Feeding behavior and forage intake of ewe lambs on pearl millet pasture with or without supplementation

Avaliaram-se o comportamento ingestivo e o consumo de matéria seca de cordeiras recebendo diferentes tipos de suplemento em pastagem de milheto (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke). Foram utilizadas 24 cordeiras com peso inicial de 30,2 ± 2,6 kg, distribuídas em três estratégias alimentares: pastagem de milheto exclusivamente; pastagem de milheto e suplementação com farinha de mandioca; e pastagem de milheto e suplementação com glúten de milho. Os suplementos foram fornecidos na quantidade de 1% do PV. Foram avaliados, em três datas, os tempos diários (min/dia) de pastejo, ruminação e ócio e a taxa de bocados (boc/min) das cordeiras. O consumo de matéria seca (CMS) foi estimado pela relação entre a produção fecal e a indigestibilidade da matéria seca e a digestibilidade da MS, pelo método in vitro. A estimativa da excreção fecal foi realizada utilizando-se óxido de cromo como marcador externo. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com três estratégias alimentares, duas repetições de área e quatro animais-teste por repetição. O fornecimento de suplementos diminuiu o tempo de pastejo diário, a taxa de bocados e a massa de bocado. A ingestão de pasto foi menor entre as cordeiras que receberam glúten de milho que entre aquelas mantidas exclusivamente a pasto, todavia, a ingestão total de MS foi maior quando fornecidos os suplementos (947 g para suplementação com glúten de milho; 907 g para suplementação com farinha de mandioca; e 652 g para pastagem exclusiva). Cordeiras em pastagem de milheto sem suplementação permanecem mais tempo em pastejo.The feeding behavior and dry forage intake of ewe lambs receiving different types of supplementation on pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke) pasture was evaluated. Twenty-four ewe lambs with 30.2 ± 2.6 kg mean initial body weight (BW), distributed in three feeding strategies: grazing on pearl millet pasture; grazing on pearl millet pasture supplemented with cassava meal; and GL - grazing on pearl millet pasture supplemented with corn gluten meal. Supplements were provided in the amount of 1% of BW. The daily times (min/day) spent grazing, ruminating and idling, and the biting rate (bites/min) were evaluated on three dates. The dry matter intake (DMI) was estimated from the relationship between the fecal production (FC, g/day) and dry matter indigestibility by the in vitro method. The fecal excretion was estimated using chomium oxide as an outside marker. A randomized complete design was used, with three feeding strategies, two area replications and four tester animals per replication. Providing supplements decreased the daily grazing time, bite rate and bite mass. Pasture intake was lower among ewe lambs that received corn gluten than for those kept exclusively on pasture; however, dry matter total intake was higher when supplement fed (947 g for corn gluten supplementation; 907 g for cassava meal supplementation; and 652 g for exclusive pasture). Ewe lambs on pearl millet pasture without supplementation keep on grazing for more time

CENTRO EQUESTRE: REABILITAÇÃO E TREINAMENTO PARA O OESTE CATARINENSE

O estudo tem por tema a reabilitação motora equina e humana, aliada à prática esportiva equestre no Oeste Catarinense e tem por objetivo o desenvolvimento de um anteprojeto arquitetônico que proporcione a região o auxílio à reabilitação motora humana e animal, além do desenvolvimento das práticas esportivas equestres, e contato entre usuários praticantes dos ambientes. Com a problemática de proporcionar um ambiente saudável,  com total acessibilidade e contato com a natureza para seus usuários, o ante-projeto arquitetônico se sustenta na proposta de uma nova visão para a arquitetura equestre. Assim, informações foram adquiras por meio de estudos de casos, realizados in loco e por material bibliográfico, obtendo informações como disposição de espaço, fluxos e programa de necessidades, além disso, realizaram-se pesquisas bibliográficas por meio digital, que proporcionaram agregar conhecimentos, possibilitando uma construção concreta e pertinente do assunto de estudo. Assim, escolheu-se um terreno para a implantação da construção proposta bem como o levantamento sobre as condicionantes físicas, climáticas e legais, definindo-se ainda partido e perfil arquitetônico, bem como o conceito em relação a seu usuário

Carcass traits of culling ewes from Texel and Polwarth breeds submitted to two feeding systems

