This study aimed to evaluate the inclusion of castor bean meal in the diet for lactating cows on Bracharia brizhanta pasture and its implications for nutritional and productive parameters. Eight crossbred cows were distributed in two 4 x 4 Latin squares, with four (0%; 3.33%; 6.66% and 10%) inclusion levels of castor bean meal in the total diet. The experiment consisted of four experimental periods of 21 days each. The digestibility and dry matter intake were estimated from fecal output, checked with the aid of external (chromium oxide) and internal (iNDF) indicators. Urine and milk were collected to determine the nitrogen balance and microbial protein production. The inclusion of different levels of castor bean meal in the diet for lactating cows did not affect the intake of dry matter and nutrients, and the same lack of effect was found for the digestibility of dry matter and total digestible nutrients, variation in body weight, milk production, chemical composition of milk, microbial production and nitrogen balance. The inclusion of up to 10% castor bean meal in the total diet did not influence productive parameters evaluated, and the use was conditioned to the price of castor bean meal.
The objective of our study was to compare the intake and digestibility of dry matter and nutrients, and the nitrogen balance, of lambs fed extruded ration with different roughage (R) to concentrate (C) ratios. The experiment was carried out at the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Experimental Farm Capim Branco, from 7 December 2016 to 6 January 2017. Ten lambs (Santa Inês × Dorper) aged between four and five months, and with a mean weight of 25.9 ± 2.8 kg, were used. The animals were placed in metabolic cages equipped with a feeder, drinking fountain, and salt shaker, and which had a wooden slatted floor. The treatments consisted of extruded ration with 30R:70C or 70R:30C. Treatments were distributed in a randomised, complete block design, with each treatment being performed twice and with ten replications. The experiment was carried out in two blocked stages. Differences in the means of treatments were evaluated by Tukey's test at a significance level of 5%. Intake and digestibility of dry matter and nutrients, water intake by animals, and nitrogen balance were also analysed. The 30R:70C treatment resulted in a lower intake of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and hemicellulose, and caused higher dry matter and neutral detergent fibre digestibility. The 30R:70C treatment also resulted in a lower intake and faecal excretion of nitrogen, consequently establishing a higher ratio between retained and ingested nitrogen. In conclusion, the ration with 30R:70C results in lower intake, and better utilisation of nutrients by the animal.
Agronomic improvements in grain yield and quality of wheat crops could be obtained through the application of strategies, such as using foliar fungicides with fertilizers, to protect the leaves against pathogens and delay senescence during grain filling. However, few studies have reported the effect of these practices on wheat, although these treatments could represent a new method of increasing wheat production and profits. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of foliar fertilizer, applied alone or in combination with a fungicide, on the photochemical, biochemical, and nutritional parameters of wheat plants. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions in a 2 × 3 factorial design (fungicide × foliar fertilizer) with four replications. The fungicide treatment used was azoxystrobin + cyproconazole + mineral oil; the control was left untreated. The foliar fertilizer was used at two different rates, and the control was not treated. Plants were sprayed at the GS29/GS30, GS45, and GS60 growth stages, and the plants were assessed ten days after the last spray. Chlorophyll a fluorescence, the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and electron transport rate were positively influenced by fertilizer. Fertilizer spraying significantly increased the leaf pigment content (chlorophylls a and b and carotenoids) and the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentration in flag leaves. When used in mixture, the fertilizer mitigates the stresses generated by the fungicide.
