Food intake and digestive efficiency in temperate wool and tropic semi-arid hair lambs fed different concentrate: forage ratio diets

This work was conducted to evaluate food intake and digestive efficiency of temperate wool and tropic semi-arid hair lambs, according to different concentrate: forage ratios in diet. Twenty-four lambs, averaging 90 +/- 1.8 days old and a mean body weight of 20 +/- 0.69 kg, 12 of them wool lambs, F, from Ideal x Ile de France crossing, and 12 others pure Santa Ines hair lambs, were distributed into a four replication 3 x 2 factorial arrangement consisting of three diets and two genotypes. Experimental diets consisted of: D1 = 60% concentrate mix (C) and 40% Cynodon sp. cv. Tifton-85 hay (F), D2 = 40% C and 60% F, and D3 = 20% C and 80% F. D1 was formulated for a daily gain of 300g per animal. Increasing forage levels in diets resulted in linear reductions (P < 0.01) in DM, OM, CP, TCH and metabolizable energy (ME) intake, and a linear increase (P < 0.01) in NDF ingestion. Tropic semi-arid hair lambs had higher DM, OM, NDF, CP, and TCH intake than temperate wool lambs. Although there were no genotype effects in OM and GE coefficient of digestibility, hair lambs showed more efficient (P < 0.05) digestibility of DM, CP, NDF and TCH. Increases in forage levels of diets corresponded to a negative linear effect (P < 0.01) in the apparent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, TCH and GE, while apparent digestibility of NDF increased linearly (P < 0.01). Total endogenous nitrogen (fecal plus urinary N) for F(1) Ideal x Ilede France wool and Santa Ines hair lambs were, respectively, 182 and 312 mg/kg(0.75) per day. Thus, Santa Ines tropic semi-arid hair lambs showed to be more responsive than F(1) Ideal x Ile de France temperate wool lambs to low quality fibrous diets. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of the maximum force due to skull impact in fights between sheep of the Ovis aries species

The present article presents a means of determining the maximum impact force between two bodies from the determination of the involved impulse in the impact and the sound emitted by the shock of the bodies during this impact.It also presents a case study applied to the shock between the skulls of male sheep of the Ovis aries species. These animals do not possess horns and dispute the territorial leadership by fighting, during which the skull is used as a weapon of attack, similar to a battering ram.Initially, a revision of basic physics approaching the theory of impulse is made, which shows that the average force during an impact can be obtained by the quantity of movement of the bodies. In its turn, the quantity of movement is obtained through the average speed of approach and the mass of the bodies. The maximum force is obtained from the average force, using the approach of the Force X Time curve with the Sonorous Intensity X Time Curve.In order to study the case of a shock between two sheep, the mass of the bodies was obtained through direct weighing and the average speed of approach obtained indirectly through filming, thus making possible the calculation of the average force. The Sonorous Intensity X Time Curve was obtained through the recording of the sound of the impact during a filmed fight, with later manipulation through computer programs. With this data the maximum force exercised between the skull of the sheep during the impact was obtained, which will be used in later studies.

Determination of cocaine in samples of hair using the chromatographic column, ISRP-C-18

A method has been developed for the determination of the cocaine levels in samples of hair, using a chromatographic column internal surface reverse phase (ISRP)-C-18, for direct injection of the extracts of hair, without purification or derivation of the sample. The method allows monitoring an individual stopped for using or making cocaine. This method allowed the determination of levels of cocaine concentration in 75% of the analyzed samples of chemical dependents' hair, with cocaine detected at levels of 0.37-16.85 mug g(-1). In the other analyzed samples (25%), the drug was not detected, because the corresponding individuals told us that they consumed cocaine infrequently and in small amounts. The detection

Identification of quantitative trait loci affecting resistance to gastrointestinal parasites in a double backcross population of Red Maasai and Dorper sheep