Avaliaram-se as características de carcaça de ovelhas de descarte das raças Ideal e Texel terminadas em dois sistemas de alimentação. Utilizaram-se 20 ovelhas (10 da raça Ideal e 10 da raça Texel) aleatoriamente distribuídas de acordo com o grupo genético em dois manejos alimentares (confinamento e pastagem cultivada). Os abates foram realizados quando os animais atingiram 3,5 pontos de condição corporal. Os pesos de carcaça quente (PCQ) e de carcaça fria (PCF) e os rendimentos de carcaça quente (RCQ) e de carcaça fria (RCF) das ovelhas Texel foram maiores que os das ovelhas Ideal: 27,85 e 19,04 kg; 27,08 e 18,43 kg; 47,25 e 45,20% e 45,95 e 43,72%, respectivamente. O peso dos cortes perna, paleta, pescoço e costela e os pesos de músculos, ossos e gordura da perna dos animais da raça Texel foram superiores aos obtidos na raça Ideal. Quando avaliadas em porcentagem do peso corporal, no entanto, essas características não diferiram entre as duas raças. O manejo alimentar não influenciou as características de carcaça de ovelhas de descarte. Ovelhas Texel apresentam cortes maiores que os de ovelhas Ideal.Carcass traits of culling ewes from Texel and Polwarth breeds submitted to two feeding systems were evaluated. Twenty ewes (10 from Polwarth breed and 10 from Texel breed) were randomly distributed according to its genetic group, in two feeding systems (feedlot and cultivated pasture). The slaughter was carried out when the animals reached body condition score of 3.5 points. Hot carcass (HCW) and cold carcass (CCW) weights and hot carcass (HCD) and cold carcass (CCD) dressing of Texel ewes were higher than those of Polwarth ewes: 27.85 and 19.04 kg, 27.08 and 18.43 kg, 47.25 and 45.20 and 45.95 and 43.72%, respectively. The absolute weights of cuts for leg, shoulder, neck and rib, and absolute weights for muscles, bones and leg fat of ewes from Texel breed were higher than those obtained by Polwarth breed. When evaluated as relative weights, however, these characteristics did not differ between the two breeds. The feeding system did not constitute a change factor for carcass traits of culling ewes. Texel ewes breed showed cuts with higher weights than those obtained by Polwarth ewes breed

Alteração da carga de endoparasitas em ovinos submetidos a diferentes níveis de folha de bananeira na alimentação.

Vinte e seis borregas (Texel x Corriedale), com idade entre 4 e 5 meses, foram utilizados para avaliar o efeito da administração de lâminas foliares de bananeira (Musa spp.) na alimentação sobre o controle de nematódeos gastrintestinais, através da contagem de ovos/grama de fezes (OPG). Os tratamentos foram constituídos pelo controle negativo, e pelos grupos de borregas que consumiram lâminas foliares frescas de bananeira entre 0,40 e 0,80% e de 0,81 a 1,20% do peso vivo, por três dias consecutivos. Após 15 dias, esse processo foi repetido. Antes e após o fornecimento da bananeira às borregas (no 1o, 3o, 5o, 7o, 9o, 11o e 14o dias), foram coletadas amostras de fezes. Os valores médios de redução de OPG foram de 3,5; 27,6 e 46,7%, respectivamente. Resultado superior (P<0,05) foi detectado no grupo de ovinos que apresentaram maior consumo

Low-intensity, high-frequency grazing positively affects defoliating behavior, nutrient intake and blood indicators of nutrition and stress in sheep

The intensity and frequency of grazing affect the defoliating strategy of ruminants, their daily nutrient intake, thus nutrition and physiological status. Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) pastures were grazed by sheep either under a low-intensity/high-frequency grazing strategy (Rotatinuous stocking; RN) with nominal pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 18 and 11 cm, respectively, or under a high-intensity/low-frequency strategy (traditional rotational stocking; RT) with nominal pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 25 and 5 cm, respectively. Treatments were arranged under a complete randomized design and evaluated over two periods, in different years. In 2017, the aim was to depict the type of bites that sheep perform during the grazing-down and associate them to the grazing management strategy according to their relative contribution to the diet ingested. In 2018 we estimated the total nutrient intake and evaluated blood indicators of the nutritional status and immune response to stress of sheep. The bite types accounting the most for the diet ingested by RN sheep were those performed on the “top stratum” of plants with around 20, 15, and 25 cm, whereas the type of bites accounting the most for the diet of RT sheep were those performed on “grazed plants” with around 10, 5, and ≤ 3 cm. In 2018, the RN sheep increased by 18% the total organic matter (OM) intake and by 20–25% the intake of soluble nutrients (i.e., crude protein, total soluble sugars, crude fat), digestible OM and of metabolizable energy, and had 17.5, 18, and 6.1% greater blood concentration of glucose, urea nitrogen (BUN) and albumin, respectively, but 17% lower blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N:L) ratio. Sheep grazing vegetative Italian ryegrass pastures under the low-intensity/high-frequency grazing strategy (RN) ingested a diet of better quality from bites allocated on the top stratum of plants, had greater intake of soluble nutrients and blood parameters positively associated with nutritional status and immune response to stress

