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.     

MALDI‐MS Lipid Profiles of Oocytes Recovered by Ovum Pickup from Bos indicus and 1/2 indicus × taurus with High vs Low Oocyte Yields

The aim of the present study was to compare the lipid profile in oocytes of indicus and 1/2 indicus × taurus cows with high and low antral follicle count (AFC)/oocyte yields. After an OPU procedure (D0), antral follicles ≥3 mm were counted by ultrasonography (D4, 19, 34, 49, 64), and cows were assigned to groups with either high AFC (≥30 follicles; indicus, NH group; 1/2 indicus × taurus, AH group) or low AFC (≤15 antral follicles; indicus, NL group; 1/2 indicus × taurus, AL group). The lipid profiles of the oocytes were determined by MALDI‐MS. For GI, GII and GIII oocytes, the indicus samples tend to cluster separately from the 1/2 indicus × taurus samples. The lipid species [PC (P‐38:5) + H]⁺ and/or [PC (P‐36:2) + Na]⁺, [PC (38:2) + H]⁺, [PC (38:5) + Na]⁺ and [TAG (60:8) + NH⁴]⁺ were more abundant in indicus (NH and NL groups) than 1/2 indicus × taurus. The higher lipid content in the indicus oocytes likely reflects differences in the rate of lipid metabolism and may contribute to oocyte competence and embryo development.     

Comparative digestibility of low‐quality grass hay by two breeds of cattle differing in mature live weight

The digestive capacity of the Portuguese native breed of Barrosão cattle and the Holstein–Friesian breed was measured when fed meadow hay (72–74 g CP and 641–671 g NDF/kg dry matter), offered either alone or supplemented with soya bean meal (150 g/kg dry matter), at maintenance level. Four mature cows of each breed were used. Average initial live weight (LW) was 457 and 635 kg for the Barrosão and the Holstein–Friesian cows respectively. The organic matter digestibility (OMD) of the meadow hay was higher in Holstein–Friesian than in Barrosão cows (p < 0.08) whether supplemented or not. The neutral detergent fibre digestibility of the hay was also higher in Holstein–Frisian when the hay was fed alone (p < 0.08). The soya bean meal supplementation increased the OMD and the NDFD digestibility of the total diet (p < 0.05), but not the OMD digestibility of the hay (p > 0.05). The results obtained in this study suggest a higher ability to digest fibre in the large dairy breed than in the small native breed. This suggestion is also supported by previous findings with sheep breeds largely differing in mature live weight.     

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.     

Degradation of the crocodile population in the Olifants River Gorge of Kruger National Park,South Africa

• 1. Top predators such as crocodiles often reflect ecosystem degradation. The recent spate of close to 200 Nile crocodile deaths may reflect the ecosystem state of the Olifants–Letaba River system in the Kruger National Park. This paper investigates whether the crocodile deaths were indeed the consequence of a rare and perhaps acute event given the variability in annual population growth rates of crocodilians.
• 2. Spotlight‐ and helicopter‐based surveys designed to correct for availability and detectability bias were used to estimate population sizes of crocodiles from 2008 to 2010 in and around the Olifants River Gorge, the focal area of crocodile deaths.
• 3. Correction factors derived from individually observed crocodiles for both spotlight‐ and helicopter‐based counts were lower than those typically used for Nile crocodiles as well as other crocodile species. Even so, corrected spotlight‐ and helicopter‐based estimates were comparable and the number of crocodiles in the focal study area declined significantly from 780 (95% CI: 637–1222) to between 460 (spotlight estimate, 95% CI 375–665) and 505 (aerial estimate, 95% CI: 559–1746) during the period of crocodile deaths. The average annual decline of 35% was at the lower end of the distribution of annual population growth rates across the rivers of Kruger National Park.
• 4. The crocodile deaths reflect a possible rare event that suggests a degraded crocodile population, possibly the consequences of broad‐scale cascades of environmental deterioration of the Olifants–Letaba River system.
• 5. Even so, the potential risk of local demise of the population in the focal study area in the short term may be diminished through evolutionary, demographic and spatial resilience inherent within crocodiles that can accommodate the as yet unknown disease dynamics of pansteatitis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

Biodiversity,ecology, fisheries,and use and trade of Tetraodontiformes fishes reveal their socio‐ecological significance along the tropical Brazilian continental shelf

