Mineral salt intake effects on faecal-N concentration and the volume and composition of beef cattle urine

The effect of mineral salts on water ingestion and urine volume in cattle has been extensively studied. However, recently, this effect has been investigated as a potential mitigator of environmental aspects related to the nitrogen (N) cycle, such as nitrate (NO₃^?) lixiviation, ammonia (NH₃) volatilisation, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. The effect of mineral salts, particularly sodium chloride (NaCl), on urine-N concentration, urine volume, the proportion of N compounds in the urine, and faecal-N concentration has not yet been explored in field conditions with respect to environmental aspects of beef cattle production. The present study investigated the effect of dietary mineral salt rates on these parameters. A Latin square (5?×?5) experimental design was utilised with five concentrations of mineral salts in the diet: 0.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0, and 8.0 g based on dry matter (DM) ingestion (g/kg DM). The nitrogen concentration in the urine and urine volume increased linearly. The total N excreted (g/day) via urine did not vary with increasing mineral salt concentrations. When evaluated, the N compounds of urine (urea-N, allantoin-N, and hippuric acid-N) also reacted to the increased mineral salt concentrations, while creatinine-N did not. Urea-N, allantoin-N, and hippuric acid-N linearly increased their proportions in total N-urine. The N concentration in faeces was not affected by mineral salt concentrations. The urine volume, concentration of N, and proportion of N compounds in the urine affected N₂O emissions and NH₃ volatilisation. Therefore, mineral salt utilisation may be an option for mitigating N pollution from beef cattle, especially for grasslands in tropical countries.

     

Intake,digestibility and metabolism in sheep fed with increasing levels of spineless cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera Salm-Dyck)

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the substitution of Tifton 85 hay (Cynodon spp.) with spineless cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera) on...     

Causes of bruising in carcasses of beef cattle during farm,transport, and slaughterhouse handling in Brazil

This study aimed to assess preslaughter factors responsible for the occurrence of bruises to front, rib, loin, hip, and round sites of cattle carcasses. Data from the slaughter of 148 loads of cattle were assessed, totaling 4,611 carcasses. Evaluated bruising factor variables were animal gender, journey distance (km), vehicle type (m²), journey time (hours), load density (kg/m²), handling and facilities conditions (optimal, acceptable, and unacceptable), and unloading waiting time (min). Gender had the strongest influence on carcass bruising, being the first variable to enter in the majority of models related to the carcass sites. Female carcasses displayed higher bruising in all sites. Densities above 401 kg/m² caused more bruising. With the exception of the loin, unacceptable, and acceptable conditions assigned to farm facilities and handling resulted in higher average bruising. Articulated vehicles with a greater load capacity were more likely to cause bruising. The effects of variables causing bruises act differently in the various carcass sites. In this sense, the results of this study suggested possible management practices for specific problems during the preslaughter period to minimize losses by bruising to different carcass sites.     

Non-phytate phosphorus requirement for broilers from 8 to 21 days of age under heat stress conditions

Two trials were conducted to determine the non-phytate phosphorus (nPP) requirement for broiler under heat stress. In both trials, birds were distributed in a completely randomized 4 × 2 factorial design with four nPP concentrations: 0.25, 0.35, 0.45, and 0.55%, and two Ca supply techniques: Ca fixed at 0.899% (CaF) or varying along with nPP aiming a 2:1 Ca to nPP ratio (CaV). Both trials had eight pens/treatment, with nine and five birds/pen for exp. 1 and exp. 2, respectively. nPP concentration had no effect on feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), nor fat deposition ratio (FDR). nPP levels showed a linear effect on protein deposition ratio (PDR) only for CaF diets. The nPP levels had a significant effect, regardless the technique adopted, on tibia phosphorus (TibP), which varied quadratically, on tibia calcium (TibCa) that increased quadratically and linearly, respectively, on CaF and CaV diets, and on tibia ash (TibAsh) that showed a quadratic effect for both. No effect was observed on Ca to P ratio in the tibia (TibCa:TibP). The nPP levels showed a linear increase effect over phosphorus intake (PI), phosphorus excreted (PE), and phosphorus retained (PR), and a linear decrease effect on phosphorus retention coefficient (PRC). Therefore, the nPP requirement for broilers from 8 to 21 days of age that provided better performance and bone variables were 0.250 and 0.484%, respectively, for CaF diets and 0.250 and 0.511%, respectively, for CaV diets.     

Effect of extract of medicinal plants on the labeling of blood elements with Technetium-99m and on the morphology of red blood cells: I--a study with Paullinia cupana

Drugs can alter the labeling and the morphology of red blood cells. As Paullinia cupana is used in popular medicine, we evaluated its influence on the labeling process using technetium-99m (Tc-99m). Blood was incubated with P. cupana, stannous chloride and Tc-99m. Samples were centrifuged and plasma (P) and blood cells (BC) were separated and precipitated with trichloroacetic acid. Soluble (SF) and insoluble fractions (IF) were isolated. The morphology of the blood cells was evaluated under an optical microscope. The results showed a significant (P = 0.05) decrease in the uptake of radioactivity for the RBC (97.93 +/- 0.74 to 36.90 +/- 4.71%), in IF-P and in IF-BC due to P. cupana extract. The study of the morphology of the RBC revealed alterations in the shape of these cells. We suggest that the P. cupana effect could be explained by an inhibition of the stannous and pertechnetate ions or oxidation of the stannous ion or by damages in the plasma membrane.     

