Effect of the replacement of Tifton 85 with maniçoba hay on the performance of Morada Nova hair sheep

The use of native and adapted forages is an alternative for sustainable production systems in northeast Brazil. The goal of this study was to evaluate the substitution of Tifton 85 by maniçoba hay on the performance and carcass traits of Morada Nova hair sheep. The 16 lambs that were used in this study initially weighed 19.36?±?1.48 kg, were housed in individual pens, and were slaughtered at 58 days of confinement. The dry matter intake (839.84 g/day and 3.81 % WB) was higher (P?<?0.05) in sheep fed maniçoba hay. The feed conversion was 7.39 for sheep fed maniçoba hay. The empty body weight (21.61 kg) and cold carcass weight (11.40 kg) did not differ (P?>?0.05) between sheep fed different hay types. The replacement of Tifton 85 by maniçoba hay did not influence the loin eye area (cm²) or carcass compactness index (kg/cm). The replacement of Tifton 85 by maniçoba hay in Morada Nova sheep diet did not affect the weight gain or carcass characteristics. The maniçoba hay can be considered a forage resource for feeding sheep in Brazilian semiarid tropics.     

Prevalence and risk factors associated with goat gastrointestinal helminthiasis in the Sertão region of Paraíba State,Brazil

Gastrointestinal helminthiasis represents an obstacle to goat raising, causing severe damage to herds such as growth retardation, weight loss, and even death. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated to goat gastrointestinal helminthiasis in the Sertão region of Paraíba State, Brazil. A total of 256 goats from 54 farms were systematically sampled. Blood and fecal samples were collected from each animal for egg per gram (EPG), larval culture, and packed cell volume (PCV) analyses. We found that 79.3 % of the goats investigated were parasitized with gastrointestinal helminths. Significant correlation (p?=?0.004) was observed between the EPG and PCV of the animals studied, and it was observed that the EPG increases as the PCV decreases. In the larval culture, the most prevalent helminth was Haemonchus sp. (83.2 %). Age and sex were significant variables (p?≤?0.20) for the development of gastrointestinal helminths: 86.8 % of animals over 36 months of age and 81.7 % of females were infected. The variable type of animal exploitation was also significant, with 90.3 % (p?≤?0.20) of the animals presenting double suitability (milk and meat). The Sertão region of Paraíba State presents high prevalence of gastrointestinal helminthiasis in goats, and age and type of animal exploitation are the most relevant risk factors to the development of these parasites.     

Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in enteric Escherichia coli from domestic pets and assessment of associated risk markers using a generalized linear mixed model

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global public health problem, which is caused by the use of antimicrobials in both human and animal medical practice. The objectives of the present cross-sectional study were as follows: (1) to determine the prevalence of resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from the feces of pets from the Porto region of Portugal against 19 antimicrobial agents and (2) to assess the individual, clinical and environmental characteristics associated with each pet as risk markers for the AMR of the E. coli isolates.     

Subependymal Reaction Secondary to Choroid Plexus Papilloma in a Horse

Choroid plexus papilloma (CPP) is a rare, benign, intracranial neoplasm. The present report described a choroid plexus papilloma of the fourth ventricle with unusual proliferative reaction of ependymal/subependymal cells in a stallion. A single, soft neoformation, red-gray in color, with an irregular surface, resembling a cauliflower, expanding from the fourth ventricle to the cerebellar peduncles was observed. Microscopically, the neoformation was composed of a single layer of simple cuboidal to columnar epithelium with a well-vascularized papillary-arboriform pattern. Multifocal subependymal aggregates forming rosettes were observed near the mesencephalic aqueduct (MA). Glial-fibrillary-acidic-protein (GFAP) was markedly positive only in the neuropil adjacent to the proliferative areas of the MA. Ependymal/subependymal reactions secondary to CPP have never been described in equine or human neuropathology. The capabilities of ependymal cells to regenerate and eventually proliferate are controversial and unclear and, thus, require additional investigation to understand the adaptive mechanisms of this rare pathogenic condition.     

Effect of Leptin on In Vivo Goat Embryo Production

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of leptin administration during superovulation on in vivo goat embryo production. Ten mature does were superovulated with 133 mg follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) i.m. in six descending doses at 12‐h intervals. The goats received 4.8 μg/kg human recombinant leptin s.c. (leptin group, n = 5) or phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) (control group, n = 5) with the first and second FSH doses. The does were mated and subjected to embryo collection by transcervical technique 6 days later. The total number of cells per embryo and the number of cells with fragmented DNA were assessed in selected blastocysts by combining Hoechst 33342 and terminal dUTP nick‐end labelling (TUNEL) staining. Plasma concentrations of oestradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P₄) were determined by electrochemiluminescence from the day of FSH treatment, on the day of superovulatory oestrus and on the day before embryo collection. Compared with the control group, the does that received leptin had a higher number of transferable embryos (p < 0.005), fewer embryos classified as degenerated (p < 0.001) and fewer TUNEL‐positive cells/blastocyst (p < 0.001). The number of transferable embryos was positively correlated with E₂ concentrations on day of oestrus (r = 0.562; p < 0.01) and P₄ concentrations on the day of embryo collection (r = 0.912; p < 0.001). We concluded that in vivo leptin administration during FSH treatment improved embryo quality and affected ovarian steroidogenesis in superovulated goats.     