Chestnuts are a widely consumed fruit around the world, being Portugal the fourth biggest producer in Europe. Storage of these nuts is an important step during processing, and the most widely used fumigant was banned in the European Union under the Montreal protocol due to its toxicity. Recently, radiation has been introduced as a cheap and clean conservation method. Previous studies of our research group proved that gamma radiation had no negative effect on the nutritional value of chestnuts; in fact, storage time had a much bigger influence on the chestnut quality. In the present study, we report the effect of a less ionizing radiation, electron beam, with doses of 0, 0.5, 1, 3 and 6 kGy in the nutritional value of chestnuts (ash, energy, fatty acids, sugars and tocopherols), previously stored at 4 ºC during 0, 30 and 60 days. The storage time seemed to reduce fat and energetic values but reported a tendency for higher values of dry matter. Regarding fatty acids, there was a higher detected quantity of C20:2 in non-irradiated samples, and four fatty acids were only detected in trace quantities (C6:0; C8:0; C10:0 and C12:0). γ-tocopherol decreased during storage time but did not alter its quantity for all the radiation doses (as like α-,β- and δ-tocopherol); in fact these compounds were present in higher concentration in the irradiated samples. Sucrose and total sugars were lower in non-irradiated samples and raffinose was only detected in irradiated samples. Electron beam irradiation seems to be a suitable methodology, since the effects on chemical and nutritional composition are very low, while storage time seems to be quite important in chestnut deterioration.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of different levels of protected lysine and methionine on the nutritional parameters and protein metabolites of lambs. The experiment was carried out at the Capim Branco Experimental Farm, at Uberlândia Federal University, during the months of September and October 2016. Five blood lambs ½ Dorper × ½ Santa Inês, approximately eight months old and with an average weight of 50 kg, were distributed in a Latin square scheme 5 × 5 (five treatments and five replicates). The treatments consisted of the inclusion in the diet of different levels of lysine and methionine protected from ruminal degradation (MicroPEARLS LM®): 0 g, 8 g, 16 g, 24 g, and 32 g. The diet was composed of corn silage and concentrate in a ratio of 30V:70C. The experiment was divided into five phases. Each phase had a duration of fifteen days (ten days of adaptation of the animals to the experimental diets and five days of data collection). The animals were kept in individual metabolic cages. A digestibility assay was performed to determine the apparent dry matter intake and digestibility (DMI/DDMI), nitrogen balance, and protein metabolites. The DMI (kg day-1) and in relation to the metabolic weight presented a positive linear equation, and was highest for the treatment with 32 g of amino acids, as well as the ingested nitrogen and nitrogen balance, being positive in all treatments. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in the DDMI. The crude protein and urea concentrations remained above the recommended levels and the concentration of creatinine remained below the recommended level. The inclusion of protected amino acids up to 32 g increases DMI and urinary nitrogen excretion without negatively affecting digestibility. The protein metabolism was altered, without causing damage to the performance of the animals.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of different levels of protected lysine and methionine on the nutritional parameters and protein metabolites of lambs. The experiment was carried out at the Capim Branco Experimental Farm, at Uberlândia Federal University, during the months of September and October 2016. Five blood lambs ½ Dorper × ½ Santa Inês, approximately eight months old and with an average weight of 50 kg, were distributed in a Latin square scheme 5 × 5 (five treatments and five replicates). The treatments consisted of the inclusion in the diet of different levels of lysine and methionine protected from ruminal degradation (MicroPEARLS LM®): 0 g, 8 g, 16 g, 24 g, and 32 g. The diet was composed of corn silage and concentrate in a ratio of 30V:70C.The experiment was divided into five phases. Each phase had a duration of fifteen days (ten days of adaptation of the animals to the experimental diets and five days of data collection). The animals were kept in individual metabolic cages. A digestibility assay was performed to determine the apparent dry matter intake and digestibility (DMI/DDMI), nitrogen balance, and protein metabolites. The DMI (kg day-1) and in relation to the metabolic weight presented a positive linear equation, and was highest for the treatment with 32 g of amino acids, as well as the ingested nitrogen and nitrogen balance, being positive in all treatments. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in the DDMI. The crude protein and urea concentrations remained above the recommended levels and the concentration of creatinine remained below the recommended level. The inclusion of protected amino acids up to 32 g increases DMI and urinary nitrogen excretion without negatively affecting digestibility. The protein metabolism was altered, without causing damage to the performance of the animals.
