Benefits of automated acclimatization during the pre-milking phase of lactating girolando cows

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the automated acclimatization effects during pre-milking of cows on thermal conditioning, physiology, milk production and cost-benefit of the automated adiabatic evaporative cooling system (AECS). The treatments 20; 30; 40 min and control consisted of exposure time of pre-milking cows to the automated AECS. Sixteen cows were used with an average daily milk yield of 19 kg, distributed in a 4 x 4 Latin square design. The Tukey's test (P<0.05) was used to compare the means. The environmental variables, dry bulb temperature (DBT, ºC) and relative humidity (RH, %), were recorded every minute, which allowed the determination of the system efficiency through the Temperature and Humidity Index (THI). The respiratory rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT) and temperature of the coat (TC) were measured before and after the acclimatization. The 40 min treatment kept the environmental variables and the comfort indexes within recommended limits. The physiological variables (RR, RT and TC) were lower in the 40 min treatment and reflected positively on milk production, which increased 3.66% compared to the control treatment. The system was profitable, having a 43 days return on investment and a monthly revenue increase of R$ 1,992.67.

Decomposition kinetics of gaseous ozone in peanuts

This study was conducted to evaluate the decomposition kinetics of gaseous ozone in peanut grains. This evaluation was made with 1-kg peanut samples, moisture contents being 7.1 and 10.5% wet basis (w.b.), placed in 3-liter glass containers. The peanut grains were ozonated at the concentration of 450 µg L-1, at 25 and 35 ºC, with gas flow rates of 1.0 and 3.0 L min-1. Time of saturation was determined by quantifying the residual concentration of ozone after the gas passed through the grains to constant mass. The decomposition kinetics of ozone was evaluated after the grain mass was ozone-saturated. For the peanut grains whose moisture content was 7.1% (w.b.), at 25 and 35ºC and with flow rates of 1.0 and 3.0 L min-1, the values obtained for time of saturation of gaseous ozone ranged between 173 and 192 min; the concentration of saturation was approximately 260 µg L-1. For the grains whose moisture content was 10.5% (w.b.), a higher residual concentration of gaseous ozone was obtained at 25 ºC, that of 190 µg L-1. As regards the half-life of ozone, the highest value obtained was equivalent to 7.7 min for grains ozonated at 25 ºC, while for those with moisture content of 10.5% at 35 ºC, half-life was 3.2 min. In the process of ozone decomposition in peanut grains, temperature was concluded to be the key factor. An increase of 10 ºC in the temperature of the grains results in a decrease of at least 43% in the half-life of ozone.

Modeling and simulation of forced-air cooling of strawberries using variable convective coefficient

In the forced-air cooling process of fruits occurs, besides the convective heat transfer, the mass transfer by evaporation. The energy need in the evaporation is taken from fruit that has its temperature lowered. In this study it has been proposed the use of empirical correlations for calculating the convective heat transfer coefficient as a function of surface temperature of the strawberry during the cooling process. The aim of this variation of the convective coefficient is to compensate the effect of evaporation in the heat transfer process. Linear and exponential correlations are tested, both with two adjustable parameters. The simulations are performed using experimental conditions reported in the literature for the cooling of strawberries. The results confirm the suitability of the proposed methodology.

Energetic efficiency of a deep bed swine production system

The aim of this work was to evaluate the energy flows of a commercial production system of swine deep bed in its finishing phase, located in Juiz de Fora, in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thus, an energy efficiency study was carried out by monitoring a lot of animals, during a 94-day period. The energy rate of each compound involved in the production process was quantified and the matrixes of energy consumption were determined in the form of animal feeding, electrical energy, piglets, material used as deep bed, human labor, equipment, swine buildings, production of alive swine for slaughter, organic fertilizer production (swine deep bed or swine deep litter). From the direct input energy, 80.57% correspond to animal feeding, 11.90% to pigs for slaughter and 6.76% to piglets, while from the energy output 53.45% correspond to the terminating swine and 46.55% to organic fertilizer (swine deep bed). By the results obtained, we can conclude that such production system has corresponded to an industrial and highly specialized agro ecosystem, importing a great part of the energy consumed in the production process, with 41% of energy efficiency.

