Biochemical polymorphisms and genetic relationships between Brazilian and foreign breeds of pigs reared in Brazil

Foi investigada a variabilidade genética de 14 sistemas protéicos codificados por 15 locos estruturais em amostras de sangue de suínos das raças Piau e Caruncho. Os resultados foram comparados com àqueles obtidos previamente para amostras de Landrace, Large White, Duroc e Mouro. O grau de variabilidade genética obtida para Piau (He=0,114) foi similar àquelas estimadas para outras raças criadas no Brasil (Landrace, He=0,116; Large White, He=0,119; Duroc, 0,095; Mouro, He= 0,130). Caruncho apresentou a menor variabilidade (He= 0,056). A partir das freqüências gênicas dos locos polimórficos, foi calculada a eficiência de cada sistema para testes de paternidade e as probabilidades combinadas de exclusão de paternidade foram estimadas em 58% para Piau e 36% para Caruncho. Análises das distâncias genéticas revelaram que a raça mais próxima da Piau foi a Landrace (D=0,042). Caruncho apresentou as maiores divergências em relação a todas as raças comparadas, que variaram de 0,107 (com Landrace) a 0,176 (com Duroc). A árvore construída através de UPGMA e Distância de Rogers mostrou uma topologia na qual Piau e Mouro se uniram as raças Européias (Landrace e Large White), e Caruncho está separado de todas as demais raças. Os resultados das análises das amostras de Caruncho devem ser interpretados com cautela, uma vez que o número de animais estudados foi pequeno.

Genetic polymorphism and relationships among several swine populations of landrace, large white and duroc breeds

Para estudar o relacionamento genético entre as raças suínas Landrace, Large White e Duroc foram utilizados os dados sobre três polimorfismos protéicos, investigados em três amostras brasileiras e em 13 populações de outros países, incluindo uma população de Landrace Belga. O dendrograma, construído a partir da matriz dos coeficientes de distância genética, mostrou três grandes grupos reunidos por raça. Os agrupamentos de Landrace e os de Large White mostraram em média maior semelhança entre si (D = 0,203) do que entre eles e os de Duroc (D = 0,241). Nas três raças, as menores distâncias genéticas foram verificadas entre as populações brasileiras e as cubanas (Landrace: D = 0,060; Large White: D = 0,052; Duroc: D = 0,065), apesar de não haver relatos de trocas de animais entre estes dois países.

Nutrient intake and digestibility of the lipid residue of biodiesel from palm oil in sheep

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of lipid residue of biodiesel originated in the processing of palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) in the diet on the digestibility of feedlot lambs. Twenty-five crossbred male castrated lambs, weighing 20±1.61 kg, were distributed in randomized blocks with five treatments and five replications. The experimental period lasted 22 days; 15 for diet adaptation, 2 for the adaptation to the indicator LIPE (lignin from Eucalyptus grandis isolated, purified and enriched, UFMG, Minas Gerais) and 5 for fecal sampling. Diets were formulated with 64% concentrate based on corn and soybean meal, 31% Massai grass (Panicum maximum cv. Massai) hay and 5% lipid supplementation from increasing levels of substitution of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of palm oil for biodiesel oil from palm residue. The lambs were offered two meals a day, at 7h00 and 16h00. There was linear effect of inclusion of the residue from palm oil biodiesel on dry matter intake. There was no change in digestibility of nutrients except for ether extract. The use of biodiesel from palm oil residue up to 100% replacement for the lipid supplementation of sheep positively influences the consumption without altering the digestibility of nutrients.

Detecção molecular e subtipagem de Cryptosporidium spp. em caprinos, ovinos, bovinos, leitões e eqüinos jovens

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

Effect of alternate and simultaneous grazing on endoparasite infection in sheep and cattle

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Production of sheep grazing on nitrogen-fertilized tifton 85 grass in continuous stocking

Biomass and forage volume density and the performance and stocking rate of sheep on pastures with nitrogen-fertilized Tifton 85 and subjected to a continuous stocking system were evaluated. Four doses of nitrogen (0, 100, 200, and 400 kg ha-1 year), arranged in an experimental design with randomized blocks and four replications, were analyzed. Sixteen paddocks and Santa Inês sheep were used as test animals, coupled to crossbreed Santa Inês sheep as regulating animal stocking. Nitrogen-fertilized Tifton 85 pastures increased the amount of forage biomass and volume density which affected stocking rate and weight gain of sheep in continuous grazing. When pastures with Tifton 85 were administered in variable load continuous stocking, with grass kept at 15 cm, nitrogen fertilization up to 400 kg ha-1 year is recommended.

