A comparison of two rotational stocking strategies on the foraging behaviour and herbage intake by grazing sheep

An understanding of the processes involved in grazing behaviour is a prerequisite for the design of efficient grassland management systems. The purpose of managing the grazing process is to identify sward structures that can maximize animal forage daily intake and optimize grazing time. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of different grazing management strategies on foraging behaviour and herbage intake by sheep grazing Italian ryegrass under rotational stocking. The experiment was carried out in 2015 in southern Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with two grazing management strategies and four replicates. The grazing management treatments were a traditional rotational stocking (RT), with pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 25 and 5 cm, respectively, and a ‘Rotatinuous’ stocking (RN) with pre- and post-grazing sward heights of 18 and 11 cm, respectively. Male sheep with an average live weight of 32 ± 2.3 kg were used. As intended, the pre- and post-grazing sward heights were according to the treatments. The pre-grazing leaf/stem ratio of the Italian ryegrass pasture did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05) (~2.87), but the post-grazing leaf/stem ratio was greater (P 0.05), with averages of 439, 167 and 85 min, respectively. The bite rate, feeding stations per min and steps per min by sheep were greater (P < 0.05) in the RN than in the RT treatment. The grazing time per hour and the bite rate were greater (P < 0.05) in the afternoon than in the morning in both treatments. The daily herbage intake by sheep grazing Italian ryegrass was greater (P < 0.05) in the RN than in the RT treatment (843.7 and 707.8 g organic matter/sheep, respectively). Our study supports the idea that even though the grazing time was not affected by the grazing management strategies when the animal behaviour responses drive management targets, such as in ‘Rotatinuous’ stocking, the sheep herbage intake is maximized, and the grazing time is optimized

Synthesis of silica xerogels with high surface area using acetic acid as catalyst

The influence of acetic acid on the pore structure and surface area of silica prepared by the sol-gel method was investigated. Experimental conditions of synthesis, such as gelation temperature and solvents, were also studied. N2 adsorption isotherms of the samples were type 1, typical of microporous materials, explaining the high surface area values (BET) observed. The simultaneous addition of acetic and hydrochloric acids as catalysts and of acetone as solvent, together with the use of a gelation temperature of 20 ºC, made it possible to prepare amorphous silica materials with surface area values up to 850 m² g-1. The high surface area value of these samples could be explained by the microporosity and the nanometric size of the particles.Nesse trabalho foi estudada a influência do ácido acético na estrutura de poros e na área superficial de sílicas preparadas pelo método sol-gel. Condições experimentais de síntese, tais como temperatura de policondensação e solventes, também foram estudadas. Isotermas de adsorção de N2 das amostras foram classificadas como do tipo 1, típicas de materiais microporosos, o que explica os altos valores de área superficial obtidos. A adição simultânea dos ácidos acético e clorídrico como catalisadores e de acetona como solvente, bem como o emprego de uma temperatura de policondensação de 20 ºC, possibilitaram a preparação de sílicas amorfas com valores de área superficial de até 850 m² g-1. O alto valor de área superficial dessas amostras pode ser explicado principalmente pela microporosidade e também pelo tamanho nanométrico das partículas.886890Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Infrared and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of chloride effect in palladium catalysts

Chloride poisoning is known as having an inhibitor effect in the activity of metal catalysis. In this work in situ infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of adsorbed carbon monoxide and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to investigate the effect of chloride presence in the electronic metal density in the d subshell of palladium dispersed on alumina. The chloride poisoning effect was interpreted as an electronic effect since a weak back-bonded Pd-CO was formed due to the decrease in the electronic density of the d subshell of palladium, which could be also detected by the higher Pd 3d5/2 binding energy in the chloride presence. A similar poisoning effect was also observed for chloride free Pd/Al2O3 reduced at 500 ºC, and it was interpreted based on the interaction of metal with the alumina surface. The use of molybdena/alumina binary system as support, yield a contrary effect due to the metal-support interaction.392395Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Cationic dyes immobilized on cellulose acetate surface modified with titanium dioxide: factorial design and an application as sensor for NADH

The electrochemical properties of meldola blue and toluidine blue cationic dyes immobilized on cellulose acetate surface modified with titanium dioxide were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The materials synthesized were employed as carbon paste electrodes. The redox mediator properties of the meldola blue and toluidine blue chemically modified electrodes were optimized using a factorial design, consisting of two levels and four factors with two pseudo-central points (n= 20 experiments). The factorial analysis was carried out by searching for better reversibility of the redox process, such as the lowest separation between anodic and cathodic potential peaks and a current ratio near unity. The factors that presented significant effects on the overall optimization of the system to achieve the best conditions of the reversibility of electron transfer were the main factors scan rate and type of electrode (meldola blue or toluidine blue), besides the interaction factors KCl concentration &times; type of electrode (B&times;D) and the pH &times; [KCl] concentration &times; scan rate (A&times;B&times;C) interaction. The best electrochemical reversibility conditions obtained were: using the CA-TiO2-MB electrode, 1.0 mol L-1 KCl as supporting electrolyte, at scan rate of 10.0 mV s-1. Afterwards, the CA-TiO2-MB modified electrode was tested as an amperometric sensor for the determination of NADH, with a detection limit of 0.1 µmol L-1.As propriedades eletroquímicas dos corantes catiônicos, azul de meldola e azul de toluidina, imobilizados na superfície do acetato de celulose modificado com dióxido de titânio foram investigadas por voltametria cíclica. Os materiais sintetizados foram empregados como eletrodos de pasta de carbono. As propriedades mediadoras redox dos eletrodos modificados quimicamente com azul de meldola e azul de toluidina foram otimizadas utilizando um planejamento fatorial consistindo de dois níveis e quatro fatores com dois pseudo-pontos centrais (n=20 experimentos). A análise fatorial foi realizada para investigar as melhores condições de reversibilidade do processo redox tais como uma diminuição na separação entre os picos de potenciais anódico e catódico e razão de corrente próxima da unidade. Os fatores que apresentaram efeitos significantes na otimização global do sistema e que permitiram alcançar as melhores condições de reversibilidade de transferência de elétrons foram os fatores principais velocidade de varredura e tipo de eletrodo (azul de meldola ou azul de toluidina) além dos fatores de interação concentração do KCl &times; tipo de eletrodo (B&times;D) e a interação pH &times; [KCl] &times; velocidade de varredura (A&times;B&times;C). As melhores condições de reversibilidade eletroquímica obtidas foram: o eletrodo CA-TiO2-MB, KCl 1,0 mol L-1 como eletrólito suporte e velocidade de varredura de 10,0 mV s-1. Adicionalmente, o eletrodo modificado CA-TiO2-MB foi testado como sensor amperométrico para a determinação de NADH com um limite de detecção de 0,1 µmol L-1.14621472Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Método Famacha na avaliação de ovinos naturalmente infectados por nematódeos gastrintestinais.

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a utilização do método Famacha como uma estratégia no controle parasitário, principalmente do Haemonchus contortus, em ovinos de pastagem irrigada naturalmente infectados