Chestnuts are a widely consumed nut around the world, being China the biggest producer. Portugal represents 4% of its worldwide production with a gross weight of 22105 tons of chestnut in 2010, and an income of 15 M€. The Trás-os-Montes region produces 75% on the nation's chestnuts being one of its main economic resources. Storage of these nuts is an important step during processing to avoid rotting related to their relatively high metabolic activity. Until 2010 the most common treatment for post-harvest desinfestation was methyl bromide, a widely used fumigant which was banned in the European Union under the Montreal protocol due to its toxicity and deleterious effect on the environment [1]. Other treatments like temperature, high pressure blast, hot water dip and other fumigants still pose quite a few disadvantages [2]. Food irradiation processing has been introduced as a safe and environment friendly alternative for conservation, being used in several products such as meat, fish or fruits [3]. Previous studies of our research group showed that gamma radiation had no major negative effect on the nutritional value of chestnuts; in fact, storage time had a much bigger influence on the chestnut quality [4]. In the present study, we report the effect of another type of radiation post-harvest processing, electron beam, with doses of 0, 0.5, 1, 3 and 6 kGy in the nutritional value of chestnuts (ash, energy, fatty acids, sugars and tocopherols), stored at 4 ºC during 0, 30 and 60 days. The storage time seemed to reduce fat and energetic values but reported a tendency for higher values of dry matter. Regarding fatty acids, there was a higher detected quantity of C20:2 in non-irradiated samples, and four fatty acids were only detected in trace quantities. The levels of γ-tocopherol decreased during storage time but did not alter its quantity for all the radiation doses, in fact they seemed to be present in higher concentrations in the irradiated samples. Sucrose and total sugars were lower in non-irradiated samples and raffinose was only detected in irradiated samples. Electron beam irradiation seems to be a suitable methodology, since the effects on chemical and nutritional composition are very low, while storage time seems to be quite important in chestnut deterioration.
Melhorar o desempenho reprodutivo é importante para aumentar a lucratividade das propriedades. Assim, nós avaliamos a contagem de folículos antrais (CFA), o escore de condição corporal (ECC), o peso vivo e o comportamento animal sobre à taxa de concepção de vacas Brahman submetidas à inseminação artificial em tempo-fixo (IATF). Vacas (n=122) receberam um protocolo convencional de IATF de três manejos (D0, 8 e 10) a base de estrógeno e progesterona, além do monitoramento da expressão de estro antes da inseminação. O ECC e o comportamento animal foram avaliados em todos os dias do protocolo, o peso foi mensurado no D0 e no diagnóstico de gestação (D40) e a CFA no D0. Para análise, estabeleceu-se os grupos de CFA (baixa, intermediária e alta), do comportamento (calma, inquieta e agitada), do peso (ganhando, mantendo e perdendo) e do ECC (ganhando, mantendo e perdendo). A taxa de concepção geral foi de 50%, e não esteve associada (p>0,05) a classificação da CFA (baixa/52,6%, intermediária/50,9% e alta/45,4%), do peso (ganhando/43,0%, mantendo/54,7% e perdendo/47,1%), do ECC (ganhando/44,0%, mantendo/54,3% e perdendo/37,5%) e do comportamento (calma/43,0%, inquieta/54,7% e agitada/47,1%). No entanto, a baixa CFA apresentou maior (p=0,05) proporção de animais com alta intensidade de estro (94,7%) e foi observado maior escore de reatividade (p=0,001) no primeiro dia de manejo da IATF em relação aos outros dias. Vacas com baixa CFA resultaram em maior proporção de expressão de estro e o primeiro dia de manejo da IATF determinou uma maior reatividade animal em relação aos outros dias do protocolo.
