Polymorphisms in the DGAT1 gene in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in the Amazon.

Water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are quite well adapted to climatic conditions in the Amazon, and in this biome, they are noted for the considerable amount of meat and milk they produce and how hard they are able to work. Because of a lack of research dedicated to improving the rearing of buffaloes in the Amazon, the objective of this study was to genetically characterize the Murrah and Mediterranean breeds, as well as a mixed-breed population, based on polymorphisms in the diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 gene (DGAT1), and associate the genotypes with milk production. By using the polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism technique, the alleles A (0.79), B (0.20), and D (0.01) were found in the Murrah breed. In the Mediterranean and mixed-breed buffaloes, we found alleles A (0.69) and (0.77) and B (0.31) and (0.23), respectively. The Murrah breed had the genotypes AA (0.63), AB (0.29), BB (0.05), and AD (0.03), and the Mediterranean and mixed-breed buffaloes had the genotypes AA (0.44) and (0.61), AB (0.50) and (0.31), and BB (0.06) and (0.08), respectively. For the Murrah, Mediterranean, and mixed-breed buffaloes, respectively, the expected heterozygosity values were 0.34, 0.43, and 0.35, the inbreeding coefficients were 0.78, -0.15, and 0.17, and the Hardy-Weinberg probabilities were 0.70, 0.67, and 0.52. The genotypes evaluated did not have an effect on milk production; however, the single nucleotide polymorphisms can be used in studies on genetic variability.

Productive characteristics in dairy buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in the Eastern Amazon / Características produtivas em búfalos leiteiros (Bubalus bubalis) na Amazônia

The objective of this study was to determine factors affecting phenotypic characteristics related to milk production and reproductive efficiency of dairy buffalo. Phenotypic records of 2,459 Murrah, Mediterranean and crossbred buffaloes from the Embrapa Eastern Amazônia herd, from 1969 to 2013 were used. Traits included: total milk production during lactation (TMP), milk production corrected for 305 days (P305); cow weight at calving (CW), fat milk percentage (F), age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), calf birth weight (BW), as well as lactation (LP) and service periods (SP). Most traits were affected by genetic group as well as year and season or interaction between them. Genetic group affected F, CI, SP and CW. Very young and older cows showed poorer production traits. There was interaction between season and year for F, CI and CW. Correlations traits were generally medium to low. The principal component analysis showed that higher fat milk percentage was associated with higher percentage of Murrah breed, longer lactation period and older cows. Phenotypic characteristics in buffaloes reared in the Brazilian Amazon were significantly affected by genetic and management factors. This information can be used to help build sustainable production systems for the region and guide farmer decisions.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar os fatores que afetam as características fenotípicas relacionadas à produção de leite e a eficiência reprodutiva de búfalas leiteiras. Foram utilizados os registros fenotípicos de 2.459 búfalas das raças Murrah, Mediterrâneo e seus cruzamentos do rebanho da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, de 1969 a 2013. As características incluídas foram: produção total de leite durante a lactação (PTL), produção de leite corrigida para 305 dias (P305), peso da búfala ao parto (PV), percentual de gordura do leite (G), idade ao primeiro parto (IPP), intervalo entre partos (IP), peso do bezerro ao nascimento (PN), assim como os períodos de lactação (PL) e de serviço (PS). A maioria das características foi afetada pelo grupo genético, bem como pelo ano e pela estação ou pela interação entre eles. O grupo genético afetou o G, IP, PS e PV. Búfalas muito jovens e mais velhas mostraram características de produção mais baixas. Houve interação entre estação e o ano para G, IP e PV. As correlações entre as características foram geralmente de médias a baixas. A análise de componentes principais mostrou que a maior porcentagem de gordura no leite foi associada com a maior porcentagem de sangue Murrah, com o maior período de lactação e com búfalas mais velhas. As características fenotípicas das búfalas criadas na Amazônia brasileira foram significativamente afetadas por fatores genéticos e de manejo. Essas informações podem ser usadas para ajudar a construir sistemas de produção sustentáveis para a região e orientar as decisões dos produtores.(AU)

Genetic evaluation of milking buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis): bull ranking / Avaliação genética de búfalas leiteiras (Bubalus bubalis): classificação de touros

