Evaluation of the Composition of the Cholesterol, Tocopherols, ß-Carotene and Fatty Acids Profile of the Liver Tissue of Male Water Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) Managed in Different Ecosystems of the Eastern Amazon.

The diet offered to animals has a great influence on the composition of tissues and, consequently, the quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of Amazonian ecosystems, in the dry and rainy periods of the year, on the composition of cholesterol, tocopherols, ß-carotene and the fatty acid profile of the livers of water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) reared in the Eastern Amazon, in an extensive or intensive system. Total lipid content was influenced by the location and time of year (p < 0.05). Ninety-six male water buffaloes were used (12 per sampling period), aged between 24 and 36 months, with average weights of 432 kg (end of the rainy season) and 409 kg (end of the dry season). Total cholesterol, α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol influenced the relationship between extensive vs intensive ecosystems, location, periods and the interaction between the location and period of the year (p < 0.05). Animals raised in a pasture ecosystem had the highest values of omega-3, and those raised in confinement, the highest values of omega-6 (p < 0.05). The proportions of n-6/n-3 and hypocholesterolemia (7.14) and hypercholesterolemia (3.08%) (h/H) were found in greater amounts in animals raised in confinement (p < 0.05). The atherogenic index (AI) had a higher value in the rainy season, in animals raised in Santarém (2.37%), with no difference between pasture and feedlot ecosystems, except in animals raised in the rainy season in Nova Timboteua, with a lower AI (1.53%). The thrombogenicity index (TI) was higher in the livers of confined animals (0.32%) and lower (0.18%) in those raised in Nova Timboteua (rainy season). Amazonian ecosystems influence the nutritional values of buffalo liver, with the best nutritional values in animals in the extensive system.

Lambs supplemented with Amazonian oilseed co-products: Meat quality and fatty acid profile.

The Amazon has a wide variety of oilseeds that generate a huge amount of co-products with potential for use in animal nutrition. The objective was to use alternative resources (oilseed cakes) in the feeding of lambs to assign a sustainable destination to this biomass, and evaluate its influence on the quality and fatty acid (FA) profile of the meat. Twenty-four lambs, male, castrated, crossbred Dorper × Santa Inês, weighing 30 ± 1.3 kg of initial body weight, were distributed in a completely randomized design in 4 treatments (diets) with six replications (animals). The control diet (Control) contained corn and soybean meal as main ingredients, which were partially replaced in the other diets by cupuassu cake diet (Cup), palm kernel cake diet (Palm) and tucuma cake diet (Tuc). The inclusion of Amazon cakes influences the lipid (P = 0.02) and protein (P < 0.01) composition of meat (longissimus lumborum); reduces cooking losses (P < 0.01); influences the colors (L, a, b), chroma, and Hue Angle (P < 0.01); promotes changes in total FA composition and FA profile (P < 0.05); reduces hypocholesterolemic FA (h) (P = 0.01), but does not influence hypercholesterolemic (H) and indices h:H, AI and TI (P > 0.05). The inclusion of oilseed cakes influences the chemical composition, physical parameters, composition and fatty acid profile of the meat, but does not influence the indicators of atherogenicity, thrombogenicity and cholesterolemia.

Heterogeneity of variance and genetic parameters for milk production in cattle, using Bayesian inference.

The goal of this study was to verify the effect of heterogeneity of variance (HV) on milk production in up to 305 days of lactation (L305) of daughters of Girolando, Gir and Holstein sires, as well as in the genetic evaluation of these sires and their progenies. in Brazil. The model included contemporary groups (consisting of herd, year and calving season) as a fixed effect, cow age at calving (linear and quadratic effects) and heterozygosity (linear effect) as covariates, in addition to the random effects of direct additive genetic and environmental, permanent and residual. The first analysis consisted of the single-trait animal model, with L305 records (disregarding HV). The second considered classes of standard deviations (SD): two-trait model including low and high classes (considering HV), according to the standardized means of L305 for herd-year of calving. The low SD class was composed of herds with SD equal to or less than zero and the high class with positive SD values. Estimates of (co)variance components and breeding values were obtained separately for each scenario using Bayesian inference via Gibbs sampling. Different heritability was estimated. Higher for the high DP class in the Gir (0.20) and Holstein (0.15) breeds, not occurring the same in the Girolando breed, with a lower value among the classes for the high DP (0.10). High values of genetic correlations were also found between low and high SD classes (0.88; 0.85 and 0.79) for the Girolando, Gir and Holstein breeds, respectively. Like the order correlations (Spearman) which were also high for the three breeds analyzed (equal to or above 0.92). Thus, the presence of HV had a smaller impact for L305 and did not affect the genetic evaluation of sires.