Anaerobic co-digestion of crude glycerin and starch industry effluent

The Brazil's Biodiesel Production and Use Program introduces biodiesel in the Brazilian energy matrix, bringing along the perspective of a growth of the glycerin offer, co-product generated in the proportion of 10 kg for each 100 L of biodiesel. The aim of this study was to evaluate the addition of crude glycerin in the anaerobic digestion of cassava starch industry effluent (cassava wastewater), in a horizontal semi-continuous flow reactor of one phase in laboratory scale. It was used a reactor with a 8.77 L of useful volume, a medium support for corrugated conduit of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), temperature of 261 ºC, fed with cassava wastewater and glycerin, with hydraulic detention times of 4 and 5 days and increasing volumetric organic load of 3.05; 9.32; 14.83 and 13.59 g COD L-1 d-1, obtained with the addition of glycerin at 0; 2; 3 and 2% (v/v), respectively. The average removal efficiencies of TS and TVS were decreasing from the addition of glycerin to the cassava wastewater, averaging 81.19 to 55.58% for TS and 90.21 to 61.45% for TVS. The addition of glycerin at 2% increased the biogas production compared to the control treatment, reaching 1.979 L L-1 d-1. The biogas production as a function of the consumed COD was higher for the control treatment than for the treatments with addition of glycerin, which indicates lower conversion of organic matter into biogas.

Evaluation of roof slope and exposure with different roofing materials in reduced models of animal production facilities in spring and summer

The present study was conducted at the Department of Rural Engineering and the Department of Animal Morphology and Physiology of FCAV/Unesp, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. The objective was to verify the influence of roof slope, exposure and roofing material on the internal temperature of reduced models of animal production facilities. For the development of the research, 48 reduced and dissemble models with dimensions 1.00 × 1.00 × 0.50 m were used. The roof was shed-type, and the models faced to the North or South directions, with 24 models for each side of exposure. Ceramic, galvanized-steel and fibro tiles were used to build the roofs. Slopes varied between 20, 30, 40 and 50% for the ceramic tile and 10, 30, 40 and 50% for the other two. Inside the models, temperature readings were performed at every hour, for 12 months. The results were evaluated in a general linear model in a nested 3 × 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, in which the effects of roofing material and exposure were nested on the factor Slope. Means were compared by the Tukey test at 5% of probability. After analyzing the data, we observed that with the increase in the slope and exposure to the South, there was a drop in the internal temperature within the model at the geographic coordinates of Jaboticabal city (SP/Brazil).

Internal ambience of beehives Apis mellifera with different colors and roofing materials in the sub middle of the São Francisco Valley

ABSTRACTThe current study aimed to evaluate the influence of three colors and two types of roofing materials under the internal temperature of bee colonies Apis mellifera. The experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Sciences Campus at the Federal University of Sao Francisco Valley located in Petrolina-PE, in November and December 2013, using 24 colonies housed in Langstroth hives. The experiment was a completely randomized factorial design (3x2) with three colors of box (blue, white, and traditional) and two types of cover (with and without the use of plaster) with six treatments and four replications. The internal temperature dates of the colonies were hourly recorded, during 24 hours, and surface temperatures were hourly recorded between 08h00 and 17h00. The highest values for surface and internal temperature were registered in the blue painted boxes without the use of plasterboard, and the blue painted boxes covered with plasterboard respectively. However, the lowest values ​​were found in the white painted hives and hives that have not received the plasterboard. It is recommended to paint boxes with bright colors, and the use of plasterboard had no effect in reducing the internal temperature.

Climate trends in the municipality of Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

ABSTRACTChanges in the frequency of occurrence of extreme weather events have been pointed out as a likely impact of global warming. In this context, this study aimed to detect climate change in series of extreme minimum and maximum air temperature of Pelotas, State of Rio Grande do Sul, (1896 - 2011) and its influence on the probability of occurrence of these variables. We used the general extreme value distribution (GEV) in its stationary and non-stationary forms. In the latter case, GEV parameters are variable over time. On the basis of goodness-of-fit tests and of the maximum likelihood method, the GEV model in which the location parameter increases over time presents the best fit of the daily minimum air temperature series. Such result describes a significant increase in the mean values of this variable, which indicates a potential reduction in the frequency of frosts. The daily maximum air temperature series is also described by a non-stationary model, whose location parameter decreases over time, and the scale parameter related to sample variance rises between the beginning and end of the series. This result indicates a drop in the mean of daily maximum air temperature values and increased dispersion of the sample data.