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Glomalin‐Related Soil Protein as Potential Indicators of Soil Quality in a Recuperation Gradient of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil

This study aimed at surveying arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species and glomalin‐related soil protein (GRSP) to understand their role as presumable biological indicators of soil quality in an undisturbed forest site (NT) and three sites with different management histories, soil textures, and different ages of recovery after reforestation for 20 (R20), 10 (R10) and 5 years (R05). Our objective was to determine how physical, chemical and microbiological soil attributes influence AMF species distribution, total‐GRSP (T‐GRSP) and easily extractable‐GRSP (EE‐GRSP). Glomus and Acaulospora were related to impacted sites, Gigaspora rosea to sites R10 and R20 that have different management histories and soil textures and Glomus geosporum to sites NT and R10, suggesting some influence of texture on its distribution. Scutellospora pellucida and other species were found only in one season. Correlations between EE‐GRSP and T‐GRSP on the one hand and total carbon and nitrogen, dehydrogenase and urease activity, microbial biomass carbon and microbial biomass nitrogen, on the other, reached values of 40–70% and were especially strong in summer. Soil bulk density had a negative and macroporosity a positive effect only on EE‐GRSP, suggesting the necessity to choose either EE‐GRSP or T‐GRSP as biological indicator depending on the soil characteristics and management. This study demonstrates the effect of recovery age, seasonality and other soil attributes on AMF and GRSP distribution and shows that these biological attributes may be used as indicators of soil quality in the Atlantic forest in Brazil. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Molecular analysis of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Agona isolated from slaughter pigs

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica (S.) serovar Agona plays an important role in Brazil as causative agent of salmonellosis in food-producing animals - in particular, pigs and poultry - as well as in humans. A total of 45 S. Agona isolates collected from slaughter pigs at three different slaughterhouses in Southern Brazil was investigated in this study for their phenotypic and genotypic relatedness. For this, the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and the phage types were determined. Molecular analysis included the determination of plasmid profiles as well as the analysis of XbaI- and BlnI-generated macro-restriction patterns. Moreover, a novel typing method called subtracted restriction fingerprinting (SRF) was successfully applied to the S. Agona isolates. Based on all properties determined, a dominant clonal group comprising 33 of the 45 isolates was identified. Members of this group were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested, did not carry plasmids, shared the same phage type and were closely related or even indistinguishable by their EcoRI-PauI SRF patterns as well as their XbaI and BlnI macro-restriction patterns. Members of this clonal group were identified at all 3 slaughterhouses at variable frequencies and originated from pig herds raised in 15 different cities in Southern Brazil which were located up to 450 km apart from each other. Since the S. Agona-carrying slaughter pigs were from various integrated production lines, the results of this study suggest that a specific clonal group of S. Agona had entered numerous pig production lines. This observation supports the requirement for the establishment of monitoring and control programmes in Brazil which should also include molecular techniques to better trace the dissemination of S. Agona and other Salmonella serovars in pigs and other food-producing animals.     

Risk factors for canine leishmaniasis in an endemic Mediterranean region

Human visceral leishmaniasis is an emergent/re-emergent parasitic zoonotic disease in Europe caused by Leishmania infantum, with domestic dog as its main reservoir host. This study presents the results of a canine epidemiological survey in a mediterranean region where human and canine leishmaniasis (CanL) are endemic - Portugal. The main goal was to identify risk factors, which can be relevant for Leishmania infection control. The national survey was carried out in January 2009 with a screening of 3974 dogs from all 18 districts of mainland Portugal. Direct Agglutination Test was used for the detection of anti-Leishmania antibodies in canine blood. An overall CanL true prevalence of 6.31% was observed. Apparent prevalence at district level ranged from 0.88% to 16.16%, with the highest prevalence in the interior regions. Identified risk factors for positivity were: dogs of 2 years and older (adjusted odds ratio OR=5.39); spending exclusively/most of the time outdoors (OR=2.51); origin from the interior of Portugal in comparison to littoral/coast districts (OR=2.51); not having long fur (OR=2.03); and being pure exotic (OR=1.67). The results confirm the leishmaniasis endemicity in Portugal and the dynamic character of prevalence as new foci emerged and old foci lost their importance. The dog's age, fur size, district and living outdoors as opposed to indoors were more important than dog breeds and insecticide treatment in the transmission of Leishmania infection. The future of CanL prevention and control rely on an integrated approach involving veterinarians, dog owners and health authorities in order to reduce the canine infection risk and consequently, the human zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis.     

Study of the Effect of Saline Solution on the Extraction of the Moringa oleifera Seed’s Active Component for Water Treatment

Several coagulants/flocculants have been studied in order to remove the color and turbidity of raw water, employing natural ones demonstrated advantages in relation to chemicals. Moringa oleifera Lam is a natural polymer that has been gaining prominence in water treatment. It acts as a clarifying agent, providing a cationic protein that destabilizes the particles contained in a liquid medium. The main objective of the present work is to study the efficiency in terms of removing color and turbidity of raw water in order to obtain drinking water. For this purpose, different coagulant solutions were obtained utilizing three solutions of KCl in different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, and 1 M) and pure water combined with M. oleifera Lam seed. Each coagulant solution obtained was studied with concentrations ranging from 50 to 600 ppm of Moringa in solution. The pH was varied (4.0, 6.0, and 8.0) with 25% and 50% sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl), respectively. The tests were conducted with the “Jar Test Device” and the efficiency of the process was evaluated regarding the reduction of color and turbidity. The best results were found employing the coagulant solutions extracted with 1 M salt solution, pH 8.0, and different concentrations of coagulant solution. It is important to explain that the best results were in various concentration ranges, as the concentration of protein in solution becomes higher, the greater is its power as a coagulant. The lowest content of protein was found in the solution extracted with water, which consequently had the lowest values of color and turbidity removal.