Growth curve mixed nonlinear models in quails.

Our aim was to evaluate the use and application of different nonlinear mixed models, as well as to compare them with approach in nonlinear fixed models, for describing the growth curve of meat-type quails according to gender. A total of 15,002 and 15,408 records of males and females were used, respectively. The body weights were regressed on age of the animals using nonlinear models (Brody; Gompertz; Logistic, Morgan-Mercer-Flodin, Richards and Von Bertalanffy). All model parameters were considered fixed, whereas parameters related to asymptotic weight and maturity rate were fitted as random effects. The Bayesian Information Criterion was used to find the model of best fit. For both genders, the model that used the Morgan-Mercer-Flodin function with the inclusion of asymptotic weight as a random effect was considered the best-fitting model because it reduced the residual variance and increased the accuracy. Based on the lower absolute growth rate and growth velocity of male quails compared to that of females, it can be inferred that males should be slaughtered later. Given the results of this study, it can contribute to the current knowledge about animal yield, specifically at the best moment to slaughter and, this sense, improv the quality genetic of the populations in time.

Effect of Palm Kernel Cake Supplementation on Voluntary Feed Intake, In Situ Rumen Degradability and Performance in Buffaloes in the Eastern Amazon.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of palm kernel cake (PKC) supplementation on voluntary feed intake, in situ rumen degradability and performance in the wettest (WS-January to June) and less rainy seasons (LR-July to December) in the eastern Amazon. A total of 52 crossbred buffaloes that were neither lactating nor gestating were used, with 24 for the LR, aged 34 ± 04 months and an initial average weight of 503 ± 48 kg, and 24 for the WS aged 40 ± 04 months with an average weight of 605 ± 56 kg. The four treatments (levels of PKC in relation to body weight) were distributed in a completely randomized design, with 0% (PKC0), 0.25% (PKC0.2), 0.5% (PKC0.5) and 1% (PKC1) with six repetitions. The animals were housed in Marandu grass paddocks, intermittently, with access to water and mineral mixture ad libitum. Degradability was evaluated by the in situ bag technique in four other crossbred buffaloes with rumen cannulae, in a 4 × 4 Latin square (four periods and four treatments). The inclusion of PKC increased supplement consumption and production of ether extracts and reduced the intake of forage and non-fibrous carbohydrates. The dry matter degradability of Marandu grass was not affected; however, the fermentation kinetics in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) differed between the treatments. The co-product dry matter colonization time was greater in PKC1 and the highest effective degradability rates were from PKC0, but the productive performance of the animals was not influenced. Supplementation of buffaloes with PKC is recommended for up to 1% of body weight.

Low transmission rates of Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) in foals born to seropositive feral mares inhabiting the Amazon delta region despite climatic conditions supporting high insect vector populations.

BACKGROUND: Marajó Island, within in the Amazon River Delta, supports numerous bands of feral equids including the genetically distinct Marajoara horses. Approximately 40% of the equids on the island are infected with Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). This high seropositivity rate coupled with the need to preserve rare breeds such as the Marajoara horse precludes euthanasia as the primary means for controlling EIAV in this region. In the absence of iatrogenic transmission, spread of this lentivirus is mediated primarily by hematophagous insects, whose year-round prevalence on the island is supported by favorable climatic conditions. In addition, cases of vertical EIAV transmission have been observed suggesting inclusion of seropositive mares in restorative breeding programs could result in their progeny becoming infected with this virus either pre-parturition or post-partum via hematophagous insects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate EIAV vertical and post-partum insect-mediated transmission rates among foals born to seropositive feral mares until natural weaning. Serum samples from foals born to seropositive feral mares within the Soure municipality, of Marajó Island, were collected to investigate their serological status, using an indirect ELISApgp45, with positive samples confirmed using the classical agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) assay. RESULTS: The serological status of 28 foals were monitored over a 2-year period with some subjects, depending on their date of birth, being sampled up to six times. All foals remained with their respective mares until fully weaned at approximately 10 months of age. Only 2 foals (7.14%) in the study group became seropositive against EIAV. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that in most cases it is possible to obtain seronegative foals born to and eventually weaned by EIA positive mares, even in equatorial regions where substantial rainfall and high temperatures favor the proliferation of insect vectors.

Glanders and brucellosis in equids from the Amazon region, Brazil.