The use of infrared thermography in the identification of pododermatitis in broilers

ABSTRACT International trade in broiler’ feet, mainly to Asian markets, has demanded better quality control. The objective of this research was to study the suitability of using chicken footpad surface temperature to determine early lesions of pododermatitis. The project was conducted in two houses A1 and A2) in a commercial farm during one production flock. A1 had reused litter of wood shavings and rice hulls, and A2 had a new litter of sawdust. Both houses had positive pressure ventilation. The inner area of the poultry was virtually divided into three quadrants. The footpads were checked for the feet quality, and a degree of pododermatitis was awarded. Thermal images were made to test the surface temperature of the foot and identify inflammation in a total of 30 birds per house, at ages 5, 19, 29, 28 and 40 days of grow-out. Conditions of the rearing environment as well as the surface temperature of the litter, litter moisture, and degree of compression, were recorded. The environment within the houses did not differ. The surface temperatures of the footpad did not differ between the groups. The minimum footpad surface temperatures within the scores were similar, except for the score 3, which did not occur in A1. There was a prevalence of severe injury in the house with a new litter.

Natural history of extensive diaphragmatic injury on the right side: experimental study in rats

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the natural healing of the rat diaphragm that suffered an extensive right penetrating injury.METHODS: Animals were submitted to an extensive penetrating injury in right diaphragm. The sample consisted of 40 animals. The variables studied were initial weight, weight 21 days after surgery; healing of the diaphragm, non-healing of the diaphragm, and herniated abdominal contents into the chest.RESULTS: Ten animals were used as controls for weight and 30 animals were operated. Two animals died during the experiment, so 28 animals formed the operated group; healing of the diaphragm occurred in 15 animals (54%), 11 other animals showed diaphragmatic hernia (39%) and in two we observed only diaphragmatic injury without hernia (7%). Among the herniated organs, the liver was found in 100% of animals, followed by the omentum in 77%, small bowel in 62%, colon in 46%, stomach in 31% and spleen in 15%. The control group and the diaphragmatic healing subgroup showed increased weight since the beginning of the study and the 21 days after surgery (p <0.001). The unhealed group showed no change in weight (p = 0.228).CONCLUSION: there is a predominance of spontaneous healing in the right diaphragm; animals in which there was no healing of the diaphragm did not gain weight, and the liver was the organ present in 100% the diaphragmatic surface in all rats with healed diaphragm or not.

Closure of large wounds using rubber bands in rabbits

OBJECTIVE: to verify the effectiveness of the rubber elastic band in the treatment of large wounds of the body wall of rabbits by means of traction of its edges. METHODS: we studied 30 New Zealand rabbits, divided into three groups (n=10): Group 1- healing by secondary intention; Group 2- removal and eutopic repositioning of skin as full thickness skin graft; Group 3- Approximation of wound edges with elastic rubber band. In all animals, we removed a segment of the back skin and subcutaneous tissue down to the fascia, in accordance with an acrylic mold of 8cm long by 12cm wide. All animals were observed for 21 days. RESULTS: two animals of groups 1 and 2 had wound abscess. In Group 2, there was partial or total graft loss in 90% of animals. The complete closure of the wounds was observed in four animals of Group 1, six of Group 2 and eight of Group 3. There was no difference between the scar resistance values of groups 2 and 3, which were higher than those in Group 1. The scars of the three groups were characterized by the presence of mature connective tissue mixed with blood vessels and inflammatory infiltration, predominantly polymorphonuclear. CONCLUSION: the tensile strength of the wound edges with rubber elastic band is as efficient as the skin graft to treat rabbits' large body wounds.

Influence of preoperative supplementation of omega-3 fatty acid in the healing of colonic anastomoses in malnourished rats receiving paclitaxel

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of preoperative supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids on the healing of colonic anastomoses in malnourished rats receiving paclitaxel. METHODS: we studied 160 male Wistar rats, divided in two groups: one subjected to malnutrition by pair feeding (M) for four weeks, and another that received food ad libitum (W). In the fourth week, the groups were further divided into two subgroups that received omega-3 or olive oil by gavage. The animals were submitted to colonic transection and end-to-end anastomosis. After the operation, each of the four groups was divided into two subgroups that received intraperitoneal isovolumetric solutions of saline or paclitaxel. RESULTS: mortality was 26.8% higher in the group of animals that received paclitaxel (p = 0.003). The complete rupture strength was greater in well-nourished-oil Paclitaxel group (WOP) compared with the the malnourished-oil Paclitaxel one (MOP). The collagen maturation index was higher in well-nourished-oil saline group (WOS) in relation to the malnutrition-oil-saline group (MOS), lower in malnourished-oil-saline group (MOS) in relation to malnourished-ômega3-saline one (M3S) and lower in the well-nourished-omega3-saline group (W3S) compared with the malnourished-omega3-saline (M3S). The blood vessel count was higher in the malnourished-oil-saline group (MOS) than in the malnourished-oil-paclitaxel group (MOP) and lower in the malnourished-oil-saline group (MOS) in relation to the malnourished-omega3-paclitaxel group (M3P). CONCLUSION: supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a significant increase in the production of mature collagen in malnourished animals, with a reversal of the harmful effects caused by malnutrition associated with the use of paclitaxel on the rupture strength, and with a stimulus to neoangiogenesis in the group receiving paclitaxel.

