Reproductive efficiency of asymptomatic Theileria equi carriers mares submitted to an embryo transfer program

This study aimed to assess and evaluate the effects of Theileria equi infection on embryonic recovery, gestation and early embryonic loss. Thirteen Mangalarga Marchador Theileria equi positive donors (diagnosed through nested-PCR) and 40 embryos receptors were used. Donors were submitted to two embryo collections in two consecutive estrous cycles (GId); after, the same mares were treated with imidocarb dipropionate (1.2mg/kg IM.) in order to collect more embryos in two more estrous cycles (GIId). Receptors were divided into two groups (control and with treated) with 20 animals each, where one group was the control (GIr) and the other one (GIIr) treated with 1.2mg/kg IM of imidocarb dipropionate assessing the gestation rate at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days. After 52 embryo collections, the embryonic recovery rates were 53.84% (14/26) and 65.38% (17/26) (p> 0.05) for GId and GIId, respectively. The gestation rate was 70% (14/20) (p>0.05) at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days in group GIr and for GIIr was 85% (17/20) (p>0.05) at 15 days, 80% (16/20) (p>0.05) at 30, 45 and 60 days. The treatment with imidocarb dipropionate did not cause significant improvement in the reproductive efficiency at an ET program

Castration methods do not affect weight gain and have diverse impacts on the welfare of water buffalo males

AbstractCastration is used to improve the management of water buffalo beef males raised under extensive conditions. However, as buffalo are considered robust animals, their welfare is often neglected, which, among other implications, may compromise their productivity. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different castration methods on the stress level and weight gain of water buffalo males. Two experiments were performed with three treatments each. In experiment 1, serum cortisol concentrations were used as stress indicators for non-castrated (control group) or castrated males, either surgically or by burdizzo clamp. In experiment 2, blood levels of fibrinogen were used as stress indicators for males in the control group compared to those castrated by either burdizzo clamp or intratesticular injection of calcium chloride (chemical castration). In both experiments, clinical parameters and the mean daily weight gain were measured for all males. Surgical castration and chemical castration caused higher stress than castration with burdizzo, with no differences observed in weight gain among castration methods. In conclusion, for water buffalo males, castration with burdizzo clamp is preferable to surgical and chemical methods because it causes the lowest stress level in the animals

Fechamento e índice de área foliar da cultura da soja em diferentes arranjos espaciais Closed canopy and leaf area index of soybean in different space arrangements

O experimento teve por objetivo avaliar o tempo de fechamento das entrelinhas e o índice de área foliar da cultura da soja (Glycine max (L.) Merrill), com a identificação do arranjo populacional mais adequado ao manejo da cultivar MG/BR 46 (Conquista) com alta produtividade agrícola. O experimento foi desenvolvido em área experimental da Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" (ESALQ/USP), no município de Piracicaba (SP), durante o ano agrícola de 2001/2002. Os 30 tratamentos, delineados em blocos ao acaso com parcelas subdivididas e com três repetições, constaram de diferentes arranjos espaciais, obtidos pela combinação de seis espaçamentos entre linhas (0,20; 0,30; 0,40; 0,50; 0,60 e 0,70 m) e cinco populações (70.000; 140.000; 210.000; 280.000 e 350.000 plantas/ha). As características avaliadas foram: tempo de fechamento de entrelinhas; índice de área foliar e produtividade agrícola. Concluiu-se que: a) Na cultivar Conquista, plantada em linhas espaçadas entre si de 0,20 a 0,60 m, o índice de área foliar é máximo no estádio fenológico correspondente ao início de granação das vagens (R5); b) O índice de área foliar é aumentado proporcionalmente com o aumento da população de plantas; c) o fator de mais influência na velocidade no fechamento entrelinhas é o espaçamento.<br>This research had the purposes to evaluate the time to achieve closed canopy and leaf area index of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) and identify the best space arrangements for higher grain yields of cultivar MG/BR 46 (Conquista). The experiment was carried out at the experimental fields of Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" (USP/ESALQ), São Paulo State University, in Piracicaba, State of São Paulo, Brazil, during the 2001/2002 growing season. The 30 treatments consisted of different space arrangements, combining 6 row spacing (0.20; 0.30; 0.40; 0.50; 0.60; 0.70 m) with 5 different populations (70,000; 140,000; 210,000; 280,000; 350,000 plants ha-1), in a complete randomized blocks design with subdivided plots and three replications. The evaluated characteristics were: time to achieve closed canopy; leaf area index and grain yield. The conclusions are: a) in the cultivar MG/BR - 46 (Conquista) cultivated under 0.20 to 0.60 m row spacing, the leaf area index maximum is at the beginning of seed-filling stage (R5); b) the leaf area index becomes higher proportionally with the increase of population; c) the factor that more influenced to shorten the time to achieve closed canopy was the spacement