Incidence of Mycotoxins (AFB1 and AFM1) in Feeds and Dairy Farms from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

Brazil has regions located at the largest dairy production and milk derivate industry concentration, supplying the major consumer markets, represented by São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte Cities. The milk is the most important product of Brazilian agriculture, because it is always presents in daily diet. The aim of this research was evaluating the occurrence of mycotoxins in the feed of dairy cattle and the occurrence of AFM1 in milk under field conditions in farms from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The results revealed that, total fungal counts was found in 67% of feed samples which exceeded the recommended limit recommended (1×104 UFC.g-1) and the incidence of AFM1 in all milk samples was 26.7% at concentrations ranging from 0.010 to 1.500 μg.L-1. The study revealed toxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins were present in feed intended for bovine feeding in Rio de Janeiro farms. Evaluations of mycotoxin levels are important to provide information so that the assessments of risk for animal feed and livestock environment can be done.Fil: Keller, Luiz Antonio Moura. Universidade Federal Fluminense; BrasilFil: Aronovich, Marcos. No especifíca;Fil: Keller, Kelly Moura. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Castagna, Antonio Airton. No especifíca;Fil: Cavaglieri, Lilia Reneé. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: da Rocha Rosa, Carlos Alberto. Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro; Brasi

Lipid droplet levels vary heterogeneously in response to simulated gastrointestinal stresses in different probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains

AbstractTo exert their therapeutic action, probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains must survive harsh digestive environments. Lipid droplets accumulate in cells which undergo stress-inducing situations, supposedly having a protective role. We assessed lipid droplet levels, either naturally accumulated or induced in response to digestive challenges, of probiotic strains S. boulardii, S. cerevisiae A-905, S. cerevisiae Sc47 and S. cerevisiae L11, and of non-probiotic strains S. cerevisiae BY4741 and S. cerevisiae BY4743. Strains 905 and Sc47 had lower and higher lipid droplet levels, respectively, when compared to the remaining strains, showing that higher accumulationof these neutral lipids is not a feature shared by all probiotic Saccharomyces strains. When submitted to simulated gastric or bile salts environments, lipid droplet levels increase in all tested probiotic strains, at least for one to the induced stresses, suggesting that lipid droplets participate in the protective mechanisms against gastrointestinal stresses in probiotic Saccharomyces yeasts

Potential of grasses of the genus Digitaria for animal production in the Southeastern Region of Brazil

Desde 1950, diversas gramíneas forrageiras do gênero Digitaria foram introduzidas na Região Sudeste do Brasil, das quais algumas apresentam características que se recomendam para a pecuária bovina, em especial para a leiteira. São elas os capins pangola, pangola A-24, transvala, suázi, survenola e pentziana, estas duas últimas, híbridas, produzidas na Universidade da Flórida. O Pangola chegou a ter grande importância na Região ocupando extensas áreas de pastagens, porém teve sua utilização muito diminuída devido ao ataque de cochonilhas, assim como o A-24. O transvala, introduzido posteriormente, apresentou características superiores às dos dois anteriores, já tendo sido testado por mais de 20 anos. O suázi tem a grande vantagem da maior competitividade com as plantas invasoras de pastagem e da maior resistência ao pisoteio. A digestibilidade destas duas gramíneas é em tomo de 64%. Dos dois híbridos ultimamente introduzidos, o survenola tem apresentado produção de forragem 15% superior à do transvala e do suázi, e a digestibilidade 4% maior, enquanto o pentziana apresenta digestibilidade igual à do survenola e produção ligeiramente inferior. As gramíneas do gênero Digitaria apresentam qualidades que as recomendam para pastagem na Região Sudeste do Brasil. São especialmente recomendadas para a produção intensiva de leite e carne com base em pastagens.Since 1950, several forage grasses of the genus Digitaria were introduced in the Southeastern Region of Brazil, some presenting good characteristics for livestock production, especially dairy, such as pangola (D. decumbens cv. pangola), A-24 (D. penuff), transvala (D. decumbens cv. transvala), swazi (D. swazilandensis), survenola (Digitaria X unfolozi) and pentziana (D. milanjiana x D. pentzii), the last two, hybrids, produced by University of Florida. Pangola had a great importance in the Region, covering large arcas of pastures. However, its utilization had a strong drop, caused by R.bodes-grass-scale attack, the same thing happening, with higher intensity, to A-24. Transvala, introduced later, presented superior characteristics, as well as swazi, which has the advantage of higher competitiveness with weeds and higher resistance to trampling. These two grasses have digestibility (OMIVD) around 64%. From the two hybrids recently introduced, survenola is the one in a more advanced stage: of tests and it has shown forage production (1). M.) 15% superior to transvala and swazi, and OMIVD higher in 4%. Pentziana, with MOIVI) equal to survenola, has a production a little lower. These two hybrids are now being tested under grazing. Grasses of genus Digitaria present qualities which recommend them as pastures plants for the Southeastern Region of Brazil. They are especially recommended for intensive dairy and beef production based on pastures