Use of surgical mesh of different compositions in the correction of the abdominal wall defect in rats

Objective: To analyze the performance of two surgical meshes of different compositions during the defect healing process of the abdominal wall of rats. Methods: thirty-three adult Wistar rats were anesthetized and subjected to removal of an area of 1.5 cm x 2 cm of the anterior abdominal wall, except for the skin; 17 animals had the defect corrected by edge-to-edge surgical suture of a mesh made of polypropylene + poliglecaprone (Group U - UltraproTM); 16 animals had the defect corrected with a surgical mesh made of polypropylene + polidioxanone + cellulose (Group P - ProceedTM). Each group was divided into two subgroups, according to the euthanasia moment (seven days or 28 days after the operation). Parameters analyzed were macroscopic (adherence), microscopic (quantification of mature and immature collagen) and tensiometric (maximum tension and maximum rupture strength). Results : there was an increase in collagen type I in the ProceedTM group from seven to 28 days, p = 0.047. Also, there was an increase in the rupture tension on both groups when comparing the two periods. There was a lower rupture tension and tissue deformity with ProceedTM mesh in seven days, becoming equal at day 28. Conclusion : the meshes retain similarities in the final result and more studies with larger numbers of animals must be carried for better assessment.

Effect of Carapa guianensis Aublet (Andiroba) and Orbignya phalerata (Babassu) in colonic healing in rats

Objective: to evaluate the healing effect of the babassu aqueous extract and andiroba oil on open wounds in the cecum of rats. Methods: fifty-four Wistar rats were divided into three groups of 18: 1) babassu group with application of aqueous extract of babassu; 2) andiroba group with application of the oil; and 3) control group, with application of saline solution. All procedures were done by gavage. Each group was divided into three subgroups of six animals according to the observation period of 7, 14 or 21 days. From each animal was removed caecum fragment of 1.5cm² diameter. The areas of the lesions were analyzed macroscopically and resected specimens by light microscopy using hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome. Results: abscess and infection were observed in two aroeira group animals, and in one only hematoma. In relationship to adhesions degree, babassu group had higher incidence of grade II while in the control and aroeira groups predominated adhesions grade I. On microscopic examination on day 7 fibroblast proliferation was greater in aroeira and lower in babassu group (p=0.028). On the 14th day polymorphonuclear were less pronounced in babassu (p=0.007). As for the resistance test of air insufflation, it was observed that in all andiroba group in all tested days showed be higher. As for collagen, on the 7th day it was present in 100% of animals of aroeira group. On the 14th day was more pronounced in the control group and at day 21 similar results were found in the control and aroeira groups. Conclusion: animals in babassu and andiroba groups showed better cecum healing compared to the control group.

Prevalence and geographical distribution of bovine eurytrematosis in cattle slaughtered in northern Paraná, Brazil

A retrospective study of cattle slaughtered in northern Paraná during 2000 was performed to determine the prevalence and geographical distribution of bovine eurytrematosis (BE), as identified by the Federal Inspection Service (SIF). The cattle was from different regions of the State of Paraná; all regions had cattle parasitized by Eurytrema spp. BE was identified in 12.1% (12,534/103,411) of the total number of cattle inspected. Prevalence of animals parasitized by Eurytrema spp varied from 8.3% (Region G, São João do Caiuá, 1,069/12,914) to 40.5% (Region R, Ponta Grossa, 225/555). BE was more prevalent during the month of March (1.6) and markedly reduced during May (-2). A possible seasonal predominance of BE was identified: comparatively fewer cases occurred from April to August, while there was a peak from December to March. The study indicates that bovine eurytrematosis is hypoendemic and occurs in almost all geographical regions of the State of Paraná. The prevalence within this State is variable and may be directly related to factors of the biological cycle of the trematode, particularities of each region, and environmental conditions.