Some Aspects of the Growth of Gracilaria birdiae (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) in an Estuary in Northeast Brazil

The agarophyte Gracilaria birdiae Plastino & Oliveira was cultivated under field conditions in an estuary over a 6-month period. Biomass production varied significantly (p<0.01) and ranged from 900.0 to 3537.0 g m⁻² with a mean of 2124.4±1004.36 g m⁻² over the cultivation period. The epiphyte-biomass varied from 64.7 to 313 g m⁻², with maximum values observed in July. Relative growth rate (RGR) of G. birdiae varying from −0.59 to 4.67% day⁻¹, with a maximum mean observed in July. Correlation analysis showed that RGR was positively correlated with epiphyte-biomass (R-Pearson=0.69; p< 0.01) and negatively correlated with salinity (R-Pearson=−0.41; p<0.05). These correlations were used in a mathematical regression model to estimate the growth of Gracilaria in an estuary. The regression model explained 61% of RGR variability demonstrating that growth rates of Gracilaria were directly related to the variables salinity and epiphytes. The model was developed to help to predict production at a cultivation site in order to evaluate its suitability for Gracilaria cultivation.     

The relative influence of catchment and site variables on fish and macroinvertebrate richness in cerrado biome streams

Landscape and site-scale data analyses aid the interpretation of biological data and thereby help us develop more cost-effective natural resource management strategies. Our study focused on environmental influences on stream assemblages and we evaluated how three classes of environmental variables (geophysical landscape, land use and cover, and site habitat), influence fish and macroinvertebrate assemblage richness in the Brazilian Cerrado biome. We analyzed our data through use of multiple linear regression (MLR) models using the three classes of predictor variables alone and in combination. The four MLR models explained dissimilar amounts of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa richness (geophysical landscape R ² ≈ 35 %, land use and cover R ² ≈ 28 %, site habitat R ² ≈ 36 %, and combined R ² ≈ 51 %). For fish assemblages, geophysical landscape, land use and cover, site habitat, and combined models explained R ² ≈ 28 %, R ² ≈ 10 %, R ² ≈ 31 %, and R ² ≈ 47 % of the variability in fish species richness, respectively. We conclude that (1) environmental variables differed in the degree to which they explain assemblage richness, (2) the amounts of variance in assemblage richness explained by geophysical landscape and site habitat were similar, (3) the variables explained more variability in macroinvertebrate taxa richness than in fish species richness, and (4) all three classes of environmental variables studied were useful for explaining assemblage richness in Cerrado headwater streams. These results help us to understand the drivers of assemblage patterns at regional scales in tropical areas.     

Hyoscine‐N‐butylbromide premedication on cardiovascular variables of horses sedated with medetomidine

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of intravenous (IV) or intramuscular (IM) hyoscine premedication on physiologic variables following IV administration of medetomidine in horses.Study designRandomized, crossover experimental study.AnimalsEight healthy crossbred horses weighing 330 ± 39 kg and aged 7 ± 4 years.MethodsBaseline measurements of heart rate (HR), cardiac index (CI), respiratory rate, systemic vascular resistance (SVR), percentage of patients with second degree atrioventricular (2^oAV) block, mean arterial pressure (MAP), pH, and arterial partial pressures of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) and oxygen (PaO₂) were obtained 5 minutes before administration of IV hyoscine (0.14 mg kg^?1; group HIV), IM hyoscine (0.3 mg kg^?1; group HIM), or an equal volume of physiologic saline IV (group C). Five minutes later, medetomidine (7.5 μg kg^?1) was administered IV and measurements were recorded at various time points for 130 minutes.ResultsMedetomidine induced bradycardia, 2^oAV blocks and increased SVR immediately after administration, without significant changes in CI or MAP in C. Hyoscine administration induced tachycardia and hypertension, and decreased the percentage of 2^oAV blocks induced by medetomidine. Peak HR and MAP were higher in HIV than HIM at 88 ± 18 beats minute^?1 and 241 ± 37 mmHg versus 65 ± 16 beats minute^?1 and 192 ± 38 mmHg, respectively. CI was increased significantly in HIV (p ≤ 0.05). Respiratory rate decreased significantly in all groups during the recording period. pH, PaCO₂ and PaO₂ were not significantly changed by administration of medetomidine with or without hyoscine.Conclusion and clinical relevanceHyoscine administered IV or IM before medetomidine in horses resulted in tachycardia and hypertension under the conditions of this study. The significance of these changes, and responses to other dose rates, requires further investigation.     

Morphological and biochemical changes in the muscle of the marine shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei during the molt cycle

Morphological changes and biochemical composition of abdominal muscles over the molt cycle were investigated in juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei. Eight molt stages were characterized and clear uropod images are presented. Molt frequency was highly correlated with the age of the shrimp. Juvenile shrimps appeared to molt faster at one month of age (4.6 ± 0.5 days/cycle), slow to 11.8 ± 1.7 days/cycle at three months of age, and reach a long molt cycle at six months (17.2 ± 2.7 days/cycle). Myofiber cross-sectional images revealed specific morphological changes in abdominal muscle associated with each molt stage. Expanded fiber size was observed during intermolt stages. Water content and total soluble proteins were balanced throughout the molt cycle. Total DNA concentration increased in intermolt and premolt, while total RNA concentration remained stable except in late-premolt stages. SDS-PAGE analysis showed high levels of actin and myosin in postmolt, reaching a plateau in intermolt and declining in premolt. These results suggest the occurrence of muscle fiber rearrangement in both the premolt and postmolt stages. Abdominal muscle buildup occurs mostly during the intermolt stage.