Distal limb osteoarthritis in the horse

The aim of this thesis was to study two objective methods of osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis in horses and use them on the assessment of new intra-articular treatments. The studied methods were a new inertial-sensor based system of lameness detection and cartilage biomarkers in serum. It was found that distal limb flexion is significantly correlated to the presence of metacarpo-phalangeal OA in hind limbs and that inertial-sensors are sensitive in detecting asymmetry in these cases. A positive and significant correlation was observed between Coll2-1 concentration in serum and the presence of joint disease in males and young horses. Fib3-2 measurement has good potential to be used since it is not influenced by sex or age. Using an experimental model of OA, adipose stem cells pre-activated with interferon-gamma decreased joint inflammation and radiographic lesions. In clinical cases, a single injection of high-concentrated and high-molecular weight hyaluronic-acid decreased joint inflammation and biomarkers’ concentration; OSTEOARTRITE DO MEMBRO DISTAL NO CAVALO Resumo: A finalidade desta tese foi estudar dois métodos de diagnóstico objetivo de osteoartrite (OA) em equinos e aplicá-los na avaliação de novas terapias intra-articulares. Utilizou-se um sistema de sensores de movimento e foi avaliada a concentração de biomarcadores de cartilagem no soro. Concluiu-se que a flexão distal positiva está correlacionada com OA na articulação metacarpofalângica nos membros posteriores e que os sensores são sensíveis na detecção de assimetria nestes casos. Existe uma correlação positiva e significativa entre as concentrações de Coll2-1 e a presença de doença articular, sobretudo em machos e jovens. A dosagem de Fib3-2 tem utilidade por não ser influenciada pelo sexo nem idade. Num modelo experimental da doença, a terapia à base de células estaminais reduziu a inflamação articular e as lesões radiográficas. Em casos clínicos, o tratamento com ácido-hialurónico de alta concentração e peso molecular provoca uma diminuição da inflamação articular e dos biomarcadores no soro.

Aplicação de microssatélites na crioconservação da diversidade genética do cavalo lusitano

O género Equus teve origem na América do Norte e alguns exemplares migraram para a Eurásia pelo Estreito de Bering, durante a última glaciação. No fim da glaciação, todos os cavalos do continente americano extinguiram-se, mas sobreviveram nas estepes da Eurásia, na Peninsula lbérica e nas florestas da Europa Ocidental e Central. O cavalo Lusitano teve a sua origem em cavalos selvagens e domesticados da Peninsula lbérica, ocorrendo uma mistura com outros animais trazidos por eventos migratórios ocorridos no passado. Os cavalos deste gene pool contribuiram para o desenvolvimento de outras raças modernas na Europa e foram mais tarde introduzidos e dispersos pelo continente Americano, tornando-se fundadores de numerosas raças do novo mundo. A raça Lusitana é uma raça equina autóctone portuguesa, com especial relevancia económica no panorama nacional e internacional. Apesar de não ser uma raça ameaçada, alguns autores defendem que a informação genealógica disponivel (pedigrees) indica que uma utilização excessiva de um reduzido número de reprodutores machos esta a diminuir a diversidade genética da raça, tendo como consequência o aumento da consanguinidade e a diminuição do tamanho efetivo da população para cerca de metade dos valores recomendados pela FAO. No entanto, a anàlise da diversidade genética com base em 16 microssatélites (Marcadores de DNA) a um grupo de 2699 machos da raça Lusitana, nascidos entre 1985 e 2010 e inscritos como reprodutores no Livro Genealógico da raça, revelou um elevado nível de diversidade, idêntico ao encontrado na maioria das raças equinas. Dada a crescente relevância da Crioconservação, omo estratégia complementar para a conservação da diversidade genética in situ, e tendo em conta que não existe criopreservação de oocitos, embriões ou sémen, do cavalo de raça Lusitana em Banco de Genes, selecionaram-se 62 machos reprodutores (garanhões) com interesse genético para a criopreservação de sémen, quer no sentido de preservar a diversidade da raça quer no da salvaguardar em caso de calamidade; ABSTRACT: The genus Equus originated in North America and some exemplary migrated to Eurasia through the Bering Strait during the last glaciation. By the end of the last glaciation, all horses on the American continent became extinct but the genus survived in the steppes of Eurasia, in the Iberian Peninsula and on the Central and West Europe forests. The Lusitano horse breed has its origins in wild and domesticated horses of the Iberian Peninsula, where a mixture with other animals brought by migratory events in the past occurred. The horses of this gene pool contributed to the development of other modern breeds in Europe and were later introduced and spread throughout the American continent, becoming founders of numerous breeds of the New World. The Lusitano horse breed, is a Portuguese native equine breed, with special economic relevance in the national and international scene. Although not being an endangered breed, some authors argue that the available genealogical information (pedigrees) indicates that an excessive use of a limited number of stallions is decreasing the genetic diversity of the breed, resulting in the increase of inbreeding and on the decrease of the effective population size to about half of the values recommended by FAO. However, the analysis of genetic diversity based on 16 microsatellites (DNA markers) in a group of 2699 males of the Lusitano horse breed, born between 1985 and 2010 and registered as Stallions in the Studbook, revealed a high level of diversity similar to that found in the majority of equine breeds. Given the growing relevance of Cryopreservation as a complementary strategy for the conservation of genetic diversity in situ and, taking into consideration the inexistence of criopreservation for oocytes, embryos and semen, in a Gene Bank, for the Lusitano horse breed, 62 breeding males (stallions) with genetic interest for semen cryopreservation were selected in order either to preserve the diversity of the breed or as safeguard in case of calamity.

