Trends of the genetic connectedness measures among Nelore beef cattle herds

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Detection of porcine circovirus genotypes 2a and 2b in aborted foetuses from infected swine herds in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

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

Variance heterogeneity for milk yield in Brazilian and Colombian Holstein herds

Heterogeneity of variances for milk yield (MY) was determined for Brazilian and Colombian herds. The herds were grouped as high or low variability within each country, using as criterion the phenotypic standard deviation (PSD) of MY in the contemporary groups of cows, from the first to the sixth calving. Brazilian and Colombian herds with PSD greater than 1,168 kg or 1,012 kg, respectively, were classified as high variability while the herd groups with values lower than those were classified as low variability. The genetic parameters for MY within each herd group were estimated using bivariate analysis in an animal model and the restricted maximum likelihood method with a derivative free algorithm, using 72,280 first lactations of cows, daughters of 1,880 sires. Heterogeneous variances were found, and Brazilian herds with high PSD had the greatest additive and residual genetic variances and heritability coefficients for MY. MY genetic correlation coefficients between herds of high and low variability within each country were 0.96 and 0.93 while between countries they varied from 0.72 to 0.81, suggesting that there was a reclassification of animals in the two countries and also heterogeneity of variances. This phenomenon leads to the questioning of the strategy of imported semen usage and the need to do genetic evaluations to identify sires with greater genetic potential for (sub) tropical environmental conditions.

Distribution of antibodies against Neospora caninum, BVDV and BHV-1 among cows in brazilian dairy herds with reproductive disorders.

Neospora caninum, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpes virus 1 (BHV-1) are worldwide spread pathogens associated with reproductive problems in cattle. The present work aimed to observe the infection pattern of these three pathogens in two dairy herds with distinct reproductive managements from Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The herds were not vaccinated against either N. caninum, BVDV or BHV-1. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for presence of specific antibodies, and N. caninum IgG avidity was measured in N. caninum positive samples. In herd 1, 34 out of 174 sampled cows (20%) had antibodies to N. caninum and the seropositivity of BVDV and BHV-1 were 62% and 86%, respectively. Of 69 sampled cows in herd 2. 7 (10%) had antibodies to N. caninum, and 49% and 39% were seropositive to BVDV and BHV-1, respectively. The IgG avidity profiles indicated that N. caninum had been present in both herds for some years and that herd 1 had an ongoing horizontal spread of the parasite. The results indicate that the studied reproductive pathogens were present in the herds and partly may have contributed to their reproductive problems.