Pd-Ir alloy as an anode material for borohydride oxidation

A Pd-Ir alloy (1:1) coated on microfibrous carbon (11 μm diameter) supported on a titanium plate was evaluated as an electrode for the anodic oxidation of borohydride. The hydrogen generated, due to the parallel reaction of borohydride hydrolysis, was measured during the electrolysis obtaining less than 0.1 cm 3 min -1 H 2 between -1 and 0 V vs. Hg/HgO (-0.86 and 0.14 V vs. SHE), while the current densities for the oxidation of borohydride were up to 367 mA cm -2 in 0.5 mol dm -3 NaBH 4 + 3 mol dm -3 NaOH. The low rate of hydrogen generation suggests that Pd-Ir could be a promising catalyst for borohydride oxidation. However, higher rates of hydrogen were generated at the open circuit potential, which is inconvenient in the direct borohydride fuel cell. Cyclic voltammetry allowed analysis of the oxidation peaks due to the borohydride oxidation. To obtain a further understanding of the borohydride oxidation mechanism at Pd-Ir electrodes, density functional theory (DFT) was used to examine the reaction mechanism at Pd 2 -Ir 1 (111) and Pd 2 -Ir 2 (111) surfaces. The competition between borohydride oxidation and hydrogen evolution on the Pd-Ir alloys is compared with that on pure Pd(111), suggesting that the presence of Ir favors borohydride oxidation rather than hydrogen evolution. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Low-Intensity, High-Frequency Grazing Positively Affects Defoliating Behavior, Nutrient Intake and Blood Indicators of Nutrition and Stress in Sheep

The intensity and frequency of grazing affect the defoliating strategy of ruminants, their daily nutrient intake, thus nutrition and physiological status. Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) pastures were grazed by sheep either under a low-intensity/high-frequency grazing strategy (Rotatinuous stocking; RN) with nominal pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 18 and 11 cm, respectively, or under a high-intensity/low-frequency strategy (traditional rotational stocking; RT) with nominal pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 25 and 5 cm, respectively. Treatments were arranged under a complete randomized design and evaluated over two periods, in different years. In 2017, the aim was to depict the type of bites that sheep perform during the grazing-down and associate them to the grazing management strategy according to their relative contribution to the diet ingested. In 2018 we estimated the total nutrient intake and evaluated blood indicators of the nutritional status and immune response to stress of sheep. The bite types accounting the most for the diet ingested by RN sheep were those performed on the “top stratum” of plants with around 20, 15, and 25 cm, whereas the type of bites accounting the most for the diet of RT sheep were those performed on “grazed plants” with around 10, 5, and ≤ 3 cm. In 2018, the RN sheep increased by 18% the total organic matter (OM) intake and by 20–25% the intake of soluble nutrients (i.e., crude protein, total soluble sugars, crude fat), digestible OM and of metabolizable energy, and had 17.5, 18, and 6.1% greater blood concentration of glucose, urea nitrogen (BUN) and albumin, respectively, but 17% lower blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N:L) ratio. Sheep grazing vegetative Italian ryegrass pastures under the low-intensity/high-frequency grazing strategy (RN) ingested a diet of better quality from bites allocated on the top stratum of plants, had greater intake of soluble nutrients and blood parameters positively associated with nutritional status and immune response to stress

Is Neurodegenerative Disease a Long-Latency Response to Early-Life Genotoxin Exposure?

Western Pacific amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and parkinsonism-dementia complex, a disappearing neurodegenerative disease linked to use of the neurotoxic cycad plant for food and/or medicine, is intensively studied because the neuropathology (tauopathy) is similar to that of Alzheimer’s disease. Cycads contain neurotoxic and genotoxic principles, notably cycasin and methylazoxymethanol, the latter sharing chemical relations with nitrosamines, which are derived from nitrates and nitrites in preserved meats and fertilizers, and also used in the rubber and leather industries. This review includes new data that influence understanding of the neurobiological actions of cycad and related genotoxins and the putative mechanisms by which they might trigger neurodegenerative disease