Early life history of larvae and early juvenile atlantic horse mackerel trachurus trachurus off the portuguese west coast

Early life history traits (ELHTs) are key to understand recruitment patterns in marine animals. However, for reef fishes, studies on ELHTs are mainly focused on tropical systems and little is known for temperate reefs. In this study we used SMURFs (Standard Monitoring Units for the Recruitment of Reef Fishes) to collect fish in a temperate rocky reef system (Arrábida Marine Park, Portugal) on a weekly basis for three months during the recruitment period. Six sub-surface SMURFs sampled 2490 Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) postlarvae and juveniles. Sagittal and lapilli otoliths were extracted from a subsample of 296 fish and ELHTs, such as size and age at settlement, growth rate and age at first secondary growth formation were examined. Additionally, we tested three growth curves and selected the best suited to back-calculate the hatching pattern based on the lengths of all sampled fish. Standard length ranged from 6.13 mm to 48.56 mm and subsampled fish were aged between 19 days to 44 days. Age and size at settlement were estimated between 19 days and 36 days for individuals of 6.13 mm and 24.95 mm, respectively. Otolith shape changed clearly with increasing age and, on average, secondary growth started to form on day 33 (±3 days). Age/length relationship was well described by a Gompertz growth model which was used to back-calculate hatching dates. Four distinct hatching cohorts were identified with fish of the earliest cohort showing a faster body and otolith growth. This study indicates that the nearshore environment might have an important role in the early growth, development and hence recruitment of Atlantic horse mackerel. Information on the early life history of Atlantic horse mackerel is key to understand recruitment processes for this economically and biologically important species.

Congenital thoracic vertebral malformations in brachycephalic “screw-tailed” dog breeds: Validation of a human classification scheme and a method of Cobb angle measurement in the assessment of vertebral column deformity

Congenital vertebral malformations are common in brachycephalic “screw-tailed” dog breeds such as French bulldogs, English bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pugs. Those vertebral malformations disrupt the normal vertebral column anatomy and biomechanics, potentially leading to deformity of the vertebral column and subsequent neurological dysfunction. The initial aim of this work was to study and determine whether the congenital vertebral malformations identified in those breeds could be translated in a radiographic classification scheme used in humans to give an improved classification, with clear and well-defined terminology, with the expectation that this would facilitate future study and clinical management in the veterinary field. Therefore, two observers who were blinded to the neurologic status of the dogs classified each vertebral malformation based on the human classification scheme of McMaster and were able to translate them successfully into a new classification scheme for veterinary use. The following aim was to assess the nature and the impact of vertebral column deformity engendered by those congenital vertebral malformations in the target breeds. As no gold standard exists in veterinary medicine for the calculation of the degree of deformity, it was elected to adapt the human equivalent, termed the Cobb angle, as a potential standard reference tool for use in veterinary practice. For the validation of the Cobb angle measurement method, a computerised semi-automatic technique was used and assessed by multiple independent observers. They observed not only that Kyphosis was the most common vertebral column deformity but also that patients with such deformity were found to be more likely to suffer from neurological deficits, more especially if their Cobb angle was above 35 degrees.

Survey of demographic and phenotypic data of local pig breeds of Treasure Project

Local genetic resources represent an important reservoir of biodiversity in the animal sector. Sustainable use of these resources can be an important source of income for farmers taking advantage of the peculiar characteristics of their products. The different European local pig breeds have a different level of knowledge of their characteristics both at demographic and phenotypic level. This information, however, is fundamental to the management of the breeds and represent one of the first steps in a project for the enhancement of production. This paper reports the results of a survey on the demographic and phenotypic characterization of the 20 European local pig breeds involved in the TREASURE* project. The first part of the survey shows, for all populations involved, the available demographic parameters, the structure of the breed (i.e. number of males, females and replacements), the main morphological features, the reproductive information as well as some additional information collected at herd-level (i.e. temperament, holding, mating practices). A second module reports the results related to the origins and development of the breeds, to market characteristics and the presence and distribution of niche products. The survey concludes with a module related to the specific characteristics of each breed and the management of the same in relation to food and the environment. The survey is the starting point of the genetic and productive characterization of the breeds involved that are future actions of the TREASURE project.

Quick method for identifying horse (Equus caballus) and donkey (Equus asinus) hybrids.

2016

Effect of heat stress on milk production of goats from Alpine and Saanen breeds in Brazil.

The purpose of this bibliography review was to approach the thermal comfort rates on milk production of goats from Alpine and Saanen breeds in Brazil. The caloric stress caused by weather changes to which the animals are submitted, influence on the mechanisms of normal physiological processes of the body. Thus, the effect on the lactation process in goats can be mentioned, where it decreases the amount of water in the body with the consequent decrease in synthesis and milk ejection interfering in the production of hormone prolactin and growth hormone. The animal?s interaction with the environment must be considered when the aim in livestock farming is welfare, because the different responses of the animal to the peculiarities of each region are crucial for the success of the animal adaptation. So, the correct identification of the factors that influence the productive life of the animal, such as the stress caused by the seasonal fluctuations of the environment, allow production systems management, making it possible to make them sustainable and viable. The maintenance of these parameters in normal levels is very important, to the point of being used in the evaluation of climate adaptability of breeds to a certain environmental condition. In this way, the concerns about animal welfare and environmental comfort are due to the climatic variables and the behavioral, physiological and productive responses are prevailing when implementing the suitability of certain production systems.

Multidisciplinary approach to horse welfare in different management systems

From its domestication until nowadays, the horse has assumed multiple roles in human society. Over time, this condition and the lack of specific regulation have led to the development of different kinds of management systems for this species. This Ph.D. research project aims to investigate horses' welfare in different management practices and housing systems, considering a multidisciplinary approach, taking into account biological function, naturalness, and affective dimension. The results are presented in five articles that evidence risk factors that can mine horse welfare, and examine tools and parameters that can be employed for its assessment. Our research shows the importance of considering the evolutionary history and the species-specific and behavioural needs of horses in their management and housing. Sociality, free movement, diet composition and foraging routine, and the workload that these animals undergo are important factors that should be taken into account. Furthermore, this research has evidenced the importance of employing different parameters (e.g., behaviour, endocrinological parameters, and immune activity) in welfare assessment and proposes the use of horsehair DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) as a possible useful additional non-invasive measure for the investigation of long-term stress conditions. Finally, our results underline the importance of considering the affective dimension in welfare research. Recently, Judgement Bias Tests (JBT), which are based on the influence of affective states on the decision-making process, have been widely employed in animal welfare research. However, our studies show that the use of spatial JBT in horses can have some limitations. Still today several management systems do not fulfill species-specific needs of horses, thus the implementation of specific regulations could ameliorate horse welfare. A multidisciplinary approach to welfare assessment is fundamental, but it should be always remembered the individual and its own characteristics, which can influence not only physiological, immunological, and behavioural responses but also emotional and cognitive dimensions.

Applied genomics in livestock: genome-wide association studies and population genomics analysis in pig and rabbit breeds

The domestication and selection processes in pigs and rabbits have resulted in the constitution of multiple breeds with broad phenotypic diversity. Population genomics analysis and Genome-wide association study analysis can be utilized to gain insights into the ancestral origins, genetic diversity, and the presence of lethal mutations across these diverse breeds. In this thesis, we analysed the dataset obtained from three Italian Pig breeds to detect deleterious alleles. We screened the dataset for genetic markers showing homozygous deficiency using two approaches single marker and haplotype-based approach. Moreover, Genome-wide association study analyses were performed to detect genetic markers associated with pigs' reproductive traits. In rabbits, we investigated the application of SNP bead chip for detection signatures of selection in rabbits using different methods. This analysis was implemented for the first time in different fancy and meet rabbit breeds. Multiple approaches were utilized for the detection of the selection of signatures including Fst analysis, ROH analysis, PCAdapt analysis, and haplotype-based analysis. The analysis in pigs was able to identify five putative deleterious SNPs and nine putative deleterious haplotypes in the analysed Italian Pig breeds. The genomic regions of the detected putative deleterious genomic markers harboring loss of function variants such as the Frameshift variant, start lost, and splice donor variant. Those variants are close to important candidate genes such as IGF2BP1, ADGRL4, and HGF. In rabbits, multiple genomic regions were detected to be under selection of signature. These genomic regions harbor candidate genes associated with coat color phenotype (MC1R, TYR, and ASIP), hair structure (LIPH), and body size (HMGA2 and COL2A1). The described results in rabbits and pigs could be used to improve breeding programs by excluding the deleterious genetic markers carriers and incorporating candidate genes for coat color, body size, and meat production in rabbit breeding programs to enhance desired traits

Análise do investimento em climatização para bovinos de leite em sistema de alojamento free-stall

The difficulty in adapting European dairy cows breeds in Brazil affect considerably the milk production sector. Brazilian climatic conditions are not totally favorable and the development of new tecnologies is needed for the animals express their genetic potential, as well as their best feed conversion. An economical analysis of the applied investment in the free-stall climatization equipment in dairy housing, for estimating studies related to profit, possibility of return investment as well as time for this return is necessary. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of climatization investment in the milk production process and analyze the economical aspect of this investment. There were used 470 high productive dairy cows with genetic and morphologic homogeneous characteristics, and analyzed in two similar periods. Investment calculations were done using Excell®. The results were satisfactory and the invested capital was proved to return to the producer in a short term, 57 days.