Tropical tanniniferous legumes used as an option to mitigate sheep enteric methane emission

This study presents the first results from Brazil using SF6 tracer technique adapted from cattle to evaluate the capability of condensed tannin (CT) present in three tropical legume forages, Leucaena leucocephala (LEU), Styzolobium aterrimum (STA), and Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia Benth (MIM) to reduce enteric CH4 production in Santa Ins sheep. Twelve male lambs [27.88 +/- 2.85 kg body weight (BW)] were allocated in individual metabolic cages for 20-day adaptation followed by 6 days for measuring dry matter intake (DMI) and CH4 emission. All lambs received water, mineral supplement, and Cynodon dactylon v. coast-cross hay ad libitum. The treatments consisted of soybean meal (710 g/kg) and ground corn (290 g/kg) [control (CON)]; soybean meal (150 g/kg), ground corn (30 g/kg), and Leucaena hay (820 g/kg) (LEU); soybean meal (160 g/kg), ground corn (150 g/kg), and Mucuna hay (690 g/kg) (STA); and soybean meal (280 g/kg), ground corn (190 g/kg), and Mimosa hay (530 g/kg) (MIM); all calculated to provide 40 g/kg CT (except for CON). DMI (in grams of DMI per kilogram BW per day) was lower for LEU (22.0) than CON (29.3), STA (31.2), and MIM (31.6). The LEU group showed emission of 7.8 g CH4/day, significantly lower than CON (10.5 g CH4/day), STA (10.4 g CH4/day), and MIM (11.3 g CH4/day). However, when the CH4 emission per DMI was considered, there were no significant differences among treatments (0.37, 0.36, 0.33, and 0.35 g CH4/g DMI/kg BW/day, respectively, for CON, LEU, STA, and MIM). The sheep receiving STA had shown a tendency (p = 0.15) to reduce methane emission when compared to the CON group. Therefore, it is suggested that tropical tanniniferous legumes may have potential to reduce CH4 emission in sheep, but more research is warranted to confirm these results.

High occurrence of Cryptosporidium ubiquitum and Giardia duodenalis genotype E in sheep from Brazil

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)

Investigation of the genetic diversity of domestic Capra hircus breeds reared within an early goat domestication area in Iran

Background: Iran is an area of particular interest for investigating goat diversity. Archaeological remains indicate early goat domestication (about 10 000 years ago) in the Iranian Zagros Mountains as well as in the high Euphrates valley and southeastern Anatolia. In addition, mitochondrial DNA data of domestic goats and wild ancestors (C. aegagrusor bezoar) suggest a pre-domestication management of wild populations in southern Zagros and central Iranian Plateau. In this study genetic diversity was assessed in seven Iranian native goat breeds, namely Markhoz, Najdi, Taleshi, Khalkhali, Naini, native Abadeh and Turki-Ghashghaei. A total of 317 animals were characterized using 14 microsatellite loci. Two Pakistani goat populations, Pahari and Teddy, were genotyped for comparison.Results: Iranian goats possess a remarkable genetic diversity (average expected heterozygosity of 0.671 across loci, 10.7 alleles per locus) mainly accounted for by the within-breed component (G(ST) = 5.9%). Positive and highly significant F-IS values in the Naini, Turki-Ghashghaei, Abadeh and Markhoz breeds indicate some level of inbreeding in these populations. Multivariate analyses cluster Iranian goats into northern, central and western groups, with the western breeds relatively distinct from the others. Pakistani breeds show some relationship with Iranian populations, even if their position is not consistent across analyses. Gene flow was higher within regions (west, north, central) compared to between regions but particularly low between the western and the other two regions, probably due to the isolating topography of the Zagros mountain range. The Turki-Ghashghaei, Najdi and Abadeh breeds are reared in geographic areas where mtDNA provided evidence of early domestication. These breeds are highly variable, located on basal short branches in the neighbor-joining tree, close to the origin of the principal component analysis plot and, although highly admixed, they are quite distinct from those reared on the western side of the Zagros mountain range.Conclusions: These observations call for further investigation of the nuclear DNA diversity of these breeds within a much wider geographic context to confirm or re-discuss the current hypothesis (based on maternal lineage data) of an almost exclusive contribution of the eastern Anatolian bezoar to the domestic goat gene pool.