How FTAI and FTET impact reproductive efficiency of Brazilian dairy herds

Background: Throughout dairy cows evolution, milk production was always the key point to select the superior animal. Currently, several evidences has shown that high milk production have intensively contributed to the decline of dairy cattle fertility. Beyond milk production, dairy cows have their reproductive performance impaired by another factors, heat stress and repeat-breeding. Methods like fixed time artificial insemination and embryo transfer were developed to minimize the effects of these factors, and improve dairy herds profitability. This review aims to show some key-point experiments conducted to improve the efficiency of the self-appointed protocols for artificial insemination and embryo transfer in Brazil, overcoming several reproductive problems. Our goal is to develop cheap and easy self-appointed programs that facilitate animal handling and maximize their reproductive outcomes all over the year. Review: Failure in estrus detection is the mainly limiting factor for the use of artificial insemination in high-production dairy herd. An excellent alternative to overcome the need of estrus detection is fixed time artificial insemination. Many protocols with and without the use of estradiol have been developed to that end. Among the protocols for fixed time artificial insemination without estradiol, DoubleOvsynch has been extensively used recently in American dairy herds. In Brazil, similar pregnancy rate was obtained compared to progesterone-estradiol based protocols for fixed time artificial insemination. Particularities of progesterone-estradiol based protocols as (1) new progesterone device or devices previously used for eight days; (2) different doses of eCG; and (3) the use of estradiol cypionate for fixed time artificial insemination have been studied in Brazil. The use of self-appointed artificial insemination also enabled the reduction of the interval calving-conception compared to cows inseminated following the standing estrus. Regarding the low fertility of repeat breeders and the effect of heat stress at early pregnancy, other methods like embryo transfer became important tools to enhance reproductive efficiency of Brazilian dairy herds. Protocols were also developed to allow fixed time embryo transfer, eliminating the need of estrus detection and improving the reproductive efficiency of lactating recipients. As well as described for fixed time artificial insemination treatments, there is a large variety of hormone combination for fixed time embryo transfer (with and without estradiol). An experiment conducted in Brazil demonstrated that protocols for fixed time embryo transfer without estradiol can be as good as with estradiol to synchronize high-producing Holstein recipients, essentially during summer. Particularities related to embryos cryopreservation, synchronization of the estrus cycle of donors and recipients and the site of embryo release into the uterine horn were also investigated. Greater conception rates were achieved when fresh embryos were transferred compared to frozen-thawed ones. Also, the tight synchronization between donor and recipient (same day of estrus) resulted more pregnancies than when recipients were one day later or in advantage in relation to donors. Moreover, the site of embryo release into the uterine horn (ipsilateral to the corpus luteum) had no effect on pregnancy rates after in vivo produced embryo transfer. Conclusion: Both fixed time artificial insemination and fixed time embryo transfer are important tools to improve reproductive efficiency of high-producing dairy cows. These biotechnologies help bypassing some of the greatest challenges of dairy cattle reproduction: the difficulties of estrus detection, and the low fertility associated to heat stress and repeat breeding.

Molecular epidemiology and extended-spectrum β-lactamases production of klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from three dairy herds

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

Leptospira spp. infection in sheep herds in southeast Brazil

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

Research of Klebsiella pneumoniae in dairy herds

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

Low frequency of Y anomaly detected in Australian Brahman cow-herds

Indicine cattle have lower reproductive performance in comparison to taurine. A chromosomal anomaly characterized by the presence Y markers in females was reported and associated with infertility in cattle. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of the anomaly in Brahman cows. Brahman cows (n = 929) were genotyped for a Y chromosome specific region using real time-PCR. Only six out of 929 cows had the anomaly (0.6%). The anomaly frequency was much lower in Brahman cows than in the crossbred population, in which it was first detected. It also seems that the anomaly doesn't affect pregnancy in the population. Due to the low frequency, association analyses couldn't be executed. Further, SNP signal of the pseudoautosomal boundary region of the Y chromosome was investigated using HD SNP chip. Pooled DNA of non-pregnant and pregnant cows were compared and no difference in SNP allele frequency was observed. Results suggest that the anomaly had a very low frequency in this Australian Brahman population and had no effect on reproduction. Further studies comparing pregnant cows and cows that failed to conceive should be executed after better assembly and annotation of the Y chromosome in cattle.

