Improving transport container design to reduce broiler chicken PSE (pale, soft, exudative) meat in Brazil.

Throughout the chicken production chain, transport from farm to the commercial abattoir is one of the most critical sources of stress, particularly heat stress. The aim of this work was to describe the performance of a new prototype truck container designed to improve the microenvironment and reduce the incidence of pale, soft and exudative (PSE) meat and dead on arrival (DOA) occurrences. Experiments were carried out for four different conditions: regular and prototype truck, both with and without wetting loaded cages at the farm (for bird thermal stress relief) just before transporting. While there was no difference in the DOA index (P ≥ 0.05), the prototype truck caused a reduction (P < 0.05) in the occurrence of PSE meat by 66.3% and 49.6% with and without wetting, respectively. The results of this experiment clearly revealed a low-cost solution for transporting chickens that yields better animal welfare conditions and improves meat quality.

[Cloning, expression, molecular characterization of the MSP5 protein from PR1 strain of Anaplasma marginale and its application in a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent test]. / Clonagem, expressão, caracterização molecular da proteína de superfície MSP5 da amostra PR1 de Anaplasma marginale e sua aplicação em um teste de ELISA por competição.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent test using the PR1 recombinant major surface protein 5 (rMSP5-PR1-ELISA) of Anaplasma marginale was standardized and validated using sera from anaplasmosis free and endemic regions. The sequencing of the msp5 gene of PR1 isolate showed 98% of identity with the Florida and Saint Maries isolates, 97% with Brazil (Pernambuco) and Havana isolates; and 91% with A. centrale. The cELISA-PR1 test was compared to IFI and cELISA-USA. For the standardization and validation of the cELISA-PR1, 380 bovine sera were used, whereas 245 truly positives and 135 truly negatives sera tested by the cELISA-USA. In the standardization of the cELISA-PR1 135 negative and 148 positive bovine sera were used. The cELISA-PR1 and IFI tests showed 100 and 99.3% specificity, 100 and 98%, sensibility, and a kappa coefficient of 0.993 and 0.978, respectively. For test validation, 245 bovine sera from an anaplasmosis endemic area were analyzed by the cELISA-PR1 and IFI, which showed 96.7 and 69.1% specificity, 98.9 e 96.3% sensibility and kappa coefficient of 0.956 and 0.699, respectively. These results indicate that the cELISA-PR1, likewise the cELISA-USA, could sensitively and specifically detect cattle naturally infected with A. marginale and would be recommended for epidemiological studies, eradications program, and regulation of international cattle movement, while IFI, which presented lower specificity should not be used in situations that demand more specific diagnosis.

Clonagem, expressão, caracterização molecular da proteína de superfície MSP5 da amostra PR1 de Anaplasma marginale e sua aplicação em um teste de ELISA por competição / Cloning, expression, molecular characterization of the MSP5 protein from PR1 strain of Anaplasma marginale and its application in a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent test

No presente trabalho, um teste imunoenzimático por competição (cELISA) foi padronizado com a proteína recombinante de superfície rMSP5, clonada a partir do gene msp5 do isolado PR1 de A. marginale. O sequenciamento mostrou que o gene que codifica a rMSP5/PR1 tem 98 por cento de identidade com os isolados Flórida e Santa Maria, 97 por cento com isolados de Pernambuco, Brasil e Havana, Cuba e 91 por cento com A. centrale. O teste de cELISA-PR1 foi comparado com os testes de IFI e cELISA-USA. Para a padronização e validação do cELISA-PR1, foram utilizados 380 soros bovinos comprovadamente positivos ou negativos pelo cELISA-USA. Desse total, 245 soros positivos eram de animais de área endêmica e 135 soros eram negativos, de área livre de anaplasmose. Na padronização, foram utilizados 283 soros de bovinos, dos quais 135 eram negativos e 148 positivos. Os testes de cELISA-PR1 e IFI apresentaram especificidade de 100 e 99,3 por cento, sensibilidade de 100 e 98 por cento, com coeficiente kappa de 0,993 e 0,978, respectivamente. Na validação do teste, foram utilizados 245 soros de bovinos de áreas endêmicas para anaplasmose, testados pelo cELISA-PR1 e IFI e apresentaram especificidade de 96,7 e 69,1 por cento, sensibilidade de 98,9 e 96,3 por cento e coeficiente kappa de 0,956 e 0,699, respectivamente. Esses resultados permitem afirmar que o teste de cELISA-PR1 apresentou performance equivalente ao cELISA-USA, podendo também ser utilizado em estudos epidemiológicos, programas de controle e movimentação internacional de animais, enquanto a IFI, com os resultados menos precisos apresentados, não deve ser utilizada em situações que requerem maior rigor no diagnóstico.

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent test using the PR1 recombinant major surface protein 5 (rMSP5-PR1-ELISA) of Anaplasma marginale was standardized and validated using sera from anaplasmosis free and endemic regions. The sequencing of the msp5 gene of PR1 isolate showed 98 percent of identity with the Florida and Saint Maries isolates, 97 percent with Brazil (Pernambuco) and Havana isolates; and 91 percent with A. centrale. The cELISA-PR1 test was compared to IFI and cELISA-USA. For the standardization and validation of the cELISA-PR1, 380 bovine sera were used, whereas 245 truly positives and 135 truly negatives sera tested by the cELISA-USA. In the standardization of the cELISA-PR1 135 negative and 148 positive bovine sera were used. The cELISA-PR1 and IFI tests showed 100 and 99.3 percent specificity, 100 and 98 percent, sensibility, and a kappa coefficient of 0.993 and 0.978, respectively. For test validation, 245 bovine sera from an anaplasmosis endemic area were analyzed by the cELISA-PR1 and IFI, which showed 96.7 and 69.1 percent specificity, 98.9 e 96.3 percent sensibility and kappa coefficient of 0.956 and 0.699, respectively. These results indicate that the cELISA-PR1, likewise the cELISA-USA, could sensitively and specifically detect cattle naturally infected with A. marginale and would be recommended for epidemiological studies, eradications program, and regulation of international cattle movement, while IFI, which presented lower specificity should not be used in situations that demand more specific diagnosis.