Productive indicator in a Holstein dairy herd: growth and height curves, reproductive and productive traits and genetic parameters

Data on weight, height, productive and reproductive performance of 1,272 Holstein heifers, born from 1990 to 1998, were used to evaluate the growth and height patterns of these females from birth to first calving, and the following traits: weight at first calving (PP), age at first calving (IP), milk production in the first lactation (PL) and first calving interval (IEP), and to estimate genetic parameters of these traits. The von Bertalanffy fitted models were: Yi=802.10 (1-0.630EXP (-0.0022t)) for weight, and Yi=1.40 (1-0.208EXP (-0.0038t)) for height. The average performance of heifers were: height 140cm, weight 602kg and 27 month of age at first calving. The total milk yield was 8,026kg and first IEP was 420 days. The (co)variance components estimates were obtained by a derivative-free algorithm with the DFREML. The estimates of heritabilities were 0.31, 0.35, 0.34, respectively for PP, IP and PL, and 0.10 for IEP. The genetic correlations estimates between PP and PL, PL and IP and IEP and PL were low. The correlation between IEP and PP was 0.49 and between IEP and IP was, -0.69, sugesting an antagonism between the two last traits.Foram analisados dados de peso, altura e desempenho produtivo e reprodutivo de 1.272 novilhas da raça Holandesa, nascidas no período de 1990 a 1998. Estudaram-se o desenvolvimento em peso e altura do nascimento até o primeiro parto, as características peso ao primeiro parto (PP), idade ao primeiro parto (IP), produção de leite na primeira lactação (PL), primeiro intervalo de partos (IEP), e os parâmetros genéticos pertinentes. As equações para as curvas de peso e altura, estimadas pelo modelo proposto por von Bertalanffy, foram: Yi= 802,10 (1 - 0,630EXP (-0,0022t)) e Yi= 1,40 (1 - 0,208EXP (-0,0038t)), respectivamente. As novilhas atingiram o primeiro parto com altura média de 140cm e peso de 602kg aos 27 meses de idade. A produção total de leite na primeira lactação foi de 8.026kg e o primeiro IEP 420 dias. Na obtenção dos componentes de (co)variância utilizou-se o método da máxima verossimilhança restrita livre de derivada. As estimativas de herdabilidade foram 0,31, 0,35 e 0,34, respectivamente, para PP, IP e PL, e 0,10 para IEP, evidenciando variância genética aditiva média para as três primeiras características. As correlações genéticas apresentaram pequena magnitude para PP e PL, PL e IP, e IEP e PL. A correlação entre IEP e PP foi 0,49; entre IEP e IP o valor foi negativo, -0,69, indicando provável antagonismo entre as duas últimas características.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto Departamento de GenéticaUniversidade Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e ZootecniaInstituto de ZootecniaUniversidade de São Paulo Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de QueirozUNIFESP, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto Depto. de GenéticaSciEL

Antioxidant capacity and toxicological evaluation of pterospartum tridentatum flower extracts

Pterospartum tridentatum Willk. (prickled broom) is an autochthonous plant, common in Portuguese territory. The yellow flowers are used in traditional medicine, as a potential cure for all body illnesses, mainly for throat irritation treatment or for diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia therapy.Despite its traditional use, no toxicological assessment has been performed as we know. A high antioxidant activity of P. tridentatum flower water extract was acessed in good agreement with its ESI-MS spectrum that revealed the presence of several flavonoids, as luteolin-O-(O-acetyl)-glucuronide, luteolin-O- glucuronide or isorhamnetin-O-hexoside. Mitocondrial respiratory rates (state 4, state 3 and FCCP-stimulated respiration) and respiratory indexes (respiratory control and P/O ratios) showed no consistent decrease of respiratory and phosphorylative efficiencies for the concentrations tested (up to 500 μg.mL-1). Cytotoxicity evaluation, using MTT assay, was reliable with the previous results. In conclusion, for the concentration range commonly used P. tridentatum flowers usage can be regarded as harmless and trustworthy

Estudos sobre a nutrição mineral do sorgo granífero: V. efeitos das deficiências de micronutrientes (nota)

Grain sorghum var. TEY-101 was grown in nutrient solution in the presence and in the absence of micronutrients. Symptoms of deficieny of all micronutrients were obtained. Growth, as measured by dry matter production was affected by the treatments in the folowing decreasing, order: minus Fe, minus Zn, minus Mn, minus B, minus Mo and minus Cu. An additional treatment in which excess Mn was used revealed a relative tolerance of the variety to high levels of this element. The results of chemical analyses of the leaves suggest that the following contents (in ppm) of micronutrients are associated with the respective deficiencies: B - 20 to 40, Cu - 8 to 10, Fe - 198, Mn - 32 to 35, Mo - 0.5, Zn - 46 to 52; in the case of Fe the Fe/Mn relationship seems to give a better indication of the nutritional status than the content of the element per se, being igual to 1.7 in the healthy plants, and 0.6 in the iron deficient ones.O sorgo granífero, var. TEY 101, foi cultivado em solução nutritiva na presença e ausência de micronutrientes. Foram obtidos sintomas de carência e foi feita a determinação dos teores desses elementos nas folhas