Flaxseed added to the diet of Alpine goats affects the nutrients intake and blood parameters.

The flaxseed is a nutraceutical food used as a source of α-linolenic acid, which can bring benefits to the health of mammals. This study was carried out to examine the effect of flaxseed inclusion in the diets on the intake of nutrients, body weight, and blood parameters of Alpine goats. Twenty-one adult females with an initial average weight of 41.06 ± 1.84 kg were used in a completely randomized design, with four experimental treatments (0, 5, 10, and 15% of flaxseed in the total diet) and five replications per treatment. The intake of the dry matter presented a decreasing linear effect (P < 0.001), with a reduction of 53.5% between the control diet (0% of flaxseed) and 15% of flaxseed, but no effect was observed on weight gain (P > 0.05). Inclusion of flaxseed from 0 to 15% linearly decreased the intakes of organic matter, crude protein, non-fibrous carbohydrates, and neutral detergent fiber, but increased the ether extract intake (P < 0.001). Regarding plasma concentration traits, increasing the flaxseed levels from 0 to 15% had linear positive effect on LDL, VLDL, and triglycerides (P < 0.05), but no effect on cholesterol, HDL, glucose, creatinine, and urea (P > 0.05). The inclusion of flaxseed in the diet for 80 days changes the nutrients intake and blood parameters but shows no impact on body weight. However, further studies are required to determine the impact of flaxseed on the goat's health in the long term since there has been an increase in the concentration of triglycerides, LDL, and VLDL.

Use of hormonal subdoses applied in Bai Hui acupuncture in estrus synchronization protocols for goats / Uso de subdoses hormonais aplicadas no acuponto Bai Hui em protocolos de sincronização de estro para cabras

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of delivering reduced doses of hormones via the Bai Hui acupoint in estrus synchronization in goats. A total of 40 goats received intravaginal sponges with medroxyprogesterone acetate for 7 days. The goats were then randomly distributed into 5 treatment: T1 - application of 132.5 μg of cloprostenol and 300 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), both by intramuscular injection (IM); T2 - application of 39.75 μg cloprostenol at the Bai Hui acupoint, and 300 IU of eCG by IM; T3 - application of 132.5 μg of cloprostenol by IM, and 90 IU of eCG at the Bai Hui acupoint; T4 - application of 39.75μg of cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, both in Bai Hui and T5 acupuncture: application of 39.75μg of cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, both applied in false acupoint. The goats were subjected to an estrus synchronization protocol and monitored for estrus detection, coverage and evaluation of reproductive parameters to detect entry into estrus. The data were subjected to normality tests, followed by appropriate statistical analyses of each variable. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the percentage of animals in estrus (95.00 ± 11.18%), interval between sponge removal and beginning of estrus (49.72 ± 8.93 h), interval between sponge removal and end of estrus (76.84 ± 11.98 h), duration of estrus (27.08 ± 8.68 h), size of the largest follicle (6.82 ± 0.44 mm), interval between sponge removal and ovulation (78.28 ± 10.82 h), time from ovarian onset to estrus (28.52 ± 5.44 h), follicular growth rate (0.86 ± 0.29 mm/day), number of ovulations (1.32 ± 0.23), plasma progesterone concentration at 7 days after ovulation (10.28 ± 1.65 ng.mL-1), and gestation rate at 30 days after the beginning of estrus (75 ± 12.5%). However, the cost of the synchronization protocol per animal was 43.42% lower in treatments 4 and 5 (30% of the doses) than in treatment 1 (100% of the dose)...

O objetivo com o estudo foi avaliar a utilização de subdoses hormonais aplicadas no acuponto Bai Hui em protocolos de sincronização de estro em cabras. Foram utilizadas 40 cabras, as quais receberam esponjas intravaginais com acetato de medroxiprogesterona durante 7 dias, quando foram distribuídas aleatoriamente em 5 tratamentos: T1: aplicação de 132,5μg de cloprostenol e 300UI de eCG, ambos por via intramuscular (IM); T2: aplicação de 39,75μg de cloprostenol no acuponto Bai Hui e 300UI de eCG IM; T3: aplicação de 132,5μg de cloprostenol IM e 90UI de eCG no acuponto Bai Hui; T4: aplicação de 39,75μg de cloprostenol e 90UI de eCG, ambos no acuponto Bai Hui e T5: aplicação de 39,75μg de cloprostenol e 90UI de eCG, ambos aplicados em falso acuponto. As cabras foram submetidas à protocolo de sincronização de estro e monitoradas para detecção de estro, realização das coberturas e avaliação dos parâmetros reprodutivos. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de normalidade, seguido dos testes estatísticos adequados para cada variável. Não obteve-se diferença (p > 0,05) para porcentagem de animais em estro (95,00 ± 11,18%), intervalo da retirada da esponja ao início do estro (49,72 ± 8,93h), intervalo da retirada da esponja ao final do estro (76,84 ± 11,98h), duração do estro (27,08 ± 8,68h), tamanho do maior folículo (6,82 ± 0,44mm), intervalo da retirada da esponja à ovulação (78,28 ± 10,82h), intervalo do início do estro à ovulação (28,52 ± 5,44h), taxa de crescimento folicular (0,86 ± 0,29mm/dia), número de ovulações (1,32 ± 0,23), concentração de progesterona plasmática aos 7 dias após ovulação (10,28 ± 1,65ng.mL-1) e para taxa de gestação aos 30 dias (75 ± 12,5%). Porém, o custo do protocolo de sincronização por animal foi 43,42% menor para os tratamentos T4 e T5 (30% da dose) comparado com o T1 (100% da dose)...