Abstract
Improving reproductive performance is important to increase farm profitability. The relationship of antral follicle count (AFC), body condition score (BCS), weight, and animal behavior on the conception rate in cows submitted to timed artificial insemination (TAI). Cows (n=122) received a conventional TAI protocol of three managements (D0, 8, and 10) based on estrogen and progesterone, in addition to monitoring estrus expression before insemination. The BCS and behavior score were assessed every day of the TAI protocol. Weight was measured at D0 and in the pregnancy diagnosis (D40), and AFC was determined at D0. For analysis, the groups were established according to AFC (low, intermediate, and high), behavior animal (calm, restless, and agitated), weight variation (gaining, maintaining, and losing), and BCS variation (gaining, maintaining, and losing). The overall conception rate was 50%, and it was not associated with (P>0.05) the AFC classification (low/52.6%, intermediate/50.9%, and high/45.4%), weight variations (gaining/43.0%, maintaining/54.7%, and losing/47.1%), BCS variations (gaining/44.0%, maintaining/54.3%, and losing/37.5%) and animal behavior (calm/43.0%, restless/54.7%, and agitated/47.1%). However, the low AFC showed a higher (P=0.05) proportion of animals with high intensity of estrus expression (94.7%). In addition, a higher score for animal reactivity (P=0.001) was noted on the first day of the management of TAI protocol than to the other days of the hormonal protocol. The low AFC resulted in a higher proportion of cows with high estrus expression and the management practices for TAI determined a greater animals reactivity at the beginning of the breeding program.
Keywords: Body Condition. Artificial Insemination. Reproductive Performance. Live Weight.
Background/Aim. Inflammation is the most important factor in the genesis of vascular complication in the endstage renal disease. The serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level is a sensitive marker of systemic inflammation as well as a predisposing factor for cardiovascular and all cause mortality in patients on hemodialysis. Albumin is the negative acute phase protein and its synthesis declines during the inflammation. The patients undergoing hemodialysis have a high prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition, due to reduced protein synthesis and increased degradation. The low serum albumin levels in these patients originate from the complex setting of conditions with systemic inflammatory response as a major cause, malnutrition and overhydratation. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of elevated CRP levels in the dialysis patients and to analyse its correlation with serum albumin levels and other parameters of nutritional status. Methods. The study included 49 patients on maintenance hemodialysis at the Department of Hemodialysis, Clinic of Nephrology, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia. In order to analyse the parameters, the blood samples were taken during the arteriovenous fistula (AVF) puncture and before the second weekly dialyse. The following parameters were determined: serum levels of urea and creatinine before and after the dialysis procedure, CRP, hemoglobin, fasting glycemia, total cholesterol, triglycerides, albumins, iron, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulinemia and C-peptide only before the dialysis. Results. Out of 49 patients on maintenance hemodialysis, 37 (75.5%) were males and 12 (24.5%) females with the average age of 56.04 ± 13.93 years. The average duration of the dialysis treatment was 7.37 ± 5 years. The high serum CRP levels (more than 3 mg/L) was found in 65.3% of patients. Singificantly more diabetic patients were observed in the group with the higher CRP levels (n = 12) compared to the group with the normal CRP levels (n = 3) (p ≤ 0.05). A significant ...
The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of extrused roughage on nutritional and metabolic parameters in sheep. Eighteen 3-year-old sheep in metabolic cages were randomly assigned to two treatments: corn silage and extruded roughage. Dry matter intake (DMI) and water intake were calculated as the difference between offered feed and orts left. Ruminal movement was assessed through auscultation of the rumen for five minutes, glycemia and other metabolites through blood collection by jugular venipuncture, and feeding behavior by observation every 5 minutes for 24 hours. DMI per animal, both as a percentage of live weight and in relation to metabolic weight, was higher for animals fed extrused roughage. The extrused roughage treatment also resulted in reduced ruminal movement and higher dry matter digestibility (DMD), glycemia and drinking water intake. Animals fed with extrused roughage reduced the time of rumination and total chewing, thus increasing ingestion, chewing and rumination efficiency. Blood concentrations of glucose and urea were higher in animals fed extrused roughage, while cholesterol concentration was lower. We conclude that the use of extrused roughage promotes improvement in the nutritional parameters of sheep by increasing DMI and DMD, and reducing chewing and rumination times, without causing disorders in energy and protein metabolism.
Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos da adição de níveis crescentes da combinação de levedura ativa e inativa sobre o consumo e digestibilidade aparente da matéria seca (MS) e seus componentes, e balanços de nitrogênio e de energia de borregas alimentadas com dietas de alto concentrado. Foram utilizadas 5 borregas mestiças Dorper x Santa Inês com peso inicial médio de 40,40 ± 0,15 kg, que foram alojadas em gaiolas individuais de metabolismo. Os tratamentos consistiram em 5 níveis de levedura ativa mais inativa [Milk Sacc X® - Alltech®, Maringá, Paraná, Brasil, 5,0 x 108 Unidades formadoras de colônia (UFC)], sendo 0; 0,15; 0,3; 0,45 e 0,6% da MS ofertada em kg animal-1 dia-1 de ração, que continha relação 20: 80 de silagem de milho: concentrado com base na MS. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi um quadrado latino 5 x 5, com 5 animais e 5 períodos, totalizando 25 unidades experimentais. Os dados foram submetidos a análise de regressão com nível de significância de 5%. Não foram detectados efeitos dos tratamentos sobre as variáveis de consumo, ademais, houve significância para falta de ajuste do modelo (FAM), sendo a média para consumo de MS de 1343.0 g animal-1 dia-1. Não houve efeito dos tratamentos sobre as variáveis de digestibilidade aparente, com média de 86,89% para digestibilidade da MS. As variáveis de balanço de N não foram afetadas pelos níveis do aditivo, pois, o efeito para FAM indica que os dados não se ajustaram ao modelo de regressão. O N retido médio foi de 45,3 g animal-1 dia-1. Os dados de energia bruta (EB) ingerida, energia digestível (ED), energia metabolizável (EM) e metabolizabilidade não se ajustaram ao modelo de regressão, com médias de 5549, 2685, 2504 kcal animal-1 dia-1 e 42,6%, respectivamente. As EB fecal e urinária não foram influenciadas pelos tratamentos. A combinação de levedura ativa com inativa não altera o consumo, digestibilidade de nutrientes, balanço de N e de energia de borregas alimentadas com dieta de alto concentrado.
The objective of this work was to evaluate the intake, apparent digestibility, nitrogen balance, ruminal and blood parameters in lambs fed diets containing of crude glycerin. Four castrated lambs of Santa Ines breed with an average weight of 25.0 kg were used. The evaluated diets contained four levels of crude glycerin (0.0, 50.0, 100.0 and 150.0 g kg DM-1). All diets were formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of growing and finishing lambs. The ingredients were: Brachiaria dyctioneura hay as roughage, ground corn grain, soybean meal, urea, mineral salt and crude glycerin. The complete diet provided to the animals was composed of 500 g kg-1 roughage and 500 g kg-1 concentrate on DM basis. A 4 x 4 Latin square experimental design was used. The highest intake (P<0.05) of dry matter (129.08 g kg BW-0.75), neutral detergent fiber (62.91 g kg BW-0.75), acid detergent fiber (41.10 g kg BW-0.75), total carbohydrate (99.92 g kg BW-0.75) and organic matter (116.89 g kg BW-0.75) was achieved with diets varying from 39.2 to 44.7 g kg DM-1 crude glycerin. Crude protein (17.84 g kg BW-0.75) and ether extract (2,70 g kg BW-0.75) intake was higher (P<0.05) with diets containing 39.0 and 77.1 g kg DM-1 of crude glycerin, respectively. Consumed and absorbed N displayed a quadratic effect, whereas retained N displayed a linear decreasing effect in function of crude glycerin levels. Ruminal concentrations of acetate, propionate, and butyrate, and blood glucose was influenced (P<0.05) by the postprandial hour vs. experimental diet interaction. Glycerin levels in the diet did not influence (P>0.05) the apparent digestibility and ruminal N-NH3, pH, ciliate protozoa and blood urea. Therefore, diets containing crude glycerin influenced dry matter intake, with the highest value being around 40 g kg DM-1. Likewise, diets containing crude glycerin influenced the N consumed and absorbed with maximum crude glycerin points of 36.9 and 28.4 g kg DM-1.
