Desempenho de vacas Girolando mantidas em pastejo de Tifton 85 irrigado ou sequeiro / Performance of crossbred Holstein x Zebu cows rotationally grazing in Tifton 85 pasture irrigated or rainfed

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar a taxa de lotação e a produção de leite de vacas mestiças Holandês x Zebu em pastagens de Tifton 85 irrigadas e em sequeiro, em Uberaba-MG. Os dados foram analisados em um delineamento de blocos inteiramente ao acaso, com três repetições por tratamento, num esquema fatorial 2x10 (dois tratamentos e 10 épocas). Foi utilizado um lote de 11 vacas em lactação por tratamento para avaliação do desempenho animal. As médias foram comparadas por meio do teste de Scott-Knott ao nível de 5% de probabilidade (P<0,05). A pastagem foi manejada em sistema de pastejo rotacionado com três e cinco dias de ocupação e 21 e 35 dias de descanso no período das águas e da seca, respectivamente. A taxa de lotação média do sistema irrigado, no período avaliado, foi de 4,6 UA.ha-1, valor superior (P<0,05) à taxa média de 2,2 UA.ha-1 observada para o sistema de sequeiro. Não houve diferenças nas produções diárias de leite das vacas (P<0,05). A produção de leite média obtida no sistema irrigado foi de 51,7 litros. ha-1.dia-1. A irrigação possibilitou uma considerável intensificação do sistema, na medida em que proporcionou uma taxa de lotação bastante superior ao sistema de sequeiro.

The aim of this study was to determine the stocking rates and milk production of crossbred Holstein x Zebu cows managed under irrigated or rainfed Tifton 85 pastures in Uberaba- MG. The statistical design adopted was completely randomized blocks with three repetitions per treatment, in a 2 x 10 factorial arrangement (2 treatments and 10 seasons). The average was compared using the Scott-Knott test with 5% probability (P<0.05). To evaluate animal performance, 11 lactating cows per treatment were used. The pasture was managed in a rotational grazing system with 21 and 35 days of grazing interval and 3 and 5 days of grazing in each paddock, in the rainy and dry seasons respectively. The stocking rate of the irrigated system was 4.6 UA.ha-1 and was superior (p<0.05) to the stocking rate of the rainfed system that was 2.2 UA.ha-1. There were no differences among the systems (p>0.05) for the average daily milk yield of the cows. In the irrigated system the average milk yield was 51.7 liters.ha-1.dia-1. With irrigation, a considerable intensification of the system was possible because it provided a superior stocking rate capacity compared to the rainfed system.

Occupational therapy in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3: an open-label trial

Occupational therapy (OT) is a profession concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupation, by enabling handicapped people to participate in the activities of everyday life. OT is part of the clinical rehabilitation of progressive genetic neurodegenerative diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxias; however, its effects have never been determined in these diseases. Our aim was to investigate the effect of OT on both physical disabilities and depressive symptoms of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) patients. Genomically diagnosed SCA3 patients older than 18 years were invited to participate in the study. Disability, as evaluated by functional independence measurement and Barthel incapacitation score, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), was determined at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of treatment. Twenty-six patients agreed to participate in the study. All were treated because OT prevents blinding of a control group. Fifteen sessions of rehabilitative OT were applied over a period of 6 months. Difficult access to food, clothing, personal hygiene, and leisure were some of the main disabilities focused by these patients. After this treatment, disability scores and quality of life were stable, and the Hamilton scores for depression improved. Since no medication was started up to 6 months before or during OT, this improvement was related to our intervention. No association was found between these endpoints and a CAG tract of the MJD1 gene (CAGn), age, age of onset, or neurological scores at baseline (Spearman test). Although the possibly temporary stabilization of the downhill disabilities as an effect of OT remains to be established, its clear effect on depressive symptoms confirms the recommendation of OT to any patient with SCA3 or spinocerebellar ataxia.