Lithothamnium calcareum (Pallas) Areschoug seaweed adsorbs aflatoxin B1 in vitro and improves broiler chicken’s performance

This study aimed to evaluate the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) adsorption capacity of the seaweed Lithothamnium calcareum in vitro and to prevent aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens. In vitro adsorption assays were performed at a single AFB1 concentration (1 μg/mL) and four seaweed concentrations (0.50, 1, 1.5 and 2 mg/mL) at pH 3 and pH 6. The maximum adsorption was obtained at the lowest seaweed content (0.62 and 0.78 μg/mg). Male broiler chickens (256) were housed in metallic cages. Experimental diets were T1 (control), 18 μg/kg AFB1; T2, 18 μg/kg AFB1 and 0.2% L. calcareum (2.0 kg/ton); T3, 1018 μg/kg AFB1; and T4, 1018 μg/kg AFB1 and 0.2% L. calcareum. Performance parameters (live weight, weight gain and feed conversion rate) improved when seaweed was applied. The aspartate-aminotransferase and alanine-aminotransferase levels tend to decrease in birds receiving only seaweed, also the uric acid levels reduced significantly (P ˂ 0.05), while birds receiving only AFB1 increased the biochemical parameter levels. The livers from animals fed with AFB1 showed histopathological alterations with disorganization of periportal hepatocytes, necrosis with multifocal coagulation and mild fat degeneration; the livers from T4 had normal appearance. Lithothamnium calcareum was able to prevent aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens and also improved their zootechnical performance.Fil: Perali, Christianne. Universidade Castelo Branco; BrasilFil: Magnoli, Alejandra Paola. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria. Departamento de Producción Animal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Aronovich, Marcos. Empresa Brasilera de Pesquisa Agropecuaria.; BrasilFil: Rosa, Carlos Alberto da Rocha. Universidade Federal Rural Do Rio de Janeiro;Fil: Cavaglieri, Lilia Reneé. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentin

Preferência alimentar de juvenis de lambari-cachorro, Oligosarcus hepsetus, em relação a duas espécies de presas de peixe em ambiente controlado

O presente trabalho foi baseado em dados pretéritos sobre a dieta natural do lambari-cachorro Oligosarcus hepsetus em um reservatório do Sudeste brasileiro, e com isso foi testada a preferência alimentar desse carnívoro, a partir de experimentos com microcosmos. Os experimentos foram realizados em aquários, em janeiro de 2011. Os predadores foram coletados em um tributário do Rio Paraíba do Sul, enquanto as presas: Tilápia rendalli e o lambari, Astyanax fasciatus, foram adquiridas em pisciculturas. Foi testada a preferência alimentar do lambari-cachorro quanto ao tamanho das presas e às espécies-presa e os resultados foram relacionados com a energia da presa. O lambari-cachorro predou tilápia de menores comprimentos (CT) e alturas do corpo (AC), ao passo que não foi observado um padrão evidente de consumo de lambaris. Nos experimentos com CT padronizado, lambari-cachorro consumiu preferencialmente tilápias a lambaris, enquanto, nos experimentos com AC padronizada, não foram detectadas preferências no consumo por determinada espécie-presa. Diferenças energéticas entre espécies-presa parecem importar menos que diferenças morfológicas na preferência alimentar do lambari-cachorro

