Morphological study of Socorro Island Merino sheep and its crosses with hair breeds

Tropical Animal Health and Production - A study was conducted with the objective to characterize the morphology of Socorro Island Merino sheep. A total of 67 sheep, 62 females, 26 purebred and 36...     

A short note on linkage between the β- and κ-caseins in the Churra and Manchega ovine breeds

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Mentha piperita L. (MP) dried leaves on the in vitro rumen methanogenesis and fermentation. It was found that after 24 hours of incubations, addition of 16.34 and 23.35 mg of MP to the 233.3 mg of substrate significantly decreased methane emission by 41.52 and 15.51%, respectively. Simultaneously, the MP supplementation exerted no effect on the dry matter digestibility and volatile fatty acid profile. Addition of MP to the ruminants' diet inhibits the methane production without altering the basic parameters of rumen fermentation.     

Complex cardiac congenital defects in an adult dog: An ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance imaging study

This article describes a complex and not previously reported combination of congenital cardiac defects. Echocardiography showed dilation of right and left chambers, accompanied with patent ductus arteriosus, persistence of the left cranial vena cava, atrial septal defect (ASD), subaortic stenosis, and tricuspid dysplasia. The interatrial wall was examined and the diameter of the ASD was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).     

Dog as a model for studying conspecific and heterospecific social learning

In human communities social learning (i.e., learning by the observation of knowledgeable individuals) plays an important role; it shapes cultures, traditions, and cognition. Dogs seem to be an ideal system for modeling human cognition from the social learning aspect. The present review offers a short overview on the relevant general theories of social learning, discusses the adaptive value of social learning, introduces dog as a model system, presents evidence for different forms of social learning in dogs and argues for practical implications that social learning might have in this species.     

Effect of spineless cactus intake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Opuntia ficus-indica</Emphasis>) on blood glucose levels in lactating sows and its impact on feed intake,body weight loss,and weaning-estrus interval

The effect of spineless cactus intake (Opuntia ficus-indica) on blood glucose (BG) levels in lactating sows and its impact on daily and total feed intake (dFI^?1 and TFI, respectively), body weight loss (BWL), and weaning-estrus interval length (WEI) were evaluated. Thirty-four hybrid (Yorkshire × Landrace × Pietrain) sows in lactation phase were used. Sows were divided into two groups: G1 (n = 17) where they received commercial feed and G2 (n = 17) provided with commercial feed plus an average of 2.0 ± 0.5 kg spineless cactus, based on a sow’s body weight. The variables evaluated were BG, dFI^?1, TFI, BWL, and WEI. Statistical analysis was performed by using a fixed and mixed model methodology, under a repeated measurements experiment. Group effects were found on all analyzed variables (P < 0.05). The BG was lower in G2 (55.2 and 64.5 mg/dL pre- and post-prandial, respectively), compared to that in G1 (70.9 and 80.1 mg/dL pre- and post-prandial, respectively) (P < 0.05). G2 showed better performance than G1 for dFI^?1, BWL, and WEI (P < 0.05) whose averages were 5.5 ± 1.8 kg, 7.4 ± 4.5%, and 5.3 ± 1.2 days, respectively. Averages for these variables in G1 were 4.7 ± 1.5 kg, 16.8 ± 4.6%, and 6.1 ± 1.6 days, respectively. Intake of spineless cactus reduced BG levels in lactating sows, generating greater dFI^?1, lower BWL at the end of lactation, and a lower WEI.     

Stress response of extensively reared young bulls being transported to growing-finishing farms under Spanish summer commercial conditions

To evaluate the effect of Spanish summer commercial journeys on the stress response of young bulls born and reared under extensive conditions, 2 replicates of a transport from an assembly centre to a growing-finishing farm were studied. Journeys lasted 27 h, involving a total of 62 young bulls. Variables under study included haematocrit, red blood cell count (RBC), total white blood cell count (WBC), differential WBC counts, serum haptoglobin (Hp), cortisol, glucose, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total protein, and albumin at loading, at the end of an intermediate market stop, and at the unloading. Before the beginning of the journey elevated WBC and neutrophil counts, and high Hp values were detected, reflecting high stress levels probably as a consequence of previous procedures associated with the grouping at the assembly centre. Some stress was also detected at the end of the market stop, with cortisol increasing from 6.5 to 12.6 ± 2.0 ng/mL (P < 0.001), although a change in Hp concentration was not observed. Neither CPK and LDH activities, related to muscular tissue damage, nor haematocrit and RBC count, related to dehydration revealed a significant effect of this first stage of the journey on the physical stress of the young bulls. Subsequent 13 h transport to the growing-finishing farm induced an increase in Hp levels from 0.48 to 0.78 ± 0.16 mg/mL (P < 0.001), reflecting an onset of the acute stress response, although cortisol levels immediately after the unloading were similar to those found before loading at the market, suggesting that calves got accustomed to transport. At the end of the journey some dehydration and physical stress were also detected. Overall, our study provides new information to the discussion of the effect of temperatures during cattle transport. Although an improvement in pre-transport conditions is essential if the welfare of assembled and transported cattle is to be improved, the stress-related alteration of cattle physiology under Spanish summer commercial transport conditions is similar to that observed under colder conditions.     

