Macroscopic description of small and large intestine of the sloth Bradypus variegatus

Background: Sloths of the species Bradypus variegatus are mammals with peculiar habits, which feed mostly young leaves of ‘embaúba’ and occur broadly in Central and South America. This specie has the greatest occurrence in Brazilian Northeast, making it a biological model for several researches in the fields as anatomy, physiology, genetics, pathology, histology and ecology, which provide data to literature in order to benefit maintenance and preservation of these animals. This study aimed to describe unpublished data about small and large intestine anatomy of the sloth Bradypus variegatus, in order to collaborate for knowledge of its digestive processes.Materials, Methods & Results: In order to perform this present research, 10 corpses of specie Bradypus variegatus belonged to the acquis of Anatomy Division, Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology (DMFA); Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), with 5 males and 5 females, the study was authorized by Animal Use and Experimentation Ethic Committee license (CEUA-UFRPE), nº 034/2015. All 10 animals used had natural death, were obtained through a donation of CETAS Tangará (Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres - Wildlife Screening Center), and located in the city of Recife. Animals were dissected at abdominal and pelvic portion, from a median sagittal incision, followed by lateral folding of skin, muscle and withdrawal of pubis portion for exposition and description of intestines, with analysis of syntopy and measurement of these organs. A relation was observed among external holes of urinary, reproductive and digestive systems. A relation was still observed among intestines and stomach, liver, kidneys, bladder and abdominal cavity wall. Some animals had absence of sigmoid colon, ventral and dorsal descendent colon.[...]

Macroscopic description of small and large intestine of the sloth Bradypus variegatus

Background: Sloths of the species Bradypus variegatus are mammals with peculiar habits, which feed mostly young leaves of ‘embaúba and occur broadly in Central and South America. This specie has the greatest occurrence in Brazilian Northeast, making it a biological model for several researches in the fields as anatomy, physiology, genetics, pathology, histology and ecology, which provide data to literature in order to benefit maintenance and preservation of these animals. This study aimed to describe unpublished data about small and large intestine anatomy of the sloth Bradypus variegatus, in order to collaborate for knowledge of its digestive processes.Materials, Methods & Results: In order to perform this present research, 10 corpses of specie Bradypus variegatus belonged to the acquis of Anatomy Division, Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology (DMFA); Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), with 5 males and 5 females, the study was authorized by Animal Use and Experimentation Ethic Committee license (CEUA-UFRPE), nº 034/2015. All 10 animals used had natural death, were obtained through a donation of CETAS Tangará (Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres - Wildlife Screening Center), and located in the city of Recife. Animals were dissected at abdominal and pelvic portion, from a median sagittal incision, followed by lateral folding of skin, muscle and withdrawal of pubis portion for exposition and description of intestines, with analysis of syntopy and measurement of these organs. A relation was observed among external holes of urinary, reproductive and digestive systems. A relation was still observed among intestines and stomach, liver, kidneys, bladder and abdominal cavity wall. Some animals had absence of sigmoid colon, ventral and dorsal descendent colon.[...](AU)

Indicadores bioquímicos e corporais para avaliação do perfil metabólico e nutricional em ruminantes / Biochemical and body indicators for assessing metabolic profile and nutritional in ruminants

Indicadores bioquímicos são substâncias endógenas que apresentam praticidade na determinação por técnicas analíticas, os quais podem ser identificados em excreções ou no plasma sanguíneo e que podem denotar a ocorrência de fenômenos fisiológicos, metabólicos, nutricionais ou patológicos. A utilização de indicadores bioquímicos para avaliação do status energético, proteico e mineral em ruminantes tem sido uma ferramenta de grande valor para a avaliação nutricional e metabólica. Por perfil metabólico entende-se como um conjunto de predições laboratoriais que vem sendo utilizadas em ciência animal, tanto para avaliação clínica individual, quanto para avaliar o quadro nutricional e metabólico dos rebanhos. O objetivo desta revisão de literatura foi apresentar a importância dos indicadores bioquímico-sanguíneos (relacionados ao status proteico, energético e mineral), e corporais para uma correta avaliação do perfil metabólico e nutricional em ruminantes. Dentre os indicadores utilizados para a avaliação do status nutricional dos ruminantes, estão a uréia, albumina e as proteínas totais para avaliação protéica e a glicose, o beta-hidroxibutirato (BHB), e os ácidos graxos livres (AGL) para avaliação energética. A utilização de indicadores bioquímico-sanguíneos e corporais tem sido de grande relevância para a avaliação do perfil metabólico e nutricional em ruminantes. Este campo de pesquisa tem despertado o interesse de diversos profissionais atualmente, enfocando principalmente as maiores exigências nutricionais associadas com o melhor desempenho produtivo dos animais. Entretanto, ainda faltam estudos para adequação do perfil metabólico aos valores de referências associados às variações de raça, clima, estado fisiológico, sexo e espécie de ruminantes criadas com fins comerciais no Brasil.