Eficacia de un aditivo de levadura en cerdas jóvenes que consumen piensos contaminados con zearalenona

Background: Mycotoxins are a significant cause of economic losses in swine farming and adsorbents based on yeast cell walls provide an alternative solution to reducing this challenge. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of an antimycotoxin additive (AMA; Safmannan®) for preventing the toxic effects of zearalenone (ZEA). Methods: A total of 36 pre-pubertal gilts were used, whose diets consisted of two different levels of AMA (based on the yeast cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae; 0 and 0.2%) and three inclusion levels of ZEA (0, 0.25, and 0.6 ppm). The experiment was conducted for a period of 21 d and the following parameters were measured weekly: Live weight, weight gain, feed intake, and vulvar volume. The relative weight of the liver and the entire reproductive tract, including the uterus-ovary-vagina combined were also measured. Results: There was a significant enhancement in the index characteristics of reproductive organs like vulvar volume, weight of the entire reproductive tract and weight of the uterus-ovary-vagina of the intoxicated animals. The antimycotoxin effects were the same, irrespective of the ZEA levels (0.25 and 0.6 ppm). Conclusion: The addition of AMA to diets containing ZEA proved to be an effective alternative for reducing the toxic effects of this mycotoxin.Antecedentes: As micotoxinas determinam perdas econômicas importantes para suinocultura e os adsorventes à base de parede celular de leveduras são uma alternativa para reduzir este problema. Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia de um aditivo anti-micotoxina (AAM; Safmannan®) na prevenção da micotoxicose decorrente da ingestão de zearalenona (ZEA). Métodos: Foram utilizadas 36 leitoas pré-púberes, cujas dietas apresentaram dois níveis de inclusão de AAM (à base de parede celular de Saccharomyces cerevisiae; 0 e 0,2%) e três níveis de inclusão de ZEA (0, 0,25 e 0,6 ppm). O período experimental teve duração total de 21 d, sendo realizadas avaliações semanais de peso vivo, ganho de peso, consumo de ração e volume vulvar. Pesos relativos de fígado, trato reprodutivo total e o conjunto útero-ovário-vagina também foram calculados. Resultados: Os resultados obtidos demonstram a eficácia do AAM, pois a sua inclusão demonstrou prevenir os efeitos tóxicos da ZEA, já que os índices em órgãos reprodutivos como volume vulvar, peso relativo do trato reprodutivo total e do conjunto útero-ovário-vagina foram maiores nos animais intoxicados e sem suplementação. Porém, o efeito anti-micotoxina foi fixo, sendo o mesmo para os dois níveis de ZEA (0.25 e 0.6 ppm). Conclusão: A adição do AAM em questão nas dietas contendo ZEA demonstrou ser uma alternativa eficiente para redução dos efeitos tóxicos desta micotoxina.Antecedentes: Las micotoxinas representan pérdidas económicas significativas para la industria porcina, por lo que los adsorbentes de pared celular de levadura son una alternativa para reducir este problema. Objetivo: Evaluar la eficacia de un aditivo anti-micotoxinas (AAM; Safmannan®) en la prevención de micotoxicosis resultante de la ingesta de zearalenona (ZEA). Métodos: Fueron utilizadas 36 hembras porcinas jóvenes, cuyas dietas incorporaron dos niveles de inclusión del AAM (basado en la pared celular de Saccharomyces cerevisiae; 0 y 0,2%) y tres niveles de inclusión de ZEA (0, 0,25 y 0,6 ppm). El ensayo tuvo una duración total de 21 d, durante los cuales se efectuaron evaluaciones semanales de peso corporal, ganancia de peso, consumo de alimento y el volumen de la vulva. Igualmente, se midieron los pesos relativos de hígado, tracto reproductivo total y el conjunto útero-ovario-vagina. Resultados: Los resultados obtenidos comprueban la eficacia del AMA utilizado, toda vez que su suplementación evitó los efectos tóxicos de ZEA y mejoró los índices en órganos reproductivos como el volumen de la vulva, peso relativo del tracto reproductivo y el conjunto útero-ovario-vagina en animales intoxicados. Sin embargo, los efectos anti-micotoxinas fueron fijos para ambos niveles (0,25 y 0,6 ppm) de ZEA. Conclusión: La adición de AAM en las dietas que contienen ZEA demostró ser una alternativa eficiente para reducir los efectos tóxicos de esta micotoxina