A multicentric retrospective study of serum/plasma urea and creatinine concentrations in dogs using univariate and multivariate decision rules to evaluate diagnostic efficiency

BACKGROUND: Urea and creatinine are the most frequently used indirect markers in plasma and serum of glomerular filtration rate in dogs. Both have been shown to lack sensitivity but their diagnostic efficiency for the diagnosis of kidney disease has been minimally investigated. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the influence of possible factors of variation on both analytes and to determine whether specific decision rules should be drawn up for subpopulations of dogs. METHODS: The results of urea and creatinine measurements, breed, sex, age, and health status (healthy, renal disease, or nonrenal disease) of 3822 dogs were collected from the archives of 5 veterinary clinics. Data were analyzed with univariate and multivariate decision rules with and without adjustment. RESULTS: There were significant effects and interactions of almost all of the sources of variation. Slight improvements in diagnostic efficiency were obtained by adjusting the decision rules to these sources of variations. Univariate decision rules gave approximately the same diagnostic efficiency for urea and creatinine concentrations, with sensitivity and specificity in the range of 70% and 90%, respectively, using the upper limit of the reference interval as the threshold value. Multivariate decision rules provided only minor improvements in diagnostic efficiency. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous measurement of both urea and creatinine is of limited diagnostic value over the analysis of a single variable. Creatinine is the preferred analyte as it is affected by fewer extrarenal factors of variation.     

Effect of Flavonoids and Saponins Extracted from Black Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Seed Coats as Cholesterol Micelle Disruptors

Strategies for reducing plasma cholesterol have been focused on reducing the absorption or synthesis of cholesterol. The aim of this study was to correlate the content of flavonoids and saponins in black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seed coats extracts with a potential effect in lowering cholesterol absorption by the inhibition of cholesterol micellar solubility. Extracts with different flavonoids and saponins concentration were obtained from a Box-Behnken design used to optimize extraction temperature, stirring time and solvent composition. Major flavonoids and saponins were quantified by HPLC-PDA-ELSD and confirmed through mass spectrometry. Contrary to the flavonoid content, saponins were correlated to the inhibitory effect of cholesterol micelle solubility as an approach to a potential reduction of cholesterol absorption. Extracts with the highest saponin content strongly inhibited cholesterol micellization with values of 55.4?±?1.9 %, while stigmasterol used as control, only reached 12?±?2.3 % at the same concentration (5 mg/ml). The optimal extracting conditions for saponins were 25 °C, during 3 h in 85 % aqueous-methanol. Correlations of inhibitory effect of cholesterol micellar solubility with the content of each identified saponin suggested that the reduction of cholesterol micellization depends on the C-22 substitution of saponins.     

Identification of carcass and meat quality quantitative trait loci in a Landrace pig population selected for growth and leanness

The identification of QTL related to production traits that are relevant for the pig industry has been mostly performed by using divergent crosses. The main objective of the current study was to investigate whether these growth, fatness, and meat quality QTL, previously described in diverse experimental populations, were segregating in a Landrace commercial population selected for litter size, backfat thickness, and growth performance. We have found QTL for carcass weight (posterior P > 0.75), cutlet weight (posterior P > 0.99), weight of ham (posterior P > 0.75), shoulders weight (posterior probability > 0.99), and shear firm-ness (posterior P > 0.99) on pig Chromosome 2. Moreover, QTL with posterior P > 0.75 for fat thickness between the 3rd and 4th ribs (Chromosome 7), rib weights (Chromosome 8), backfat thickness (Chromosomes 8, 9, and 10), and b Minolta color component (Chromosome 7) were identified. These results indicate that commercial purebred populations retain a significant amount of genetic variation, even for traits that have been selected for many generations.