Immune response to Haemonchus contortus and Haemonchus placei in sheep and its role on parasite specificity

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

Sustainable worm control practices in South America

A high prevalence of nematodes, especially Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis, that exhibit multiple anthelmintics resistance has been reported in sheep in several South American countries. For this reason, the development of strategies that are less dependent on anthelmintic treatments is imperative for the prophylaxis of gastrointestinal nematode infections in small ruminants. Integrated grazing using cattle and sheep can be used for pasture decontamination with considerable reduction of H. contortus and T. colubnformis infective larvae after cattle grazing. Several breeds of sheep exhibit genetically related resistance against nematode infections, as is the case of crioulo, native or naturalised breeds of sheep. These breeds descend from livestock introduced by Portuguese and Spanish settlers and have been submitted to a long process of natural selection in various environmental conditions. In the South, the Crioula Lanada breed is more resistant to H. contortus than are Corriedale sheep. In tropical areas, where the minimum temperatures are usually higher than 20 degrees C, hair sheep flourish, especially the Santa Ines breed, which also display a higher level of resistance to nematode infections compared with certain breeds of European origin. However, Santa Ines sheep have inferior carcass quality compared with other commercial breeds. Recent studies showed that the crossbreeding of Santa Ines ewes with sires of breeds with high potential for growth and meat production, results in crossbred animals with high productivity and a satisfactory degree of resistance against nematode infections. Several studies have indicated that improvement in nutrition has a beneficial effect on the development of resistance in lambs that were naturally or artificially infected with nematodes. Therefore, supplementary feeding and breeding strategies to improve resistance to nematodes are feasible options in the effort to reduce dependence on anthelmintic drugs to control worm infections in sheep. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli in healthy, pasture-raised sheep on farms and at the abattoir in Brazil

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

Morphological traits and type of dairy goats registered in Brazil from 1976 to 2009

Data from 2439 goats of the Saanen, Alpine, Anglo Nubian and Toggenburg breeds recorded from 1976 to 2009 by the Association of Goats and Sheep Breeders of Minas Gerais were used in principal component analysis. After consistency of data, six morphological variables (thorax perimeter, body length, withers height, height, width and length of the rump) and 12 variables related to breed standard score and fitness (breed characteristic, head, palette and topline, feet and legs, dairy type, body capacity, udder, rear and front ligament, udder texture, teat and final score) were analyzed. Based on the magnitude of the eigenvalue (lower than 0.7), eleven variables considered redundant were discarded, resulting in reduced costs of technician labor to evaluate the animals. Maintenance of records on height, length, rump width, breed characteristic, dairy type, front ligament and udder texture is recommended.

Eimeria species in young and adult sheep raised under intensive and/or semi-intensive systems of a herd from Umuarama city, Parana State, Brazil

The present study aimed to identify Eimeria species in young and adult sheep raised under intensive and / or semi-intensive systems of a herd from Umuarama city, Parana State, Brazil using the traditional diagnostic methods and to correlate the infection level/types of infection in the different age/system in this herd. Fecal samples were collected from the rectum of 210 sheep and were subjected to laboratory analysis to differentiate the species. Furthermore, animals were observed to determine the occurrences of the clinical or subclinical forms of eimeriosis. Out of the 210 collected fecal samples, 147 (70%) were positive for Eimeria oocysts, and 101 (47.86%) belonged to young animals that were raised under intensive and / or semi-intensive farming systems. Oocysts from 9 species of Eimeria parasites were identified in the sheep at the following prevalence rates: E. crandallis, 50.0%; E. parva, 21.6%; E. faurei, 8.1%; E. ahsata, 8.1%; E. intricata, 5.4%; E. granulosa, 2.7%; E. ovinoidalis, 2.0%; E. ovina, 1.3%; and E. bakuensis, 0.6%. There were no differences regarding the more frequent Eimeria species among the different ages of animals or between the different farming management systems. Based on these data, E. crandallis was the most prevalent, followed by E. parva and E. faurei species, regardless of the age. Higher parasitism was diagnosed in the young animals that were raised in a confinement regime, and the disease found in the herd was classified as subclinical. Further studies should be conducted in this herd, to verify if the eimeriosis subclinical can cause damage especially in young animals with a high level of infection.