Enhancement of Dairy Cow Milk Quality with Probiotic and Inorganic Selenium Supplementation

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient crucial in various metabolic processes. Dairy production is continually expanding and can supplement the population of regions with low Se. Adding live yeast concentrate (LYC) to cows’ diets can influence milk production, composition, and quality by modulating ruminal microbiota, resulting in increased milk yield and improved nutritional content. This study aimed to assess the enrichment of milk with selenite LYC for a subsequent increase in quality and production in supplemented lactating cows. Twenty-six cows were separated into three groups supplemented with different concentrations of Se for 15 days and different concentrations of LYC (Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 108 CFU g−1). The animals were divided into the following groups with the proposed treatments: Treatment 1 (T1) Control Group with just dry matter intake (DMI); Treatment 2 (T2) DMI + 0.3 mg kg−1 DMI of inorganic selenium + live yeast concentrate (LYC); Treatment 3 (T3) DMI + 0.6 mg kg−1 DMI of inorganic selenium + LYC. The milk was evaluated using physical–chemical, microbiologic, and toxicologic parameters according to Brazilian legislation. The addition of Se and yeast did not alter milk production; however, the application did lead to an increase in milk fat concentration compared with the control group, and no significant variations were observed in other physical–chemical parameters. Regarding the microbiological and toxicological analyses, all the samples presented satisfactory hygienic and sanitary conditions. The Somatic Cells Count from all treatments remained below 500,000 somatic cells mL−1, representing a positive effect of Se. The milk Se content was expected in residual form with the organic selenium being the more bioavailable form throughout the processing chain. The supplementation yielded results similar to those in the literature, highlighting the potential for customized technology and processes in dairy farming in ways that improve production, quality, and sanitation

Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Toxicological Characterization of Pâté Prepared from the Meat and Liver of Bullfrog (<i>Aquarana catesbeiana</i>) Carcasses

The development of balanced, healthy, ready-to-consume, and easy-to-prepare products has led to the development of new food technologies. Despite their high commercial value, bullfrog (Aquarana catesbeiana) carcasses result in low yields, with the thighs being the most marketed in comparison to other carcass portions. In this sense, liver pâté is a traditional food consumed worldwide, mainly in European countries, and may be prepared by incorporating bullfrog meat by-products and certain viscera. In this context, the aim of the present study was to develop a pâté product based on a mixture comprising 50% grounded bullfrog torso meat and 50% liver paste, with each treatment incorporating 10% liver paste increments, totaling five final mixtures. The nutritional compositions and physicochemical, microbiological, and toxicological characteristics of each mixture were assessed. The dry matter percentage of the prepared product was determined to be 27.00%, while mineral content was 1.45%, lipid content was 4.00%, and total protein content was 20.00%. Finally, microbiological counts were in agreement with current food safety regulations. The developed pâté serves as a standard, recycling underused industrial materials, adding value to the production chain at low operational costs, creating a more accessible market, and promoting the popularization of this type of meat