Inclusion of Yucca schidigera extract in diets with different protein levels for dogs

This study evaluated the effects of inclusion of Yucca schidigera extract (YSE) in two diets with different levels of crude protein (CP) for dogs on facal odour, nutrient digestibility, ammonia concentration in feces and hematological and serum biochemical profiles. Twenty adults Beagles were used, distributed in a randomized block design in a 2 × 4 factorial design (two diets, 25% and 34% CP, and four YSE levels: 0, 250, 500 and 750 mg/kg) with five replicates, obtained during two experimental periods. The fecal odour reduced (P < 0.05) when 500 mg/kg of YSE was used in diets with higher CP. The inclusion of YSE reduced (P < 0.05) fecal ammonia, and the inclusion of 250 and 500 mg/kg YSE reduced intestinal gas. The inclusion of 750 mg/kg YSE increased the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and tended to increase the serum cholesterol concentration, regardless of the protein level of the diets. There was no effect on the digestibility of nutrients, fecal consistency, nitrogen balance and thickness of the intestinal wall. The inclusion of 500 mg/kg YSE is effective in reducing fecal odour in dogs receiving diets with 34% of CP. Regardless of the protein content, YSE reduces fecal ammonia, but may cause adverse effects if included at higher doses.     

Suckling behavior,performance, and Kleiber index in calves of different genetic groups under shaded and unshaded environments

Tropical Animal Health and Production - According to previous studies, lamb mortality is high in the Ethiopian highlands. The present study aims to evaluate the execution of preventive sheep herd...     

Combined selection in carioca beans for grain size,slow darkening and fast-cooking after storage times

Carioca bean presents grain darkening and increase in the cooking time in postharvest; this results in consumer rejection. The objective of this study was to select carioca bean genotypes with commercial grain size, slow darkening, and fast-cooking after storage. The completely randomized design was used in a 9?×?4?×?2 factorial arrangement, with three replications. Treatments consisted of nine common bean genotypes, four grain storage times (0, 2, 4 and 6 months), and two cultivation years (2014 and 2015). Carioca bean genotypes differed for mass of 100 grains, L, a* and b* values, water uptake, and cooking time; changes observed for these traits were not constant during storage and cultivation years. C 10-2-4/41 presents medium-sized beans (25.11 g), clearer color (L?≥?55.00) with slightly red (a*?≤?7.00) and slightly yellow (b*?≤?16.00) shades, and fast-cooking (<?20 min) for fresh grains and grains stored for 6 months. The three superior carioca bean genotypes selected by the multiplicative index were C 10-2-4/41, Pérola, and CNFC 11 948. C 10-2-4/41 presents commercial grain size, slow darkening and fast-cooking after 6 months of refrigerated storage and will be selected for the breeding program.     

Reforestation with loblolly pine can restore the initial soil carbon stock relative to a subtropical natural forest after 30 years

We hypothesized that long-term loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) land-use restores SOC stock and lability of a subtropical Cambisol to the original levels of the natural forest (NF). Additionally, we hypothesized that roots are the major contributor to SOC and that soil stores most of the ecosystem total carbon (ETC). We investigated a chronosequence of loblolly pine land-use of 17 (first rotation) and 32 years (second rotation, unthinned or thinned) following clearing of the NF. The original SOC stock to 100 cm of NF (209?±?9.4 Mg C ha^?1) was depleted by 22% after 17 years of pine, possibly because of intense soil disturbance and low quantity and quality of the residue inputted during the pine stand implementation. However, the SOC stock was restored to the original stock of NF after 32 years of pine, with the input of above and belowground biomass at harvest of the first rotation possibly playing a role in this recovery. Thinning did not affect SOC stocks after 1 year. The POM-C reduced after 17 years and was not recovered after 32 years. We could not ascertain in 5-year evaluation whether root or litter was the major contributor to SOC. Soil held 72% of the ETC in NF and 48–59% in pine plantations, confirming that it stores most of the ETC. Overall, long-term loblolly pine land-use seems to restore the original soil carbon stock in this subtropical site, regardless of some lability losses.     