Biochemical indicators are endogenous substances that are practical in determination by analytical techniques, which can be identified and quantified in excretions or in the blood or at body organ under study, with the purpose of measuring or estimating in a qualitative or quantitative way, the occurrence of physiological, metabolic, nutritional or pathological phenomena. The use of biochemical indicators to evaluate the energy, protein and mineral status in ruminants has been a valuable tool for nutritional and metabolic evaluation. Metabolic profile is understood as a set of laboratory predictions that has been used in animal science, both for individual clinical evaluation and to evaluate the nutritional and metabolic framework of the herds. The objective of this literature review was to present the importance of biochemical and blood indicators (related to protein, energy and mineral status) and body indicators for a correct evaluation of the metabolic and nutritional profile in ruminants. Among the indicators used to evaluate the nutritional status of ruminants are urea, albumin and total proteins for protein evaluation, and glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and free fatty acids (FFA) for energy assessment. The use of biochemical-blood and body indicators has been of great relevance for the evaluation of the metabolic and nutritional profile in ruminants. This field of research has aroused the interest of several professionals today, focusing mainly on the greater nutritional requirements associated with the better productive performance of the animals. However, there are still no studies to adapt the metabolic profile to the reference values associated with variations in breed, climate, physiological status, sex and species of ruminants managed for commercial purposes in Brazil.

Indicadores bioquímicos e corporais para avaliação do perfil metabólico e nutricional em ruminantes / Biochemical and body indicators for assessing metabolic profile and nutritional in ruminants

Indicadores bioquímicos são substâncias endógenas que apresentam praticidade na determinação por técnicas analíticas, os quais podem ser identificados em excreções ou no plasma sanguíneo e que podem denotar a ocorrência de fenômenos fisiológicos, metabólicos, nutricionais ou patológicos. A utilização de indicadores bioquímicos para avaliação do status energético, proteico e mineral em ruminantes tem sido uma ferramenta de grande valor para a avaliação nutricional e metabólica. Por perfil metabólico entende-se como um conjunto de predições laboratoriais que vem sendo utilizadas em ciência animal, tanto para avaliação clínica individual, quanto para avaliar o quadro nutricional e metabólico dos rebanhos. O objetivo desta revisão de literatura foi apresentar a importância dos indicadores bioquímico-sanguíneos (relacionados ao status proteico, energético e mineral), e corporais para uma correta avaliação do perfil metabólico e nutricional em ruminantes. Dentre os indicadores utilizados para a avaliação do status nutricional dos ruminantes, estão a uréia, albumina e as proteínas totais para avaliação protéica e a glicose, o beta-hidroxibutirato (BHB), e os ácidos graxos livres (AGL) para avaliação energética. A utilização de indicadores bioquímico-sanguíneos e corporais tem sido de grande relevância para a avaliação do perfil metabólico e nutricional em ruminantes. Este campo de pesquisa tem despertado o interesse de diversos profissionais atualmente, enfocando principalmente as maiores exigências nutricionais associadas com o melhor desempenho produtivo dos animais. Entretanto, ainda faltam estudos para adequação do perfil metabólico aos valores de referências associados às variações de raça, clima, estado fisiológico, sexo e espécie de ruminantes criadas com fins comerciais no Brasil.(AU)

Biochemical indicators are endogenous substances that are practical in determination by analytical techniques, which can be identified and quantified in excretions or in the blood or at body organ under study, with the purpose of measuring or estimating in a qualitative or quantitative way, the occurrence of physiological, metabolic, nutritional or pathological phenomena. The use of biochemical indicators to evaluate the energy, protein and mineral status in ruminants has been a valuable tool for nutritional and metabolic evaluation. Metabolic profile is understood as a set of laboratory predictions that has been used in animal science, both for individual clinical evaluation and to evaluate the nutritional and metabolic framework of the herds. The objective of this literature review was to present the importance of biochemical and blood indicators (related to protein, energy and mineral status) and body indicators for a correct evaluation of the metabolic and nutritional profile in ruminants. Among the indicators used to evaluate the nutritional status of ruminants are urea, albumin and total proteins for protein evaluation, and glucose, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and free fatty acids (FFA) for energy assessment. The use of biochemical-blood and body indicators has been of great relevance for the evaluation of the metabolic and nutritional profile in ruminants. This field of research has aroused the interest of several professionals today, focusing mainly on the greater nutritional requirements associated with the better productive performance of the animals. However, there are still no studies to adapt the metabolic profile to the reference values associated with variations in breed, climate, physiological status, sex and species of ruminants managed for commercial purposes in Brazil.(AU)