1. Tetraodontiformes fishes play a critical role in benthic and demersal communities and are facing threats due to anthropogenic impacts and climate change. However, they are poorly studied worldwide. To improve knowledge on the socio‐ecological significance and conservation of Tetraodontiformes a review of literature addressing the diversity, ecology, use and trade, conservation, and main threats of Tetraodontiformes combined with a comprehensive in situ dataset from two broad‐range multidisciplinary oceanographic surveys performed along the Tropical Brazilian Continental Shelf was undertaken.
2. Twenty‐nine species were identified, being primarily found on coral reefs and algal ecosystems. At these habitats, tetraodontids present highly diversified trophic categories and might play an important role by balancing the marine food web
3. Coral reef ecosystems, especially those near to the shelf break, seem to be the most important areas of Tetraodontiformes fishes, concentrating the highest values of species richness, relative abundance and the uncommon and Near Threatened species.
4. Ninety per cent of species are commonly caught as bycatch, being also used in the ornamental trade (69%) and as food (52%), serving as an important source of income for artisanal local fisheries.
5. Tetraodontiformes are threatened by unregulated fisheries, overexploitation, bycatch, and habitat loss due to coral reef degradation and the potential effects of climate change. These factors are more broadly impacting global biodiversity, food security, and other related ecosystem functions upon which humans and many other organisms rely.
6. We recommend the following steps that could improve the conservation of Tetraodontiformes along the tropical Brazilian Continental shelf and elsewhere: (i) data collection of the commercial, incidental, ornamental and recreational catches; (ii) improvement of the current legislation directed at the marine ornamental harvesting; (iii) increase efforts focused on the education and conservation awareness in coastal tourism and communities; and, most important, (iv) creation of marine reserves networks in priority areas of conservation, protecting either the species and key habitats for its survival.

     

Microbiological Quality Assessment of Watershed Associated with Animal-Based Agriculture in Santa Catarina, Brazil

Environmental problems many times could evolve when manure-containing pathogens are distributed into an open environment with no effort made to reduce the content of pathogens or limit their movement in the environment. Wind, surface flow, and subsurface flow can all carry enough pathogens to receiving waters to exceed water quality standards. This study was conducted to assess the microbiological quality of water associated with animal-based agriculture in the sub-basin of Pinhal River located in the rural area of Concordia, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Six sampling points representing different agricultural land uses (LU1—dairy cattle; LU2—without animals; LU3—dairy + pigs + poultry + crops; LU4—pigs + poultry + crops; LU5—dairy + pigs + poultry + crops + human; and LU6—dairy+pigs+crops) along the Pinhal River sub-basin (north to south) were sampled biweekly from August 2006 to December 2008. Concentrations of fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli varied significantly (p?≤?0.05) with land use (LU), but there was no interaction effect of LU, season, and time. Water samples from the catchment area of LU1 had the highest concentration of fecal coliforms (4,479?±?597 CFU ml^?1) when compared with other catchment areas. Catchment area associated with LU2 (no animal) had the lowest concentrations of fecal coliforms (39.2?±?5.2 CFU ml^?1). With the exception of LU2 (control site), all the maximum concentrations of E. coli exceeded the single maximum allowable concentration for E. coli (100 CFU ml^?1). When LU1 was compared with other catchment areas (LU3, 50%; LU4, 67%; LU5, 58%; and LU6, 44%), it had the lowest counts (39%) of Salmonella sp. Our results suggest that spatial pattern of bacterial water quality is evident, which can be linked to the different land uses and associated practices (present or absent of animal activities). Therefore, varying responses associated with the different land uses would be critical in identifying the importance of different sources of bacteria in the catchment area and the mechanisms transferring them.     

Resistance to common bacterial blight in Phaseolus vulgaris L. recombinant inbred lines under natural infection of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli

Among the main causes of poor yield in common beans are fungal, viral and bacterial diseases. Common bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Xap), is one of the major bacterial diseases leading to significant losses in Brazil. Chemical control is ineffective, therefore, the use of resistant varieties becomes an interesting alternative. The objective of the present work was to evaluate disease resistance under natural infection of the pathogen in 109 recombinant inbred lines (F₇) of P. vulgaris originated from the cross HAB-52 (susceptible — snapbean) × BAC-6 (resistant — common bean) in two different environments, as well as to calculate genetic parameters to assist in the selection of promising materials to be used in the CBB resistance breeding program. The data of the genetic parameters were compared to those calculated for the F₃ generation originated from the same cross. The heritability results for DI (disease index) and VI (variation index) in F₃ were 26.85% and 0.26, respectively, whereas in F₇ they were 91.77% and 1.36, respectively. These results demonstrate a potential to be explored for this advanced population, that in the future, along with other pathogen variability studies and tests in other environments, may provide more information regarding a more precise evaluation of promising genotypes to be used in common bean breeding programs aiming to obtain CBB resistant varieties. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.