Environmental and genetic effects on production traits of ewes originally from distinct environments.

Wool production and reproductive performance components of similar genotypes, brought from distinct production areas, were evaluated during five years trial at similar environments, such as, joining season and stocking rate on winter improved pasture. The least squares means revealed that the origin (breed) effect concentrated upon the Corriedale ewes wool production, whereas in Romney females it affected the reproductive performance.

Ruminal methane emission by dairy cattle in southeast Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Ruminal gases, particularly methane, generated during the fermentative process in rumen, represent a partial loss of feed energy and are also pointed to as an important factors in greenhouse effect. This study aimed at quantifying methane (CH 4) emission rates from lactating and dry cows and heifers, 24 month-old in average, on pasture under Southeast Brazil tropical conditions, using the tracer gas technique, sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6), four animals per category, distributed in four blocks. Measurements were performed in February and June, 2002, with Holstein and Brazilian Dairy Crossbred (Holstein ¾ x Gir (Zebu) ¼), maintained on fertilized Tanzania-grass (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania) and fertilized Brachiaria-grass (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk) pastures. Heifers of both breeds were maintained on unfertilized Brachiaria-grass to simulate conditions of extensive cattle farming systems. CH 4 and SF 6 levels were measured with gas chromatography. Differences in CH4 emissions were measured (p < 0.05) for genetical groups. Holstein produced more methane (299.3g day?1) than the Crossbred (264.2 g day?1). Lactating cows produced more methane (353.8 g day?1) than dry cows (268.8 g day?1) and heifers (222.6 g day?1). Holstein, with greater milk production potential, produced less CH4 (p < 0.05) per unit of dry matter intake (19.1 g kg?1) than the Crossbred (22.0 g kg?1). Methane emission by heifers grazing fertilized pasture (intensive system) was 222.6 g day?1, greater (p < 0.05) than that of heifers on unfertilized pasture (179.2 g day?1). Methane emission varied as function of animal category and management intensity of production system.

Effect of the FSH dose in superovulatory protocols on ovulatory follicle dynamics in ewes.

The objective of this study, was to evaluate the exogenous FSH dose effect on gonadotrophic treatment over ewes ovulatory follicle dynamics.

Route of Oxytocin administration and nonsurgical embryo recovery in Santa Inês ewes after induction synchronous estrus.

Oxytocin has been used to promote cervical dilation with the objective to access uterus both in artificial insemination and transcervical embryo recovery in sheep and goats. The objective of this study was to test the effect of two routes of oxytocin administration on nonsurgical embryo recovery efficiency in Santa Inês ewes after induction of synchronous estrus. Results of this study showed that nonsurgical transcervical embryo recovery can be efficiently done in some ewes; a higher number of individuals is needed to conclude that transcervical embryo recovery can be efficiently done in ewes and surgery embryo collections can be avoided in near to 60% of pluriparous Santa Inês ewes; and that the route of oxytocin administration did not affect the parameters evaluated.

Effect of inclusion or non-inclusion of short lactations and cow and/or dam genetic group on genetic evaluation of Girolando dairy cattle.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of inclusion or non-inclusion of short lactations and cow (CGG) and/or dam (DGG) genetic group on the genetic evaluation of 305-day milk yield (MY305), age at first calving (AFC), and first calving interval (FCI) of Girolando cows. Covariance components were estimated by the restricted maximum likelihood method in an animal model of single trait analyses. The heritability estimates for MY305, AFC, and FCI ranged from 0.23 to 0.29, 0.40 to 0.44, and 0.13 to 0.14, respectively, when short lactations were not included, and from 0.23 to 0.28, 0.39 to 0.43, and 0.13 to 0.14, respectively, when short lactations were included. The inclusion of short lactations caused little variation in the variance components and heritability estimates of traits, but their non-inclusion resulted in the re-ranking of animals. Models with CGG or DGG fixed effects had higher heritability estimates for all traits compared with models that consider these two effects simultaneously. We recommend using the model with fixed effects of CGG and inclusion of short lactations for the genetic evaluation of Girolando cattle.

Influence of lactation stages and rain periods on subclinical mastitis in meat producing ewes.

Mastitis negatively influences the survival and weight gain of ovines for meat production. The purpose of this study was to investigate, in sheep for meat production, the occurrence of subclinical mastitis in ewes at the end of lactation and beginning of the consecutive lactation and to assess the composition and cellular characteristics of milk as a function of different rainfall indices. Mammary halves (821) of Santa Ines (479) and Morada Nova (342) ewes were examined. Milk samples were collected in two different moments of lactation: at weaning and postpartum of the consecutive lactation. Sample collection periods were called ?dry? or ?rainy? according to the rainfall index in the month immediately before the month of collection. The occurrence of subclinical mastitis at weaning in the Santa Ines and Morada Nova ewes were 16.4 and 12.6% in the dry period, and 17.7 and 23.5% in the rainy period, respectively. In the consecutive lactation period, the occurrences were 26.7 and 27.7% in the dry period and 41.8 and 39.1% in the rainy period, for the Santa Ines and Morada Nova ewes, respectively. Postpartum stage was critical for the occurrence of subclinical mastitis, as compared to that at the end of the previous lactation. Occurrence of the disease negatively influenced the SCC in the milk at the beginning of lactation and changed its composition, mainly in the rainiest periods, probably due to a difficulty in maintaining hygiene in the environment where the animals remained.