Effect of capsaicin on the feed intake and immunoglobin concentration of sows, and performance of piglets.

Capsaicin is a recognized alkaloid that can be used as a flavoring and palatability agent. These effects can increase feed intake in lactating sows during farrowing, especially under thermal stress conditions, and provide antioxidant and immunostimulant activities. The objective of this work was to find out the effects of a capsaicin-based product on the feed intake of sows, immunomodulation, and repercussions on litter performance and the control of piglet diarrhea conditions. A total of 132 pregnant sows and lactating sows and their respective litters were divided into 66 sows each and submitted to one of two possible treatments: a capsaicin-free diet (control group) or capsaicin per meal/day. Capsaicin was mixed with gestation and lactation diets in the proportion of 98.6 g of feed and 1.4 g of capsaicin/kg feed, with the dose administered "on top" of 100 g per treatment day on the first feeding. The sows were treated between 90 days of gestation and 21 days of lactation. Backfat thickness, feed intake during farrowing, colostrum production, IgG colostrum concentration, sow reproductive performance, piglet performance, and diarrhea were evaluated. Compared to the sows in the control group, those that received capsaicin had higher feed intake (+ 0.69 kg/day during lactation, P = 0.008), higher levels of IgG in colostrum (185.75 versus 153.80 mg/mL, P = 0.04), an 11.2% higher litter weight gain, with individual piglet weight gains greater than 5.24% (P = 0.045), and an effective reduction in the frequency of piglet diarrhea on the 10th and 17th days of age (P = 0.013 and P = 0.001, respectively). Capsaicin is an additive with potential effects on the sow's performance, with positive influences on the health and growth of suckling piglets.

Fatores de risco associados à infecção viral (BoHV-1 e BVDV) em rebanhos leiteiros mestiços com problemas reprodutivos, no município de Uberlândia, MG / Risk factors associated with viral infections (BoHV-1 and BVDV) in crossbreed dairy herds with reproductive failures, Uberlândia, MG

Com frequência, infecções virais são associadas a problemas da reprodução em rebanhos de bovinos de corte e leite de todo o mundo. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar variáveis de manejo que possam constituir fatores de risco da infecção por BoHV-1 e/ou por BVDV em rebanhos leiteiros com histórico de problemas da reprodução em vacas mestiças em manejo extensivo e sem histórico de vacinação prévia para o controle de IBR e BVD. Anticorpos neutralizantes anti-BoHV-1, anti-BVDV e para ambos os vírus simultaneamente foram identificados em 62,5% (165/264), 45,1% (119/264) e 31,4% (83/264), respectivamente, das amostras analisadas. Os fatores de risco associados à infecção por BoHV-1 foram rebanhos com número total de fêmeas superior a 100, presença de ordenha mecânica, não utilização de inseminação artificial na reprodução e a compra infrequente de animais. Para BVDV, os fatores de risco foram aptidão mista (leite/corte) do rebanho, presença de ordenha mecânica, ausência de quarentena para os animais recém-adquiridos, presença de piquete de parição e a não utilização de inseminação artificial. Para a infecção simultânea (BoHV-1/BVDV), a presença de ordenha mecânica aumentou o risco em 3,36 vezes, e o uso de inseminação artificial reduziu em 56% o risco de infecção nos rebanhos avaliados.(AU)

Viral infections are frequently associated with reproductive problems in dairy and beef cattle worldwide. The aim of this study was to verify managerial practices that may constitute risk factors associated with infection by BoHV-1 and/or BVDV in dairy herds with a history of reproductive disease in extensively reared dairy cows without a previous history of vaccination against IBR and BVD. Neutralizing antibodies anti-BoHV-1, anti-BVDV or both were detected in 62.5% (165/264), 45.1% (119/264), and 31.4% (83/264), respectively, in the samples analyzed. The risk factors associated with infection by BoHV-1 were herds with more than 100 cows, the presence of mechanical milking, the non-utilization of artificial insemination, and the infrequent acquisition of animals. Risk factors associated with BVDV were dual-purpose herds (milk and beef), these include the utilization of mechanical milking, absence of quarantine for newly acquired animals, the presence of picket calving, and the absence of artificial insemination. For simultaneous infections by both viruses (BoHV-1 and BVDV) the use of mechanical milking increased the chance of infection 3.36-fold while the use of artificial insemination reduced the risk of infection by 56% in these herds.(AU)

Fatores de risco associados à infecção viral (BoHV-1 e BVDV) em rebanhos leiteiros mestiços com problemas reprodutivos, no município de Uberlândia, MG / Risk factors associated with viral infections (BoHV-1 and BVDV) in crossbreed dairy herds with reproductive failures, Uberlândia, MG