The objective of this study was to evaluate genetic aspects related to production and reproductive efficiency of Murrah and Mediterranean buffaloes and their crosses. A ranking of bulls from Embrapa Eastern Amazonia was also composed to guide assisted mating. Birth records of 2,322 Murrah, Mediterranean, and crossbred buffaloes from the Embrapa Eastern Amazon herd, from 1953 to 2013, as well as information on production and reproductive traits were used. Genetic analyzes were performed in the WOMBAT software using the animal model with two-trait analysis. While heritability (h2) for total milk production (TMP) and fat milk percentage (F) were generally high, for reproductive traits h2 tended to be low. Genetic correlations for TMP with the other traits were low and negative, except for TMP with calving interval (CI) and service period (SP) in the Mediterranean breed and with age at first calving (AFC) and SP in crossbred, which were positive and high. Bull 1001 had high predicted transmitting ability (PTA) for TMP, so it should transmit a greater volume of milk to his offspring, although it had a lower PTA for F. There was sufficient variability within the herd to work with genetic management for both production and reproductive efficiency.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os aspectos genéticos relacionados à produção e à eficiência reprodutiva de búfalas das raças Murrah, Mediterrâneo e suas cruzas. Uma classificação de touros da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental também foi composta para orientar os cruzamentos assistidos. Foram utilizados 2.322 registros de nascimento de búfalas das raças Murrah, Mediterrâneo e cruzadas do rebanho da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, de 1953 a 2013, bem como características produtivas e reprodutivas. As análises genéticas foram realizadas pelo software Wombat, utilizando-se o modelo animal com análise de duas características. Enquanto a herdabilidade (h 2 ) para a produção total de leite (PTL) e para a porcentagem de gordura (G) foi alta, para as características reprodutivas a h 2 tendeu a ser baixa. As correlações genéticas da PTL com as demais características foram baixas e negativas, exceto para a PTL com intervalo entre partos (IP) e período de serviço (PS) na raça Mediterrâneo e com idade ao primeiro parto (IPP) e PS nas cruzadas, que foram positivas e altas. O touro 1001 apresentou alta capacidade de transmissão predita (CTP) para a PTL, então deve transmitir um maior volume de leite para seus descendentes, embora com um menor conteúdo transmissível de CTP para G. Portanto, existe variabilidade suficiente dentro do rebanho para trabalhar com o manejo genético para a produção e a eficiência reprodutiva.(AU)

Effects of peanut oil consumption on appetite and food choice.

OBJECTIVE: Peanut consumption may improve lipid profiles without promoting weight gain. Both properties have been attributed to their high-unsaturated fat content. Mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids reportedly hold stronger satiety value than saturated fats and may help appetite control. This study investigated the effects of chronic peanut oil consumption on appetite and food choice. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A total of 129 healthy adults from three countries (Brazil, Ghana and US) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment arms: consumption of peanut oil, olive oil or safflower oil as 30% of individual resting energy expenditure (REE) for 8 weeks or no dietary intervention. Participants received no other dietary guidance. They completed appetite questionnaires eliciting information about hunger, fullness, desire to eat, and prospective consumption during all waking hours for 1 day at weeks 2 and 6 and for 1 or 3 days at weeks 0, 4 and 8. Diet records were completed at weeks 0, 4 and 8. RESULTS: No differences in appetitive ratings were observed over the 8-week trial. There were no significant treatment by time interactions. Total caloric intake was significantly higher at week 8 relative to baseline (F=10.08, P<0.05). The increases for each treatment were: peanut oil=197+/-114; olive oil=237+/-121; safflower oil=274+/-90; control=75+/-71. Free-feeding intake, an index of dietary compensation, was reduced significantly at weeks 4 and 8 compared to baseline (F=9.08, P<0.00). The declines (compensation scores) were (kcals): peanut oil=-208+/-105 (46%); olive oil=-235+/-105 (50%); safflower oil=-186+/-102 (44%). There were no significant differences across countries in appetite ratings. DISCUSSION: A prior intervention with whole peanuts reported a dietary compensation score of 66% over 8 weeks, this compares to a 46% compensation score observed with peanut oil. Our data suggests that the lipid fraction in peanuts elicits a weak effect on satiety.