Salmonella spp. in meat-type quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Black bone syndrome in chiken meat

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Carcass and meat traits of lambs fed by-products from the processing of oil seeds

We evaluated the effect of adding by-products from the processing of oil seeds in the diet of lambs on the carcass and meat traits. Twenty-four non-castrated weaned male Santa Inês lambs with approximately 70 days of age and initial average weight of 19.11 ± 2.12 kg were distributed into a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of diets containing by-products with 70% of concentrate and 30% of tifton hay (Cynodon spp.) and were termed SM: control with soybean meal; SC: formulated with soybean cake; SUC: formulated with sunflower cake and PC: formulated with peanut cake. Diets had no effects on the carcass traits evaluated. There was no significant effect on the mean values of perirenal, omental and mesenteric fats (0.267, 0.552 and 0.470 kg, respectively) and there was no influence on the percentages of moisture, ether extract, crude protein or ash in the loin between experimental diets. Diets containing by-products from the processing of oil seeds did not change fatty acids found in lamb meat. The use of by-products from oil seeds provided similar carcass and meat traits, thus their use can be recommended as eventual protein and energy sources for feedlot lambs.

Energetic cost of digging behavior in workers of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens (Fabricius)

Energetic cost of digging behavior in workers of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens (Fabricius). During nest excavation, leaf-cutting ant workers undergo reduction in their body reserve, particularly carbohydrates. In order to estimate the energetic cost of digging, groups of 30 workers of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens were sealed in a hermetic chamber for 24, 48 and 72 hours, with and without soil for digging, and had the CO2 concentration measured using respirometric chambers as well as volume of soil excavated (g). As expected, the worker groups that carried out soil excavation expelled more carbon dioxide than the groups that did not excavate. Therefore, a worker with body mass of 9.65 ± 1.50 mg dug in average 0.85 ± 0.27 g of soil for 24 hours, consuming ca. 0.58 ± 0.23 J. In this study, we calculate that the energetic cost of excavation per worker per day in the experimental set-up was ca. 0.58 J.

Energy substrate used by workers of leaf-cutting ants during nest excavation

Energy substrate used by workers of leaf-cutting ants during nest excavation. In this study we aimed to ascertain whether leaf-cutting ant workers lose body reserves (fat or sugars) as a function of nest excavation. For each treatment, we isolated 10 workers of Atta sexdens into two experimental groups, Control (C- without excavation) and Soil (S- with excavation), which were kept for different time intervals (0, 24, 48 or 72 hours), totaling 700 tested workers. We then determined the concentration of soluble carbohydrates and total lipid content in them. The total carbohydrates were determined colorimetrically, based on the reaction between carbohydrates and sulfuric acid-phenol. For determination of lipids, the insects were immersed in organic solvent until they reached a constant weight. Our results showed that carbohydrates are consumed during nest excavation activities. In the experimental groups S24, S48 and S72, there was an average reduction of 5.82 (20.42%), 14.31 (44.96%) and 13.27 (43.96%) µ.mg-1 in soluble sugar when compared with the experimental groups that did not excavate. Furthermore, the lipids were not used during this activity. With respect to dry mass of the workers, their values were C0 = 8%, C24 = 10.4%, C48 = 9.2%, C72 = 10%, S24 = 9.2%, S48 = 8.7% and S72 = 8.5%. Our results show experimentally that the source of energy for nest excavation is carbohydrates, whereas lipids are conserved for other activities.

Feedlot performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Nellore and Canchim bulls fed diets supplemented with vitamins D and E

O experimento foi conduzido no setor de confinamento da Unesp, campus de Botucatu, com o objetivo de avaliar a influência da suplementação das vitaminas D e E sobre o desempenho animal, características de carcaça e qualidade de carne de bovinos jovens confinados. Foram utilizados 36 machos inteiros, 18 Nelore (NEL) e 18 Canchim (CAC), de sete meses de idade com peso vivo inicial médio de 234,53 ± 22,15 e 248,13 ± 34,67 kg, respectivamente, os quais foram confinados por 126 dias. Nove animais NEL e nove CAC foram suplementados diariamente com 1300 UI de vitamina E e 7,5x10(6) UI de vitamina D3 durante 67 e dez dias antes do abate, respectivamente. Um dia antes do abate foram coletadas amostras de sangue para avaliação do cálcio plasmático. Na desossa, foram colhidas amostras do músculo Longissimus (LM) para análises como força de cisalhamento, índice de fragmentação miofibrilar, lipídeos totais, concentração de vitaminas D e E e tempo de prateleira. Foi observado aumento (p < 0,01) do nível de cálcio plasmático pela suplementação, o que indica atuação da vitamina D no organismo animal. No entanto, não houve efeito (p > 0,05) da suplementação de vitaminas D e E sobre o desempenho, características de carcaça e qualidade da carne.

Skin diseases reported by workers from UNESP campus at Rubiao Jr, Botucatu-SP (Brazil)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Separation of Scaptotrigona postica Workers into Defined Task Groups by the Chemical Profile on Their Epicuticle Wax Layer

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Evaluation of a commercially available organic acid product on body weight loss, carcass yield, and meat quality during preslaughter feed withdrawal in broiler chickens: A poultry welfare and economic perspective

The effect of a commercial organic acid (OA) product on BW loss (BWL) during feed withdrawal and transportation, carcass yield, and meat quality was evaluated in broiler chickens. Two experiments were conducted in Brazil. Commercial houses were paired as control groups receiving regular water and treated groups receiving OA in the water. Treated birds had a reduction in BWL of 37 g in experiment 1 and 32.2 g in experiment 2. In experiment 2, no differences were observed in carcass yield between groups. Estimation of the cost benefit suggested a 1: 16 ratio by using the OA. In experiment 3, conducted in Mexico, significant differences on water consumption, BWL, and meat quality characteristics were observed in chickens that were treated with the OA (P < 0.05). These data suggest this OA product may improve animal welfare and economic concerns in the poultry industry by reducing BWL and improving meat quality attributes.

Identification and association of polymorphisms in CAPN1 and CAPN3 candidate genes related to performance and meat quality traits in chickens

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fatty acid profile, carcass and meat quality traits of young Nellore bulls fed crude glycerin replacing energy sources in the concentrate

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Sources and levels of selenium on breast meat quality of broilers

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Polymorphisms in candidate genes and their association with carcass traits and meat quality in Nellore cattle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Information flows and environments in business contexts: the meat sector case of Salmanca/Spain

Organizational environments are related to hierarchic levels existing in a determined organization, and they influence in the formal and informal flows origin and in their monitoring and/or extinction. Informational environments are a result of organizational environments, of which focus is information and knowledge. Information flows are a fundamental element to informational environments, in a way that there´s no informational environments if there´s no information flows. Informational flows are natural reflections from their environments, in terms of content and in the way they occur. This qualitative and quantitative research was developed in three stages, in a way to allow the comprehension of the phenomena related to information and knowledge environments and information flows that occur in the meat sector from the Province of Salamanca, Spain. We used Laurence Bardin´s ‘Analysis of Content’, more specifically the ‘Categorical Analysis’ technique to data analysis. As data collection procedure we accomplished a field research, applying a questionnaire as an intentional sample of the meat industries segment from the Province of Salamanca, Spain. From data tabulation and analysis, we infer that information environments and flows are relevant to these companies business development, as well as we emphasized the need of information and knowledge management deployment, in a way to insure organizational processes quality, industrial chain production and companies competition to conquer potential markets.

Growth performance and meat quality of heifers receiving different forms of soybean oil in the rumen

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)