Linkage fine-mapping and QTLs affecting morpho-agronomic traits of a Mesoamerican × Andean RIL common bean population

This paper proposes the construction of a genetic linkage map with 376 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between Mesoamerican?×?Andean common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) parents based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers; and to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with seven morpho-agronomic traits: number of days to flowering (DF), number of days to maturity (DM) or crop cycle; plant architecture (ARC); seed yield (YLD); degree of seed flatness (SF); seed shape (SS); and 100-seed weight (SW). A total of 3060 polymorphic SNP markers were used and 2041 segregated at a 1:1 ratio in the RIL population, as expected. These markers were subjected to linkage analysis in each chromosome. The genetic linkage analysis resulted in linkage maps with a total of 1962 markers spanning 1079.21 cM. A total of 29 QTLs associated with seven morpho-agronomic traits were detected on the 11 chromosomes, which explained between 3.83 and 32.92% of the phenotypic variation in DF. A total of 18 candidate genes associated with the detected QTLs were identified and related with biological processes, molecular functions and cellular components.     

Roughage levels impact on performance and carcass traits of finishing Nellore cattle fed whole corn grain diets

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of chopped hay levels in high-concentrate diets with whole corn grain (WCG) on performance and carcass traits of finishing Nellore cattle. One hundred and eight 24-month-old Nellore intact males (453 ± 75 kg) were fed one of three WCG-based diets that differed in roughage level: without roughage (WCG), with 5% chopped hay included (WCG5), or with 12% chopped hay included (WCG12) in a block design (based on initial body weight) for 86 days. Animals fed WCG5 or WCG12 had significantly improved on final body weight, dry matter intake, average daily gain, feed efficiency, hot carcass weight, and dressing percentage when compared to those fed WCG. The Longissimus muscle area (P = 0.1108), backfat thickness (BFT; P = 0.6089), and rump fat thickness (P = 0.1798) were not affected by roughage levels. Therefore, using WCG diets without roughage negatively affects the performance of feedlot Nellore cattle but does not affect carcass traits and does lead to the minimum BFT required by the industry.     

Predation effects on matrotrophy,superfetation and other life history traits in Phalloceros harpagos

This study investigates the effect of a predation gradient on the female life history traits of the poeciliid live‐bearing fish Phalloceros harpagos from a tropical stream in Brazil. Females’ length at maturity, somatic dry mass, reproductive allotment and fecundity varied significantly among predation sites. Phalloceros harpagos from the high‐predation site showed smaller size at maturity and somatic dry mass, greater reproductive allotment and higher fecundity than the nonpredation site. In all sites, we observed superfetation: pregnant females with two broods at different developmental stages. The presence of superfetation was not observed before in other congeneric species, and it may represent an additional independent evolutionary origin of superfetation in the fish family Poeciliidae. Matrotrophy, the postfertilisation maternal provisioning of nutrients to developing embryos throughout gestation, was observed in all three sites, with values of the matrotrophy index above two. The population under high predation pressure showed the highest degree of matrotrophy (embryos quadruplicate their dry mass during development) and the greatest percentage of females with superfetation (44.4%). Some life history traits responded more strongly to predators’ presence and others to predator density. These results suggest that different predation regimes shape female life history traits, increasing fecundity in high‐predation sites. The results also suggest a link between the cost of reproduction and the evolution of matrotrophy and superfetation, potentially to reduce the risk of predation without reducing fecundity.     

Marine and coastal protected and conserved areas strategy in Brazil: Context,lessons, challenges,finance, participation,new management models,and first results

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Is it possible to attain high-yielding common bean using molybdenum fertilizer instead of side-dressed nitrogen?

We evaluate the feasibility of using foliar-applied molybdenum, (Mo) instead of side-dressed nitrogen (N) in three experiments. In soils with native rhizobia, plants received 0, 30, 60, 90 or 120 kg N ha^?1 with +Mo (80 g ha^?1) or -Mo. N concentration in leaves (NCL) -Mo ranged from 35.1 to 42.5 g kg^?1 and NCL +Mo from 40.3 to 49.2 g kg^?1; yield -Mo ranged from 1560 to 3350 kg ha^?1and yield +Mo from 2829 to 3567 kg ha^?1. In two experiments, NCL or yield -Mo increased linearly or quadratically with increasing N rates, but NCL or yield +Mo did not. In one experiment, NCL increased linearly with increasing N rates and 16% with +Mo relative to –Mo, but yield was not affected significantly. Our results suggest that using Mo fertilizer instead of side-dressed N can allow common bean plants to meet crop demands for N to support yields as high as 3000 kg ha^?1.