (p < 0.01). In the second experiment, when the motor amperage was increased in the _HSTE_flow treatment to a value similar to that of the _LSTE, the mass flow rate increased 40%, and the electric energy consumption remained unchanged (p < 0.001), with gains observed for efficiency and cost. In conclusion, STE application is important for sufficient TSE implementation, enhancing kibble expansion, starch gelatinization, cat preferences for food, extruder productivity and reducing SME application. Foods with lower starch gelatinization lead to increased VFA in faeces, with possible implications for gut health.     

The effect of photoperiod and melatonin on plasma prolactin concentrations in female guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in captivity

The present study examined the effects of different photoperiods and melatonin treatment on plasma prolactin concentrations in guanacos, a South American camelid, in captivity. Fourteen adult female guanacos, not gestating or lactating and isolated from males, were studied. The control group was exposed to natural daylight, during short days (N = 7, 10L:14D) and long days (N = 7, 16L:8D). The treatment group (N = 7, 10L:14D) received melatonin implants every 23 days for 6 weeks during long days. Blood samples were taken at intervals of 1 week for 3 weeks, starting the third week of treatment. Prolactin concentrations were measured using competitive ELISA. Plasma concentrations of prolactin in non-lactating female guanacos have seasonal changes, with a higher concentration (p < .001) in short days (3.50 ± 2.24 ng/ml) than long days (1.10 ± 0.91 ng/ml). Melatonin treatment significantly decreases (p < .05) plasma concentrations of prolactin on the 21st day after the treatment. These findings are the first report of an endogenous circannual rhythm of plasma prolactin concentration and the action of melatonin treatment on prolactin secretion in this wild camelid.     

Sperm subpopulations influence the pregnancy rates in cattle

This study aimed to study the characteristics and subpopulations of spermatozoa from bulls with low and high reproductive performance based on pregnancy rates. Based on historical records of pregnancy rate from four farms, 24 bulls were selected. Two groups were established, with low pregnancy rates (n = 12; LOW), including bulls that presented pregnancy rates <52.27% (33.33% to 51.81%); and a group with high pregnancy rates (n = 12; HIGH), with pregnancy rates >52.27% (52.27% to 69.64%), after fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). The thawed sperm straws were analysed to sperm kinetics, morphology, plasma membrane integrity and sperm subpopulations. The LOW group exhibited a higher proportion of static cells (p < .05). In contrast, the HIGH group showed greater percentages for membrane integrity and total and progressive motility, and cells with fast and medium velocity (p < .05). In the cluster procedures, four sperm subpopulations were established. The low-fertility bulls presented the highest percentage of subpopulation 2 (41.46%), characterized by slow and progressive spermatozoa. The high-fertility bulls exhibited the highest percentage of subpopulation 3 (37.17%), characterized by fast and nonlinear spermatozoa. Results from this study indicated that bulls with greater percentages of fast and nonlinear spermatozoa seem to have greater fertilization capacity and the subpopulations analysis can be considered a tool to identify ejaculates with high fertility.     

Epidemiologic investigation of an outbreak of goose parvovirus infection in Sweden

An outbreak of goose parvovirus (GPV) infection on a Swedish goose farm in the spring of 2004 increased the mortality rates from 2% in the early unaffected hatches to 90% and 99% respectively in the two hatches following virus introduction and 40% in goslings hatched later in the same breeding season. In this paper we describe the clinical observations, diagnostic procedures, and epidemiologic investigation carried out to elucidate the source of the infection. The diagnosis was confirmed by serology, virus isolation, and sequence analysis of a 493-bp-long fragment of the VP1 gene. Phylogenetically the causative virus was closely related to pathogenic GPV strains isolated in 2003 and 2004 from Poland and the United Kingdom, respectively. The Swedish isolate exhibited less homology with pathogenic strains from Hungary and Asia and with attenuated vaccine strains. The epidemiologic investigation showed that the virus was first introduced to a contract farm (farm A) and then was transferred with newly hatched goslings to the farm that had submitted the birds for necropsy (index farm). The exact time and source of the virus introduction to farm A could not be determined with absolute certainty. Possible sources of the infection included backyard goose eggs that had been delivered to farm A for subcontract incubation and hatching, wild geese that frequented the flock of breeding geese on pasture on farm A, and a clutch of Canada goose eggs (Branta canadensis) that had been produced by wild geese and was hatched in the same machine as the eggs produced by farm A.