Genotype-environment interaction in performance tests for sheep in confinement and on pasture

Objetivou-se com este trabalho verificar a existência deinteração genótipo ambiente e o desempenho de ovinos mantidos em confinamento e a pasto. Foram utilizados oitenta e dois borregos da raça Santa Inês de 75 a 135 dias de idade. O período de adaptação foi 22 dias. Oriundos de cinco fazendas diferentes, 30 animais permaneceram 112 dias a pasto e 52 animais permaneceram 85 dias sob regime de confinamento. As características mensuradas nos animais foram ganho em peso(GP), comprimento do corpo (CC), perímetro torácico (PT), altura da anca (AA), altura do peito (AP), área de olho de lombo (AOL) e espessura de gordura por ultrassom (EG), perímetro escrotal (PE), número ovos/grama de fezes (OPG) e escore corporal (EC). Um índice (IPGP) foi criado incorporando as características medidas. O software SAS® foi utilizado para as análises estatísticas. Houve diferença entre os animais para o tipo de teste (confinamento ou pasto) para as características GP, AOL, EG, PE e IPGP. Os animais em confinamento apresentaram resultados superiores aos do pasto para as características de ganho em peso e inferiores para o IPGP e PE. A idade dos animais no início do teste não mostrou influência sobre a expressão das características. Não houve evidência de interação genótipo x ambiente para animais da raça Santa Inês nas provas de ganho em peso a pasto e em confinamento para as características avaliadas. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThis study aimed to verify the existence of genotype–environment interaction and performance of Santa Inês sheep in confinement and on pasture. Eighty-two Santa Ines lambs at 75-135 days of age were used. The adaptation period lasted 22 days. Animals were from five different farms, 30 animals were kept on pasture for 112 days and 52 animals were kept in confinement for 85 days. Animals were evaluated on weight gain (WG), body length (BL), thoracic perimeter (TP), hip height (HH), breast height (BH), rib-eye area (REA) and fat thickness (FD) using ultrasound, and scrotal circumference (SC), worm load (FEC) and body condition score (CS). An index (FI) was calculated using the measures taken. The SAS® software was used for statistical analysis. There was a statistical difference among animals for type of test (confinement or pasture) for WG, REA, FD, SP as well as FI. Measures for animals in confinement were generally higher than for animals on pasture, except for FI and SP. The age at the start of the test did not influence the expression of characteristics. There was no evidence found of a genotype–environment interaction for Santa Ines breed animals in weight gain on pasture and in confinement for the evaluated characteristics

MEDIDOR DE UMIDADE E TEMPERATURA: Monitoramento de ninhos de coelhos

Em virtude do recente aumento do consumo de carne de coelhos, se torna necessário que a criação do animal seja feita com extrema eficácia e dinamismo. Portanto, este projeto se propõe a melhorar as condições de ambiente de criação de coelhos, desenvolvendo um mecanismo de coleta e armazenamento de dados de temperatura e umidade de ninhos de coelhos. Tal mecanismo usará meios tecnológicos para melhorar qualidade e precisão dos dados coletados, e será testado e implementado no setor de cunicultura do Instituto Federal Catarinense - campus Camboriú

Maternal offspring behaviour in curraleiro pé duro naturalized cattle in brazil

The objective of the present study consisted of describing dam and calf suckling behaviour of Curraleiro Pé Duro cattle. In this study, 38 mother-offspring pairs and one mother-offspring-orphan trio were observed for 10 hours daily during three consecutive days spaced every four months over a period of one year. After identification,theanimalswereobserved under field conditions where calf posture and the number of sucklingepisodes(NS),meansucklingduration(MSD),total suckling duration per day (TSD) as well as natural weaning of these animals were recorded. The model assessed the effects of calf sex and age as well as feeding time. Suckling episodes (70.6%) had a duration of one to five minutes and the calf that suckled in the inverted parallel position had greater chances of success during suckling (99.5%); the younger animals had a shorter mean suckling duration (4.0±0.6 minutes) than the older ones (7.5±1.2 minutes) but they showed a higher number of suckling episodes (6.29±1.00 vs. 1.33±0.04 feeds in 10 hours for young and older calves). Only the factor age in the firstthree months was significant for NS,MSD,and TSD;males and females had similar suckling episode length and distribution. While these animals show some traits similar to other cattle breeds such as feeding their calves early in the morning and late in the afternoon, the dams spend large periods of the day away from their calves and suckling is more frequent but for shorter periods of time compared with other breeds. Other unique features such as allo-suckling and formation of day-long crèches are observed in this breed. © 2013 Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia;