Genetic parameters for milk,growth, and reproductive traits in Guzerá cattle under tropical conditions

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters of milk (305-day milk yield (MY305)), growth (weaning weight (WW), yearling weight (YW), and weight at...     

Unveiling the structure and distribution of plant-parasitic nematode communities in soybean fields in southern of the Brazil

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Our study aimed to assess the structure and distribution of plant-parasitic nematodes in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] in the south of Brazil. High...     

Impact of Adrenaline or Cortisol Injection on Meat Quality Development of Merino Hoggets

Increased levels of stress hormones in the muscle could lead to post mortem metabolic/structural modiifcations that could be relfected on meat quality. The present study investigated the metabolic effect of either adrenaline or cortisol injected into lambs in order to obtain an animal model of acute stress. Results showed that adrenaline or cortisol injection lead to glucose metabolism and muscle temperature increase. Muscle pH immediately post mortem was affected by adrenaline treatment. Water holding capacity （WHC） of fresh muscle, ifnal muscle pH and temperature registered at 24 h post mortem were not affected by injected hormones. Hardness and adhesiveness of LD muscle evaluated 3 d post mortem tended to increase as a result of adrenaline or cortisol injection. Results demonstrated that injected hormones were able to affect the post mortem muscle biochemistry and the pH/T curve independently of ifnal muscle pH.     

Delineation of specific management areas for coffee cultivation based on the soil–relief relationship and numerical classification

Predicting and mapping productivity areas allows crop producers to improve their planning of agricultural activities. The primary aims of this work were the identification and mapping of specific management areas allowing coffee bean quality to be predicted from soil attributes and their relationships to relief. The study area was located in the Southeast of the Minas Gerais state, Brazil. A grid containing a total of 145 uniformly spaced nodes 50 m apart was established over an area of 31.7 ha from which samples were collected at depths of 0.00–0.20 m in order to determine physical and chemical attributes of the soil. These data were analysed in conjunction with plant attributes including production, proportion of beans retained by different sieves and drink quality. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) in combination with geostatistical data showed the attributes clay content and available iron to be the best choices for identifying four crop production environments. Environment A, which exhibited high clay and available iron contents, and low pH and base saturation, was that providing the highest yield (30.4l ha^?1) and best coffee beverage quality (61 sacks ha^?1). Based on the results, we believe that multivariate analysis, geostatistics and the soil–relief relationships contained in the digital elevation model (DEM) can be effectively used in combination for the hybrid mapping of areas of varying suitability for coffee production.     

First record of Chilodonella hexasticha (Ciliophora: Chilodonellidae) in Brazilian cultured fish: A morphological and pathological assessment

Chilodonelids are small ciliated protozoans found worldwide and can be dangerous in culture conditions. This study presents morphometric data on the ciliate Chilodonella that is found in cultured Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), native bait fish tuvira (Gymnotus aff. inaequilabiatus) and native pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) and includes a histopathological assessment of the changes that occur in the pacu. For parasitic diagnosis, skin and gill samples were scraped onto slides, dried at room temperature, stained with Giemsa or impregnated with silver nitrate, and the measurements were obtained from photomicrographs. In the diseased pacu, the first gill arch was collected and fixed in a 10% buffered formalin solution for histopathological analysis. Parasite specimens from the different collection sites were identified morphologically as C. hexasticha Kiernik (1909). Diseased fish exhibited depigmentation, skin ulceration, scale loss, excessive mucus production and gill lesions. Histopathological analysis of pacu gills displayed epithelial proliferation with mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, hemorrhages, and scattering necrosis. In Brazilian-farmed fish this is the first record of C. hexasticha, which has great pathogenic potential in cultured freshwater species. In addition, two new hosts are presented.     

An evaluation of the ability of Dichelobacter nodosus to survive in soil

Background

Dichelobacter nodosus is the causative agent of footrot in sheep. The survival of the bacterium in soil is of importance for the epidemiology of the disease. The investigation evaluates the survival of D. nodosus in soil with and without added hoof powder stored under different temperatures.

Results

An experimental setup was used with bacteriological culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the results indicate that the bacteria can survive in soil for longer time than previously expected. The survival time was found to be dependent on temperature and the addition of hoof powder to the soil, with the longest survival time estimated to be 24 days in soil samples with hoof powder stored at 5°C.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that the survival time of D. nodosus and its ability to infect susceptible sheep on pasture under different climatic conditions should be studied further.     

Effect of gastrointestinal nematodes on serum copper and phosphorus of growing beef calves in northwestern Argentina

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of this work was to study the effect of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) on copper (Cu) and phosphorus (P) in blood of beef cattle in two ranches...