Ruminal responses, digestibility, and blood parameters of beef cattle fed diets without forage with different hybrids and processing of the corn.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of corn hybrid and processing methods on intake and digestibility of nutrients, rumen fermentation and blood metabolites of steers fed no-forage finishing diets. Four ruminally fistulated Nellore castrated steers (502 ± 15 kg initial body weight) were distributed in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement consisting of two corn hybrids (semi-dent and flint) and two processing methods (dry milled and high moisture grain). Interactions of hybrid and processing methods were observed on intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP), as well as on digestibility of DM and CP, rumen pH and ammonia nitrogen (N-NH3 ). There was no interaction between hybrid and processing for the volatile fatty acids (VFA) total, acetate (C2), propionate (C3), isobutyric (iC4) and valeric (nC5) concentrations. VFA total concentration shown an average of 103.4 mmol/L. The C2 and C3 concentrations had no effect of the hybrid or processing with averages of 58.7 mmol/L for C2, and 31.3 mmol/l for C3. There was an effect of the processing method on starch consumption and fecal pH, the highest values were observed in grains with high moisture content. Starch digestibility was 0.89 g/g in dry milled and 0.96 g/g in high moisture corn. The greatest digestibility of starch in high moisture corn, irrespective of the corn hybrid, provided evidence of an increase in the energy supply, which may improve the feed efficiency and growth performance of cattle fed no-roughage finishing diets.

Skin surface temperature of the mammary gland, measured by infrared thermography, in primiparous Girolando cows fed diets containing different lipid sources.

This research communication describes the influence of diet, mammary quarter position and milking process on the temperature of teats and udder of cows fed diets containing different lipid sources. Five primiparous cows were fed diets containing cottonseed, sunflower seed, soybeans or soybean oil as a source of lipids and a reference diet without the inclusion of lipid sources in a 5 × 5 Latin Square design. Milk yield was determined in the last five days of each period. Milk samples were collected for SCC analysis on the last two days of each experimental period. The images of the mammary gland were obtained using an infrared camera and were analyzed with appropriate computer software. Milk yield was 14.8% higher for cows fed soybeans as a source of lipids. Diets and somatic cell counts did not influence the temperature of teats and udder. The milking process reduced the temperature of teats and udder by 0.79°C. Rear teats and rear quarters had higher surface temperatures than front teats and fore quarters. Changes in temperature of teats and mammary quarters occurred as a function of the milking process and quarter position. However, the diet and the SCC did not influence the temperature of teats and mammary quarters in this experiment.

Atividade antibacteriana in vitro da própolis marrom / In vitro biological activity of brown propolis

Objetivou-se avaliar a atividade antibacteriana in vitro da própolis marrom, por meio da determinação da Concentração Inibitória Mínima (CIM). O extrato alcoólico de própolis foi obtido de 35 g de própolis bruta macerada em 65 mL de álcool de cereais. As concentrações do extrato de própolis usadas foram: 75mg/mL; 56,4mg/mL; 37,5mg/mL; 18,9mg/mL; 9,3mg/mL; 4,5mg/mL e 2,25mg/mL. Foram utilizados 32 isolados de bactérias Gram-positivas: Rhodococcus equi, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus hyicus, Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp., e 32 isolados de bactérias Gram-negativas: Enterobacter agglomerans, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas spp., Salmonella spp. e Serratia rubidaea, provenientes de processos clínicos infecciosos de animais domésticos, obtidas e armazenadas no Laboratório de Bacteriologia da FAMEZ/UFMS. O extrato de própolis marrom apresentou atividade antimicrobiana com CIM variando de 2,25 a 18,9mg/mL para as bactérias Gram-positivas e 4,5 a 18,9mg/mL para as bactérias Gram-negativas, sendo as bactérias provenientes de bovinos e caninos as mais resistentes. Conclui-se que a própolis marrom tem ação bactericida, em função da espécie da bactéria e da procedência animal.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of brown propolis, by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The alcoholic extract of propolis was obtained from 35g of crude propolis macerated in 65mL of cereals alcohol. Dilutions of propolis extracts used were: 75mg/mL; 56.4mg/mL; 37.5mg/mL; 18.9mg/mL; 9.3mg/mL; 4.5mg/mL, and 2.25mg/mL. Thirty-two Gram-positive bacteria isolates were used: Rhodococcus equi, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus hyicus, Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp.; and the thirty-two Gram-negative bacteria isolated were: Enterobacter agglomerans, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella sp., and Serratia rubidaea, obtained from infectious clinical processes of domestic animals, and stored in the Laboratory of Bacteriology of FAMEZ/UFMS. The brown propolis extract showed antibacterial activity with MIC ranging from 2.25 to 18.9mg/ml for Gram-positive bacteria and 4.5 to 18.9mg/ml for Gram-negative bacteria, and bacteria from cattle and dogs were more resistant. It was concluded that brown propolis has antibacterial action, but the effect depends on the species of the bacterium and its origin.