Com frequência, infecções virais são associadas a problemas da reprodução em rebanhos de bovinos de corte e leite de todo o mundo. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar variáveis de manejo que possam constituir fatores de risco da infecção por BoHV-1 e/ou por BVDV em rebanhos leiteiros com histórico de problemas da reprodução em vacas mestiças em manejo extensivo e sem histórico de vacinação prévia para o controle de IBR e BVD. Anticorpos neutralizantes anti-BoHV-1, anti-BVDV e para ambos os vírus simultaneamente foram identificados em 62,5% (165/264), 45,1% (119/264) e 31,4% (83/264), respectivamente, das amostras analisadas. Os fatores de risco associados à infecção por BoHV-1 foram rebanhos com número total de fêmeas superior a 100, presença de ordenha mecânica, não utilização de inseminação artificial na reprodução e a compra infrequente de animais. Para BVDV, os fatores de risco foram aptidão mista (leite/corte) do rebanho, presença de ordenha mecânica, ausência de quarentena para os animais recém-adquiridos, presença de piquete de parição e a não utilização de inseminação artificial. Para a infecção simultânea (BoHV-1/BVDV), a presença de ordenha mecânica aumentou o risco em 3,36 vezes, e o uso de inseminação artificial reduziu em 56% o risco de infecção nos rebanhos avaliados.(AU)

Viral infections are frequently associated with reproductive problems in dairy and beef cattle worldwide. The aim of this study was to verify managerial practices that may constitute risk factors associated with infection by BoHV-1 and/or BVDV in dairy herds with a history of reproductive disease in extensively reared dairy cows without a previous history of vaccination against IBR and BVD. Neutralizing antibodies anti-BoHV-1, anti-BVDV or both were detected in 62.5% (165/264), 45.1% (119/264), and 31.4% (83/264), respectively, in the samples analyzed. The risk factors associated with infection by BoHV-1 were herds with more than 100 cows, the presence of mechanical milking, the non-utilization of artificial insemination, and the infrequent acquisition of animals. Risk factors associated with BVDV were dual-purpose herds (milk and beef), these include the utilization of mechanical milking, absence of quarantine for newly acquired animals, the presence of picket calving, and the absence of artificial insemination. For simultaneous infections by both viruses (BoHV-1 and BVDV) the use of mechanical milking increased the chance of infection 3.36-fold while the use of artificial insemination reduced the risk of infection by 56% in these herds.(AU)

Presença do genoma de BoHV-5 no líquido cefalorraquidiano de bovinos com meningoencefalite herpética / Presence of BoHV-5 genome in cerebrospinal fluid of cattle with herpetic meningoencephalitis

The diagnosis of bovine herpesvirus 5 (BoHV-5) encephalitis is confirmed after death by laboratory methods applied to brain fragments. Alternative methods to confirm ante-mortem diagnosis are important because the disease is not always lethal. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of the virus genome in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) might be admitted as a method for ante-mortem diagnosis. CSF samples were taken from 14 animals suffering from BoHV-5 encephalitis, diagnosed by characteristic histopathological lesions in the brain and by identification of the virus genome by PCR in different portions of the brain. Virus DNA was detected in the CSF of 21.42% (3/14) of the evaluated animals. Ante-mortem detection of the virus genome in the CSF showed low sensitivity to confirm the diagnosis. The diagnosis is confirmed by a positive result but a negative one does not discard the disease.(AU)

Presença do genoma de BoHV-5 no líquido cefalorraquidiano de bovinos com meningoencefalite herpética / Presence of BoHV-5 genome in cerebrospinal fluid of cattle with herpetic meningoencephalitis

The diagnosis of bovine herpesvirus 5 (BoHV-5) encephalitis is confirmed after death by laboratory methods applied to brain fragments. Alternative methods to confirm ante-mortem diagnosis are important because the disease is not always lethal. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of the virus genome in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) might be admitted as a method for ante-mortem diagnosis. CSF samples were taken from 14 animals suffering from BoHV-5 encephalitis, diagnosed by characteristic histopathological lesions in the brain and by identification of the virus genome by PCR in different portions of the brain. Virus DNA was detected in the CSF of 21.42% (3/14) of the evaluated animals. Ante-mortem detection of the virus genome in the CSF showed low sensitivity to confirm the diagnosis. The diagnosis is confirmed by a positive result but a negative one does not discard the disease.(AU)

Presença do genoma de BoHV-5 no líquido cefalorraquidiano de bovinos com meningoencefalite herpética

The diagnosis of bovine herpesvirus 5 (BoHV-5) encephalitis is confirmed after death by laboratory methods applied to brain fragments. Alternative methods to confirm ante-mortem diagnosis are important because the disease is not always lethal. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of the virus genome in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) might be admitted as a method for ante-mortem diagnosis. CSF samples were taken from 14 animals suffering from BoHV-5 encephalitis, diagnosed by characteristic histopathological lesions in the brain and by identification of the virus genome by PCR in different portions of the brain. Virus DNA was detected in the CSF of 21.42% (3/14) of the evaluated animals. Ante-mortem detection of the virus genome in the CSF showed low sensitivity to confirm the diagnosis. The diagnosis is confirmed by a positive result but a negative one does not discard the disease.