Glanders and brucellosis are zoonotic infectious diseases that affect equids in several countries worldwide. On Marajó Island (Amazon region of Brazil), Marajoara and Puruca horses, which are well adapted to the climatic and territorial adversities of the region, play a fundamental role in the local economy and in the sociocultural lives of the population. However, these animals have undergone a drastic reduction in number, markedly due to precarious veterinary care, unknown causes of morbidity and mortality, and disordered crossing with other breeds introduced to the island. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the occurrence of glanders and brucellosis in equids on a property located in the municipality of Soure, Marajó Island (Brazil). Serum samples were collected from 388 animals (357 horses and 31 mules), maintained in an extensive breeding system, in a property that was also extensively breeding buffaloes, goats, and sheep, with contact among species. The sera were tested for glanders using an indirect ELISA (ELISAi), and the results were confirmed by immunoblotting. The diagnosis of brucellosis was made using the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and confirmed through the Serum Agglutination test (SAT) and 2-mercaptoethanol test. In the case of glanders, 2.31% (9/388) of animals were positive in ELISAi test, of which eight had results confirmed by immunoblotting, representing 2.06% seropositivity in the entire herd. For brucellosis, serum samples from 6.7% (26/388) horses were reactive in the RBT, of which 4.12% (18/388) had a titer ≥50 and 2.06% (8/388) had a titer ≥100 in the SAT. This is the first study to report the occurrence of glanders and equine brucellosis in the municipality of Soure/Marajó Island. Monitoring the occurrence of such diseases is extremely important since they affect the herds economically and zootechnically, in addition to their high zoonotic potential. The number of animals sampled in this study, as well as the way they are raised and managed, is representative of the total equid population of the island. These results, combined with previous studies on buffaloes, indicate that these diseases are endemic in the Marajo Island.

Mixed Models in Nonlinear Regression for Description of the Growth of Nelore Cattle.

Body weight records were used to characterize the growth curve of Nelore cattle. Body weight was regressed as a function of age, for both sexes, by using nonlinear models through the functions of Brody, Gompertz, Logistic, Richards, Meloun 1, Von Bertalanffy, and Von Bertalanffy. The quality of the model arrangements was evaluated by employing Akaike and Bayesian Schwarz information criteria. The Brody function provided the best adaptations by the evaluators and, considering the asymptotic weight and the maturation rate as random, a reduction in residual variance of 79% for males and 83% for females was obtained in relation to the models under fixed contexts. In males, the absolute and relative growth rates ranged from 0.921 to 0.261 kg/day and 2.39 to 0.08%, respectively. For the same rates, under another approach, females ranged from 0.922 to 0.198 kg/day and 2.55 to 0.06%, respectively. Males showed greater growth acceleration at the beginning of the growth trajectory, being equal to females at 397 days of age and from that age onward they presented lower estimates. The nonlinear regression model approach under the mixed-models context allows reduction of residual variance, increasing model accuracy.

Effect of dietary supplementation of palm kernel cake on ovarian and hepatic function in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

To determine the optimal inclusion amount of palm kernel cake (PKC) in a buffalo diet, in the present study there was evaluation of the ovarian activity, metabolism and hepatic function of females that were treated to synchronize the time of ovulation. Twenty-four estrous-cyclic and non-lactating Murrah buffalo with a mean age of 5.7 years were supplemented with 0%, 0.25%, 0.5% and 1% of their body weight (BW) with PKC. Animals were subjected to the Ovsynch protocol (beginning of protocol = D0). The ovaries were examined and the blood was collected on D10 (follicular phase) and D17 (luteal phase). Follicular and luteal development and serum progesterone concentrations were not affected by diet (P > 0.05). Serum concentrations of cholesterol were greater in animals supplemented with PKC in amounts at 0.5% of BW or less with PKC, regardless of the phase of the estrous cycles when evaluations occurred (P < 0.05). Concentrations of HDL-cholesterol were similar (P > 0.05) during the follicular and luteal phases. Triglyceride concentrations increased linearly (P = 0.03) as percentage of PKC inclusion diets increased during the follicular phase, but were similar in the luteal phase (60.0 mg/dL; P = 0.51). Amount of PKC supplementation did not affect the concentrations of alanine aminotransferase, but there was a greater amount of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) during both phases of the estrous cycle (P < 0.05). Animals supplemented at 1.0% of BW with PKC had greater AST and GGT concentrations than what is recommended for buffalo. The results of the present study indicate PKC supplementation of buffalo diets does not affect the development of the ovarian follicle and corpus luteum nor the peripheral concentration of progesterone, even though there are greater serum concentrations of total cholesterol and triglycerides. Because the amount of PKC supplementation in the present study does not result in hepatic dysfunction when fed at the 0.5% of BW amount, it is suggested that this agro-industrial byproduct of high nutritional value may be a new alternative for dietary supplementation of grazing buffalo.