A genome-wide scan for quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting gastrointestinal nematode resistance in sheep was completed using a double backcross population derived from Red Maasai and Dorper ewes bred to F1 rams. This design provided an opportunity to map potentially unique genetic variation associated with a parasite-tolerant breed like Red Maasai, a breed developed to survive East African grazing conditions. Parasite indicator phenotypes (blood packed cell volume PCV and faecal egg count FEC) were collected on a weekly basis from 1064 lambs during a single 3-month post-weaning grazing challenge on infected pastures. The averages of last measurements for FEC (AVFEC) and PCV (AVPCV), along with decline in PCV from challenge start to end (PCVD), were used to select lambs (N = 371) for genotyping that represented the tails (10% threshold) of the phenotypic distributions. Marker genotypes for 172 microsatellite loci covering 25 of 26 autosomes (1560.7 cm) were scored and corrected by Genoprob prior to qxpak analysis that included BoxCox transformed AVFEC and arcsine transformed PCV statistics. Significant QTL for AVFEC and AVPCV were detected on four chromosomes, and this included a novel AVFEC QTL on chromosome 6 that would have remained undetected without BoxCox transformation methods. The most significant P-values for AVFEC, AVPCV and PCVD overlapped the same marker interval on chromosome 22, suggesting the potential for a single causative mutation, which remains unknown. In all cases, the favourable QTL allele was always contributed from Red Maasai, providing support for the idea that future marker-assisted selection for genetic improvement of production in East Africa will rely on markers in linkage disequilibrium with these QTL.

Anthelmintic effects of condensed tannins on Trichostrongylus colubriformis in experimentally infected sheep

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

Ovariectomy by laparotomy, a video-assisted approach or a complete laparoscopic technique in Santa Ines sheep

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

In vitro Anthelmintic effect of Melia azedarach L. and Triclinia claussenii C. against sheep gastrointestinal nematodes

The control of parasitic diseases in small ruminants is mainly done with the use of synthetic anthelmintics. However, incorrect and indiscriminate use of these products has caused the emergence of parasite resistance. Plants with anthelmintic activity are used in folk veterinary medicine, but it is necessary to investigate and scientifically validate low-cost phytotherapeutic alternatives for future use to control gastrointestinal nematodes in small ruminants by family farmers. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic effect of plant extracts from Melia azedarach and Trichilia claussenii by the egg hatch test (EHT) and larval development test (LDT) against sheep gastrointestinal nematodes. The hexane extract of M. azedarach fruits was extracted through cold percolation and the methanol extract of T. claussenii leaves was obtained by extraction at room temperature in solvents in order of increasing polarity. The efficacy results were analyzed using the Probit program of SAS. The M. azedarach extract showed a LC50 of 572.2 mu g/mL and LC99 of 1137.8 mu g/mL in the EHT, and LC50 of 0.7 mu g/mL and LC99 of 60.81 mu g/mL in the LDT. In turn, the T. claussenii extract presented a LC50 of 263.8 mu g/mL and LC99 of 522.5 mu g/mL in the EHTand LC50 of 1.11 mu g/mL and LC99 of 26.4 mu g/mL in the LDT. Comparing the extracts of the species from the Meliaceae family, T. claussenii showed greater anti-parasite potential in vitro than M. azedarach. However, studies on the isolated compounds, toxicity and administration forms to animals are also needed to validate low-cost alternative herbal remedies for use to control gastrointestinal nematodes by family farmers. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The determination of iron, lead, copper and zinc in the hair of children between 22 and 85 months old

In this study the levels of Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn, determined in hair of healthy children (25-85 months), living at Araraquara (São Paulo, Brasil) are reported. Analytical determinations were carried out by using atomic absorption spectrometry employing an air acetylene flame. The results obtained are discussed with regard to effect of sex and age, as well compared with others analogous studies.

Epidemiology of sheep myiases in São Paulo State, Brazil

A survey of Diptera species causing cutaneous myiases on sheep in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil was made to determine seasonal incidence, predilection sites and the factors predisposing to infestation. Sheep were checked daily for myiases for one year. At two week intervals larvae from wounds were collected for identification. Only larvae of Dermatobia hominis and Cochliomyia hominivorax were found. Myiases due to C. hominivorax were observed during the whole year with high incidence from January to April. The feet, vulva, tail and scrotum were most frequently infested. Wounds were the commonest predisposing factor. © 1992 Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh.