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.

Transmissão sexual de Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle & Manceaux, 1909) em ovinos (Ovis aries)

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

Dinâmica folicular no uso em protocolos de sincronização de estro e superovulação em ovelhas Santa Inês

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Desempenho reprodutivo e produtivo de ovelhas deslanadas mantidas em regime de pasto e suplementadas

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Efeito do flushing sobre o desempenho reprodutivo de ovelhas Morada Nova e Santa Inês submetidas à inseminação artificial em tempo fixo

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of flushing on the reproductive performance of Morada Nova (MN) and Santa Inês (SI) ewes submitted to fixed time artificial insemination (TAI). Twenty seven SI and 24 MN supplemented with concentrate (1% of live weight, on average), for 75 days during the breeding season. After 30 days of supplementation, ewes were synchronized with the aid of a hormonal protocol (HP) based on progesterone, eCG and cloprostenol. The estrus observation was conducted at 12, 24, 36 and 48 h after the end of HP with the aid of two ruffians. TAI was done 55 h after the end of HP. From 20 to 45 days after the beginning of the HP ewes were exposed to rams (natural breeding). The pregnancy diagnosis was evaluated 70 days after TAI. We analyzed the weight, body condition score, estrus rate, pregnancy rate and prolificacy testing the effects of race, week of supplementation and body condition score class. The weight and body conditions of ewes varied according to the week of supplementation, with higher values in the first two weeks following TAI. The estrus rate was 88.2% and 43.2% of the ewes showed estrus up to 24 hours of the end of the HP. The pregnancy rate per TAI was 31.3% and the pregnancy rate after natural breeding was 50.0%. It was observed that body condition score classes interfered in pregnancy rates. There was a higher percentage of multiple births by pregnancy by TAI than by natural breeding. It was concluded that the flushing resulted in weight gain and better body conditions ensuring the standardization of the herd for breeding season, which therefore improved reproductive performance. The HP used advanced the onset of estrus and increased prolificacy, but was inefficient in the synchronization of woolless sheep.

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.

Genomic selection and assisted reproduction technologies to foster cattle breeding

Genomics has been propagated as a paradigm shifting innovation in livestock during the last decade. The possibility of predicting breeding values using genomic information has revolutionized the dairy cattle industry and is now being implemented in beef cattle. In this paper we discuss how genomics is changing cattle breeding through genomic selection, and how this change is creating new ways to articulate assisted reproduction technologies with animal breeding. We also debate that the scientific community is still starting the long journey to reveal the functional aspects of the cattle genome, and that knowledge in this field is the frontier to a whole new venue for the development of novel applications in the livestock sector.

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)

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.

Kin-bias, breeding site selection and female fitness in a cannibalistic Neotropical frog

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