Acões motrizes e representações sociais no jogo do laço no vale do Itabapoana

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Equitação e volteio com crianças carentes : uma proposta educacional

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers in traceability of retail beef samples

Several characteristics are important in a traceability system of animal products, such as age at slaughter, breed composition, besides information of the productive chain. In general, the certification agent records information about the animals and the system which it came from, although cannot guarantee that the slaughtering, meat processing and distribution are error proof. Besides, there is a differential price, at least at the international market, based on sex and breed composition of the animals. Genetic markers allow identification of characteristics controlled in the beef cattle traceability program, as sex and breed composition, in order to correctly identify and appraise the final product for the consumer. The hypothesis of this study was that the majority beef samples retailed in the local market originate from female with a great participation of zebu breeds. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize retail beef samples with DNA markers that identify cattle sex and breed composition. Within 10 beef shops localized in Pirassununga, SP, Brazil, 61 samples were collected, all were genotyped as harboring Bos taurus mitochondrial DNA and 18 were positive for the Y chromosome amplification (male). For the marker sat1711b-Msp I the frequency of the allele A was 0.278 and for the marker Lhr-Hha I the frequency of the allele T was 0.417. The results of sat1711b-Msp I and Lhr-Hha I allelic frequencies are suggestive that the proportion of indicus genome compared with the taurine genome in the market meat is smaller than the observed in the Nellore breed. The procedure described in this study identified sex and subspecies characteristics of beef meat samples, with potential application in meat products certification in special as an auxiliary tool in beef cattle traceability programs.

Morfometria e distribuição de leite alveolar e cisternal na glândula mamária de vacas Holandesa e Girolanda

Estudaram-se a distribuição do leite nas porções alveolar e cisternal e a morfometria da glândula mamária de 14 vacas, sete da raça Holandesa, grupo H, e sete da Girolanda, grupo G, com ordem e dias de lactação semelhantes, ordenhadas duas vezes ao dia. A produção de leite foi mensurada diariamente, enquanto as frações de leite cisternal e alveolar foram medidas uma vez por semana. Durante o experimento, também foram realizadas medidas de ultrassonografia e morfometria da glândula mamária. As vacas Girolandas apresentaram úberes e tetos maiores que as vacas Holandesas. Diâmetro, espessura da parede e comprimento do canal do teto, medidos por imagens de ultrassom, também foram maiores nas Girolandas, mas a área de cisterna da glândula mamária foi maior nas Holandesas. Não houve diferença na produção de leite e nas frações de leite cisternal e alveolar entre as raças.

Estabilidade oxidativa e microbiológica em carne de galinha mecanicamente separada e adicionada de antioxidantes durante período de armazenamento a -18 °C

Com o objetivo de acompanhar a estabilidade físico-química e microbiológica da carne mecanicamente separada (CMS) de diferentes origens e estocada durante 99 dias a -18 °C, foi realizada prévia mistura de conservante (nitrito de sódio) e antioxidante (eritorbato de sódio) em CMS obtida de duas linhagens de aves: galinhas matrizes de corte e galinhas poedeiras comerciais brancas. Na CMS de cada linhagem foram realizados três diferentes tratamentos: 1) controle (sem aditivos); 2) adição de 150 ppm de nitrito; e 3) adição de 150 ppm de nitrito e 500 ppm de eritorbato. Os resultados encontrados demonstraram que a adição de nitrito isoladamente não impediu a oxidação lipídica, avaliada através do índice de TBARS, nem a alteração na cor, avaliada em colorímetro. Por outro lado, a adição de nitrito juntamente com eritorbato foi efetiva na redução dos problemas de oxidação lipídica na CMS de galinhas matrizes, e em menor grau, na CMS de poedeiras. A adição de nitrito e eritorbato na CMS também melhorou a preservação da cor vermelha desejável (a*) ao longo do tempo. A avaliação da estabilidade microbiológica da CMS, realizada no primeiro e último dia de estocagem congelada, para microrganismos mesófilos, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens e Pseudomonas spp., e quinzenalmente para microrganismos psicrotróficos, indicou que não houve uma variação significativa nas contagens em função do tratamento utilizado (diferentes aditivos adicionados). Não foi detectada Salmonella spp. em nenhuma das amostras analisadas. Em função da melhoria da estabilidade oxidativa, recomenda-se a adição de nitrito (150 ppm) e eritorbato (500 ppm) em CMS de galinhas matrizes a ser estocada congelada por um período prolongado.