Capacitação de produtores rurais para a melhoria da qualidade do leite cru produzido na região de Araçatuba - SP

This paper reports the results of an extension project carried out at Unesp/Veterinary Medicine course in Araçatuba city with milk farmers of the region. The aim of the project was to supply information to farmers concerning to good quality milk production and, at the same time, to follow up the evolution of milk quality parameters, according to the current Brazilian legislation. Every 45 days, approximately, lectures were presented to milk farmers in Araçatuba city region, approaching chemical and microbiological composition of milk, prevention and detection of mastitis, hygiene proceedings in milking and conservation of milk, cleaning and sanitization operations of facilities and equipments and prevention of adulteration. During the intervals between lectures, milk samples were collected from collective milk cooling tanks and analyzed for microbiological, hygienic and physicochemical tests. The main inadequacies in milk quality were high total bacteria and somatic cells counts, low solids contents and water addition. These problems did not proceed to betterment during the project time. So, it was concluded that the time for instruction of farmers was not enough for a progress in the quality of the milk produced in the region, pointing out the need in continuing this kind of work.

Larval development of Apiomithrax violaceus (A. Milne Edwards, 1868) (Decapoda : Brachyura : Majoidea : Pisidae) reared in laboratory conditions, and a review of larval characters of Pisidae

Apiomithrax violaceus (A. Milne Edwards, 1868 ) is a pisid majoid crab occurring in tropical and subtropical coastal waters of the eastern and western South Atlantic. Larval development consists of two zoeal stages and a megalopa. Beginning with the first zoea, the duration of each larval stage at 24degreesC was 3-8 (5+/-1), 3-5 (4+/-0.5) and 9-15 (11+/-2) days, the megalopa and first crab instar appearing 9-11 (10+/-1) and 20-27 (23+/-2) days after hatching, respectively. Larval characters agree with those proposed for the Majoidea, in having nine or more setae on the scaphognathite in the first zoea and well-developed pleopods in the second zoea. However, larvae of A . violaceus do not fit larval pisid features. Zoeal stages differ from most other Pisidae in having lateral spines, a long rostral spine extending beyond the antenna, two spines per telson fork and a dorsolateral process on the third abdominal somite. The megalopa differs in having a spine dorsally on the carapace and on the basial segment of the second pereiopod. Two characters that are potentially unique to Apiomithrax include a zoeal antenna with an exopod that is much longer than the protopod, and a rostral spine that is longer than the dorsal spine. These characters should facilitate the identification of this taxon and could also be useful for phylogenetic studies. A review of larvae of 28 species among 14 genera indicated that there is no apparent single larval character that differentiates the Pisidae, with more limited phylogenetic analyses suggesting that this is a paraphyletic group. Apiomithrax , Eurynolambrus , Pisoides , Rochinia and Scyra have the most divergent morphological characters within the family. The analysis and inclusion of additional taxa is likely to shed more light on the sister-group relationships of the Pisidae. However, based on the extent of morphological interspecific variability of known larvae it is likely that the group, as presently defined by adult morphology, is not monophyletic.

Postembryonic development of Macrobrachium petronioi (Caridea : Palaemonidae) in the laboratory

Macrobrachium petronioi, a native Brazilian fresh-water shrimp, was captured along the coast of Rio Branco, Cananeia, São Paulo State, Brazil. The eggs were green-black in early development and the average size was 1.21 mm by 0.98 mm. Macrobrachium petronioi has no free-swimming larval phase. However, newly hatched larvae possessed several zoea I characters. Therefore, they were clearly more developed than newly hatched larvae of other species of Macrobrachium with prolonged larval development. The average duration of larval development in M. petronioi was 5.5 days. During early development, the larvae subsisted on stored yolk. After the third molt, the postlarvae accepted food. The three zoeal stages prior to the postlarval stage were described and characterized, with detailed morphological analyses. This species has a partially abbreviated type of development. The larval development of M. petronioi is distinguished from that of M. potiuna.

Clinical pathological data and analyses of mineral elements of cattle affected by epizootic botulism in the State of São Paulo

In order to study laboratorial aspects of beef cow mortality, a syndrome popularly known as ''doenca da vaca caida'', examens were made of blood, cerebrospinal fluid, serum, bone and liver samples from 32 naturally affected 4 to 9 year old cows, 27 belonging to the Nellore breed and 5 were crossbred Nellore, all originating from farms located in municipalities near Botucatu, State of São Paulo. Laboratory determinations were analysed by descriptive statistics and included hematological values, total plasma protein, plasma fibrinogen, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and concentration measurements of serum calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, total protein, albumin, globulin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, gama-glutamyltransferase and creatine kinase activities, included bone ash percentage and concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, and also hepatic levels of copper, zinc, iron, manganese and cobalt. In addition, mouse bioassays and complement micro-fixation tests were performed to detect botulinum toxins in liver samples. The results indicated leukocytosis (13,3+/-3,9 x10(3)/mm(3)) with neutrophilia (8,9+/-3,2 x10(3)/mm(3)), hypocalcemia (7,8+/-1,7mg/dl), hypophosphatemia (3,6+/-1,6mg/dl), hypoalbuminemia (2,9+/-0,9g/dl), increased creatine kinase activity (691,0+/-829,7 UI/1), and reduced ash percentage (60,3+/-1,9%) and low phosphorus (17,2+/-0,4%) in bone. The other values were ail within normal limits. The diagnosis of botulism, involving type C and D toxins, was confirmed as the cause of the mortality in the region of study, what is strongly consistent with the other laboratorial findings.