Use of hormonal subdoses applied in Bai Hui acupuncture in estrus synchronization protocols for goats / Uso de subdoses hormonais aplicadas no acuponto Bai Hui em protocolos de sincronização de estro para cabras

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of delivering reduced doses of hormones via the Bai Hui acupoint in estrus synchronization in goats. A total of 40 goats received intravaginal sponges with medroxyprogesterone acetate for 7 days. The goats were then randomly distributed into 5 treatment: T1 - application of 132.5 μg of cloprostenol and 300 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), both by intramuscular injection (IM); T2 - application of 39.75 μg cloprostenol at the Bai Hui acupoint, and 300 IU of eCG by IM; T3 - application of 132.5 μg of cloprostenol by IM, and 90 IU of eCG at the Bai Hui acupoint; T4 - application of 39.75μg of cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, both in Bai Hui and T5 acupuncture: application of 39.75μg of cloprostenol and 90 UI of eCG, both applied in false acupoint. The goats were subjected to an estrus synchronization protocol and monitored for estrus detection, coverage and evaluation of reproductive parameters to detect entry into estrus. The data were subjected to normality tests, followed by appropriate statistical analyses of each variable. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the percentage of animals in estrus (95.00 ± 11.18%), interval between sponge removal and beginning of estrus (49.72 ± 8.93 h), interval between sponge removal and end of estrus (76.84 ± 11.98 h), duration of estrus (27.08 ± 8.68 h), size of the largest follicle (6.82 ± 0.44 mm), interval between sponge removal and ovulation (78.28 ± 10.82 h), time from ovarian onset to estrus (28.52 ± 5.44 h), follicular growth rate (0.86 ± 0.29 mm/day), number of ovulations (1.32 ± 0.23), plasma progesterone concentration at 7 days after ovulation (10.28 ± 1.65 ng.mL-1), and gestation rate at 30 days after the beginning of estrus (75 ± 12.5%). However, the cost of the synchronization protocol per animal was 43.42% lower in treatments 4 and 5 (30% of the doses) than in treatment 1 (100% of the dose)...(AU)

O objetivo com o estudo foi avaliar a utilização de subdoses hormonais aplicadas no acuponto Bai Hui em protocolos de sincronização de estro em cabras. Foram utilizadas 40 cabras, as quais receberam esponjas intravaginais com acetato de medroxiprogesterona durante 7 dias, quando foram distribuídas aleatoriamente em 5 tratamentos: T1: aplicação de 132,5μg de cloprostenol e 300UI de eCG, ambos por via intramuscular (IM); T2: aplicação de 39,75μg de cloprostenol no acuponto Bai Hui e 300UI de eCG IM; T3: aplicação de 132,5μg de cloprostenol IM e 90UI de eCG no acuponto Bai Hui; T4: aplicação de 39,75μg de cloprostenol e 90UI de eCG, ambos no acuponto Bai Hui e T5: aplicação de 39,75μg de cloprostenol e 90UI de eCG, ambos aplicados em falso acuponto. As cabras foram submetidas à protocolo de sincronização de estro e monitoradas para detecção de estro, realização das coberturas e avaliação dos parâmetros reprodutivos. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de normalidade, seguido dos testes estatísticos adequados para cada variável. Não obteve-se diferença (p > 0,05) para porcentagem de animais em estro (95,00 ± 11,18%), intervalo da retirada da esponja ao início do estro (49,72 ± 8,93h), intervalo da retirada da esponja ao final do estro (76,84 ± 11,98h), duração do estro (27,08 ± 8,68h), tamanho do maior folículo (6,82 ± 0,44mm), intervalo da retirada da esponja à ovulação (78,28 ± 10,82h), intervalo do início do estro à ovulação (28,52 ± 5,44h), taxa de crescimento folicular (0,86 ± 0,29mm/dia), número de ovulações (1,32 ± 0,23), concentração de progesterona plasmática aos 7 dias após ovulação (10,28 ± 1,65ng.mL-1) e para taxa de gestação aos 30 dias (75 ± 12,5%). Porém, o custo do protocolo de sincronização por animal foi 43,42% menor para os tratamentos T4 e T5 (30% da dose) comparado com o T1 (100% da dose)...(AU)