Postovulatory Effect of Intravenous Administration of Lipopolysaccharide (Escherichia coli, O55:B5) on the Endocrine Status of Recently Ovulated Sows

The effects of lipopolysaccharide ( Escherichia coli , O55:B5), administered 18 h after ovulation in the second oestrus after weaning on the hormonal profiles in 14 Swedish cross-bred (Landrace × Yorkshire) multiparous sows were studied. The endotoxin group (E-group) sows were administered with 300 ng/kg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) whereas the control group (C-group) sows were administered 5 ml of saline intravenously via an indwelling jugular cannula. Blood samples for hormonal analyses were collected from all sows until slaughter. In the E-group, progesterone, cortisol and prostaglandin F_2α metabolite levels increased significantly (p < 0.05) following LPS compared with the C-group. It can be concluded from this study that apart from elevating cortisol and prostaglandin F_2α metabolite, LPS also elevates progesterone levels.     

Regulation of Capacitation of Canine Spermatozoa during Co-culture with Heterologous Oviductal Epithelial Cells

Progress of essential steps of the capacitation is coordinated in the oviductal isthmus, where sperm are stored in close contact with the epithelium. A crucial capacitational event is the phosphorylation of sperm membrane proteins. Regulation of the tyrosine phosphorylation by the oviduct has not been examined in dog sperm yet. The aim of this work was to study the effect of dog sperm binding to porcine oviductal epithelium on capacitation‐induced cellular and molecular changes. Epithelial cells were stripped from the oviducts of post‐puberal sows and cultured for 5–7 days at 39°C and 5% CO₂ on Biomatrix‐covered Chamber slides. Sperm washed through Percoll was co‐incubated with the oviductal epithelium cell cultures in a bicarbonate Tyrode's medium. During co‐incubation, sperm membrane changes, the state of tyrosine phosphorylation and motility were determined after 3, 30, 90, 180, 240 and 360 min. Significant increases in the percentage of capacitated and dead cells were observed in unbound sperm, while bound sperm remained uncapacitated, live and motile. An increasing tyrosine phosphorylation of tail proteins in bound, unbound and control sperm suspensions and a subsequent phosphorylation of head proteins in unbound and control sperm suspensions were observed. A significant difference regarding head phosphorylation (p < 0.05) was found between sperm bound to oviductal epithelium and unbound sperm. Binding occurred mainly in sperm with non‐ phosphorylated heads, while higher proportions of phosphorylated cells were found in unbound populations. The head phosphorylation progressed significantly during incubation in unbound spermatozoa (p < 0.05); however, it was suppressed in population of sperm attached to oviductal epithelium. Significant correlations between motility parameters related to hyperactivation and tail phosphorylation were found in unbound sperm. These observations support the hypothesis that spermatozoa with non‐phosphorylated heads preferentially attach to epithelial cells. It can be concluded that tyrosine phosphorylation of head membrane proteins and capacitation are delayed in canine spermatozoa being in closed contact with oviductal epithelium.     

In situ provision of drinking water to grazing dairy cows improves milk production

AIMS: To determine the effect of providing water within the area grazed by dairy cows on milk yield and quality, compared to requiring cows to walk to a distant water trough, on a dairy farm in the Pampa region of Argentina during summer.

METHODS: Holstein dairy cows were allocated to two herds with similar parity, days in milk and milk production. They were grazed in one paddock that was divided in two, with a fixed water trough at one end. Cows were moved twice daily to grazing plots within the paddock. Control cows (n=66) could only access water from the fixed trough, whereas supplemented cows (n=67) also received water from a mobile trough within the grazing plot. Milk production of each cow, and water consumption of the two herds were measured daily over 62 days. Milk composition for each herd was determined weekly from Days 18 to 60 of the study, and grazing behaviour was observed between 08:00 and 16:00 hours on Days 11–15, 19–22 and 39–43.

RESULTS: Over the 62 days of the study, supplemented cows produced 1.39 (SE 0.11) L/cow/day more milk than Control cows (p=0.027). Estimated mean daily water intake was 50.4 (SE 2.1) L/cow/day for supplemented cows and 58.2 (SE 2.7) L/cow/day for Control cows (p=0.004). Percentage total solids in milk was higher for supplemented (12.5 (SE 0.06)%) than Control (12.4 (SE 0.04)%) cows (p=0.047). During the periods of behavioural observation, a higher percentage of cows in the water supplemented than the Control herd were observed in the grazing area (p=0.012).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This preliminary study demonstrated that provision of water to dairy cows within the grazing plot was beneficial for milk production and composition, and may be associated with longer periods spent within the grazing area, during hot weather in the Pampa region of Argentina.     

Caprine toxoplasmosis in Southern Brazil: a comparative seroepidemiological study between the indirect immunofluorescence assay,the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and the modified agglutination test

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study investigated the prevalence of caprine toxoplasmosis in goat herds from Southern Brazil by the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and...     