Desenvolvimento ponderal de bubalinos da raça Murrah criados em pastagem de Brachiaria brizantha no Centro-Oeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Foram analisados os dados de desempenho ponderal de bubalinos Murrah do Sistema de Produção de Leite da Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, campus de Botucatu. Os pesos foram corrigidos às diversas idades-padrão e o modelo incluiu os efeitos de sexo (S), mês (M) e ano (A) de nascimento, classe de idade da búfala ao parto (C) e as interações S x M, S x A, S x C e M x A. As médias ajustadas e respectivos erros-padrão estimados para as características estudadas foram: Peso ao Nascer (PN): 37,71 ± 8,25kg; Peso aos 120 dias (P120): 102,08 ± 16,27kg; Peso aos 240 dias (P240): 169,84 ± 22,83kg; Peso aos 365 dias (P365): 250,59 ± 25,12kg; Peso aos 550 dias (P550): 326,13 ± 39,27kg e Peso aos 730 dias (P730): 389,80 ± 31,26kg. O efeito de sexo (S) foi significativo somente para PN e P365, sendo que machos tenderam a nascer mais pesados que fêmeas. O mês de nascimento (M) exerceu efeito sobre o PN, P120 e P730 sendo que animais nascidos em maio foram os mais pesados ao nascer, enquanto os nascidos em janeiro e maio, foram os mais pesados aos 120 e 730 dias, respectivamente. O efeito de ano de foi significativo sobre o PN, P120, P240 e P730. Os filhos de búfalas das classes de idade 1 (3 anos ou menos) e da classe 6 (10,11 e 12 anos) foram os mais leves e mais pesados ao nascer, respectivamente. O fato de a classe de idade da búfala não exercer efeito sobre os P365, P550 e P730 sugere que, em rebanhos comerciais possa ser feita a substituição de búfalas não gestantes por novilhas prenhes, apesar de esta prática reduzir a média de idade do rebanho de cria. Bubalinos da raça Murrah oriundos de rebanhos leiteiros podem ser utilizados para a produção de carne.

Ovine leptospirosis in Brazil

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

Fatores genéticos e ambientais sobre a probabilidade de prenhez precoce em bovinos Caracu

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genetic associations between age at first calving and heifer body weight and scrotal circumference in Nelore cattle

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise da variabilidade genética aditiva de características de crescimento na raça Nelore

Foram utilizados dados de cinqüenta e um rebanhos participantes do Programa de Melhoramento Genético da Raça Nelore (PMGRN), distribuídos nos estados de Goiás (GO), Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Mato Grosso (MT), Minas Gerais (MG), São Paulo (SP), Maranhão (MA) e Bahia (BA). Foram obtidas estimativas de parâmetros genéticos para os pesos padronizados aos 120 (P120), 455 (P455) e 550 (P550) dias de idade. Análises unicaráter e bicaráter foram realizadas por modelo animal usando o aplicativo MTDFREML. Para P120 foi utilizado um modelo que incluiu como efeitos fixos, grupo de contemporâneos e classe de idade da vaca ao parto, e como aleatórios, os efeitos genéticos direto, materno e de ambiente permanente da vaca. Para P455 e P550, o modelo utilizado incluiu os mesmos efeitos fixos e o efeito genético direto do animal. ANas análises unicaráter, as estimativas de herdabilidade direta foram 0,29, 0,51 e 0,47 para P120, P455 e P550, respectivamente. Nas análises bicaráter, observaram-se coeficientes de herdabilidade direta de 0,50 e 0,58 para P120, 0,50 e 0,53 para P455 e 0,44 e 0,49 para P550. As correlações genéticas estimadas entre P120 e P455, P120 e P550 e P455 e P550, foram 0,92, 0,93 e 0,96, respectivamente. As estimativas de herdabilidade obtidas para P455 e as correlações genéticas deste peso com P120 e P550 sugerem que a avaliação genética pode ser feita aos 15 meses de idade em substituição aos 18 meses.

Técnicas de análise multivariada na determinação de grupos homogêneos de produtores de leite

Nesta pesquisa objetivou-se captar a variedade de situações tecnológicas para identificar grupos de produtores, o mais semelhante possível, no conjunto de variáveis e características selecionadas. Foram considerados 72 produtores, 8,33% da amostra total, selecionados conforme 29 variáveis relacionadas a fatores produtivos. Avaliaram-se as variáveis de melhor representatividade dentro de cada fator e suas comunalidades dentro do conjunto de fatores analisados. Para a avaliação desses resultados, foram utilizados métodos de análise fatorial em componentes principais. Posteriormente, aplicou-se o método de análise de agrupamentos. O pluralismo tecnológico requer análises de agrupamento para viabilizar intervenções técnicas diferenciadas, o que permite a consolidação de condições de sustentabilidade a partir das reais necessidades de incorporação tecnológica dos produtores.