Use of two doses of cloprostenol in different intervals for estrus synchronization in hair sheep under tropical conditions

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study evaluated the effect of two doses of prostaglandin at different intervals on reproductive parameters of crossbred ewes. In Experiment 1, 30 ewes...     

Feeding behavior of feedlot lambs fed diets containing levels of cassava wastewater

In this study, we evaluated the effects of including cassava wastewater in the diet on the feeding behavior of feedlot lambs in 35 male uncastrated Santa Inês × Dorper crossbred lambs at an approximate age of 3 months, with an average live weight of 20.0?±?3.4 kg. Diets were formulated with hay of cassava shoots (roughage) and a concentrate based on corn and soybean, with a roughage:concentrate ratio of 50:50, plus inclusion of cassava wastewater at the levels of 0, 12, 24, 36, or 48 g/kg of the total diet. Feeding behavior was evaluated between the 46th and 52nd days of the experiment. Increasing cassava wastewater levels in the diet reduced (P?<?0.05) the intakes (kg/day) of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber as well as the efficiency of rumination (g/cud and g/h) of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber. The other behavioral parameters were not affected by wastewater inclusion in the diet. Therefore, the inclusion of up to 48 g/kg of cassava wastewater on fresh matter of diets is not recommended for feedlot lambs.     

Food resources and cyprinid diet in permanent and temporary Mediterranean rivers with natural and regulated flow

This study addresses the differences in food availability, diet and feeding activity of the Iberian barbel, between permanent and temporary nonregulated rivers, and the effect of flow regulation on feeding parameters. A total of 267 adult barbels were seasonally collected in four nonregulated and regulated rivers from permanent and temporary basins, and their gut content was analysed. Locally available food sources were evaluated across sites and seasons. Barbels from the permanent nonregulated river exhibit a more variable and diversified diet in which invertebrates assumed a large importance, especially during high flows. Barbels from the temporary nonregulated river presented a more uniform diet composed of plant material and detritus, particularly in drought seasons. Flow regulation affected different flow components in both systems, but the effects on food resources and barbels' diet were similar, resulting in an intra‐annual stabilisation of resource availability and fish diet, with a higher consumption of plants and detritus. Changes in fish diet and feeding activity in both nonregulated and regulated rivers were strongly associated with the seasonal variability of streamflow components, particularly between low‐ and high‐flow periods, and with the reduction in flow variability in the case of dam regulation. Results from this study can be used to improve guidelines for flow requirement implementation.     

Evaluation of the Effects of Different Stunning Methods on the Stress Responses and Meat Quality of the Amazon hybrid surubim,Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum female × Leiarius marmoratus male

Different stunning methods (carbon dioxide [CO₂] and hypothermia) used in industrial fish processing were compared with asphyxia in air, which is used in traditional fishing, to evaluate the effects of these methods on the stress responses and the meat quality of the Amazon hybrid surubim, Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum female × Leiarius marmoratus male. After the application, blood and behavioral indicators were evaluated. Following death by gill cutting, the fish were gutted, and analyses of muscle pH, rigor mortis, the exudation of the meat, and coloration were performed. Significantly higher levels of cortisol and glucose were exhibited by the fish subjected to asphyxia than by the fish stunned by either CO₂ or hypothermia. The fish subjected to asphyxia displayed decreasing muscle pH during the first 2 h after death and showed higher rates of rigor mortis after 3 h than the fish that were stunned by the other two methods. The asphyxia is a practice that exposes fish to suffering by causing an increase in stress responses, which affects meat quality. The immersion of fish in water and ice (hypothermia) for 5 min was more effective stunning method than the use of CO₂, resulting in higher loss of sensibility and greater welfare.     

Sperm subpopulations influence the pregnancy rates in cattle

This study aimed to study the characteristics and subpopulations of spermatozoa from bulls with low and high reproductive performance based on pregnancy rates. Based on historical records of pregnancy rate from four farms, 24 bulls were selected. Two groups were established, with low pregnancy rates (n = 12; LOW), including bulls that presented pregnancy rates <52.27% (33.33% to 51.81%); and a group with high pregnancy rates (n = 12; HIGH), with pregnancy rates >52.27% (52.27% to 69.64%), after fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI). The thawed sperm straws were analysed to sperm kinetics, morphology, plasma membrane integrity and sperm subpopulations. The LOW group exhibited a higher proportion of static cells (p < .05). In contrast, the HIGH group showed greater percentages for membrane integrity and total and progressive motility, and cells with fast and medium velocity (p < .05). In the cluster procedures, four sperm subpopulations were established. The low-fertility bulls presented the highest percentage of subpopulation 2 (41.46%), characterized by slow and progressive spermatozoa. The high-fertility bulls exhibited the highest percentage of subpopulation 3 (37.17%), characterized by fast and nonlinear spermatozoa. Results from this study indicated that bulls with greater percentages of fast and nonlinear spermatozoa seem to have greater fertilization capacity and the subpopulations analysis can be considered a tool to identify ejaculates with high fertility.