Addition of Curcumin in Dairy Sheep Diet in the Control of Subclinical Mastitis

Background: Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from rhizome of Curcuma longa, has been successfully used in animals and humans due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, a study demonstrated that curcumin ointment reduced pain, mammary tension and erythema in humans with mastitis 72 h after the treatment. Mastitis in sheep is an important problem due to restrictions associated to the use of antibiotics, affecting milk production and becoming a public health issue. Thus, the aim of this study was to verify whether the addition of curcumin in the diet of six female sheep with subclinical mastitis could have curative efficacy and benefits to animal health.Cases: Six Lacaune sheep with subclinical mastitis that persisted for more than thirty days after the parturition were used. The animals received feed containing the curcumin (60 mg/animal/day) during 10 days. On days 0 and 10 of the experiment, total blood was collected to perform the hemogram and serum biochemistry (triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and urea), as well as individual milk samples for centesimal composition, somatic cell count (SCC) and total bacterial count (TBC). Total leukocytes and erythrocytes, as well as hemoglobin content, were obtained using the hematological counter CELM-CC-550. Blood smears were stained by theRomanowsky method and used for leukocytes differentiation. After ten days of treatment, five sheep were negative in the California Mastitis Test (CMT). Total erythrocytes increased, while total leukocytes decreased after the treatment. Seric levels of AST, triglycerides, cholesterol and globulins decreased, while seric levels of albumin and urea increased after tendays of treatment. No differences were observed regarding milk production and composition, as well as for SCC and TBC on days 0 and 10 post treatment.Discussion: The use curcumin to prevent or to delay the occurrence of subclinical mastitis in ewes was first tested. In an experiment of lipopolysaccharide-induced mastitis in rats, researchers identified receptors type Toll 4 which are related with the induction of the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines, as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6 and 1β, molecules involved in the migration of leukocytes to the site of inflammation. According to literature, curcumin was able to reduce theactivity of myeloperoxidase in the mammary gland, an enzyme used as indicator of neutrophil infiltration, demonstrating the potent anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin. This effect can be associated to the release of interleukin-8, a cytokine that promotes the migration of neutrophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils into the site of infection, i.e., the mammary gland. It is important to highlight that neutrophils, due to its capacity to release inflammatory mediators and to delay apoptosis, has the potential to maintain a permanent inflammatory process, effects that were prevented or reduced by curcumin, specially the apoptotic and cytotoxic effects. It is important to emphasize the direct effect of curcumin on bacteria present in the mammary gland, since it exerts potent bactericidal effect. In summary, the use of curcumin in sheep with subclinical mastitis exerted beneficial effects in the dose of 60 mg/sheep/day, since it showed 83.3% of curative efficacy in the test CMT. This effect of curcumin can be direct or indirect, since the curcumin provided in the diet showed anti-inflammatory properties byreducing oxidation reactions and cell damage. Overall, the addition of curcumin in sheep diet improved the hematological and biochemical variables after only ten days of treatment. Future studies should be performed to clarify and determine whether the curcumin provided in diet can be an alternative to treat clinical or subclinical mastitis.Keywords: curcumin, mammary infection, immunity, biochemistry parameters, ovine

Influence of fertilization on nitrate content in pastures and milk in the west of Santa Catarina over the year

The indiscriminate use without criteria of nitrogen fertilization can lead to an accumulation of nitrate in pastures, animal poisoning and potential increase in residual content of this compound in milk. The objective of this study was to determine the residual levels of nitrate throughout the year in pastures and milk from small farms in western Santa Catarina (SC) that use high levels of nitrogen fertilization. The experiment was carried out from April/2018 to March/2019 on 10 dairy farms in the municipality of Riqueza (SC). Two annual collections of water samples and monthly collections of pastures and milk were carried out, in addition to obtaining information on the property and management of pasture fertilization through a structured questionnaire. Nitrate was also evaluated in pastures using the diphenylamine test. Temperature and rainfall data were obtained daily by a weather station. The average amount of nitrogen fertilizer used in the properties was 654 ± 176 kg/ha/year. The average nitrate content in the drinking water of the animals was 1.5 ± 1.4 mg/L, in the pasture it was 270 ± 76 mg/kg DM, while in milk it was 2.0 ± 0.3 mg/L. There was seasonal variation with an increase in nitrate content in pastures and milk in autumn, a period of the experiment in which low rainfall was observed. It was concluded that despite being dairy properties with high use of nitrogen fertilization, safe milk is produced in terms of nitrate levels, even in times of the year with adverse climatic conditions. The diphenylamine test has a good ability to discriminate the nitrate content in pastures and can be indicated as a quick test to verify the presence of high levels of nitrate in the pasture.O uso indiscriminado da adubação nitrogenada pode levar ao acúmulo de nitrato nas pastagens, intoxicar animais e aumentar os níveis nocivos residuais no leite destinado ao consumo humano. Dessa forma, o objetivo desse estudo foi determinar os teores de nitrato nas pastagens e no leite ao longo de um ano em propriedades que utilizam níveis elevados de adubação nitrogenada no oeste de Santa Catarina (SC). O experimento foi realizado durante o período de abril/2018 a março/2019 em dez propriedades produtoras de leite do município de Riqueza (SC). Foram realizadas duas coletas anuais de amostras de água e coletas mensais de pastagens e leite, além de obtidas informações quanto ao manejo de adubação das pastagens da propriedade. O teste de difenilamina foi realizado nas pastagens. Dados de temperatura e pluviometria foram obtidos diariamente por uma estação meteorológica. A quantidade média de adubo nitrogenado utilizado nas propriedades foi de 654 ± 176 kg/ha/ano. O teor médio de nitrato na água de consumo dos animais foi de 1,5 ± 1,4 mg/L, na pastagem foi de 270 ± 76 mg/kg MS, enquanto no leite foi de 2,0 ± 0,3mg/L. Houve variação sazonal com aumento no teor de nitrato nas pastagens e no leite no outono, período do experimento em que foi observado baixo índice pluviométrico. Concluiu-se que apesar de se tratar de propriedades leiteiras com elevada utilização de adubação nitrogenada, o leite produzido é seguro quanto aos teores de nitrato, mesmo em épocas do ano com condições climáticas adversas. O teste de difenilamina pode ser indicado como teste rápido para verificar teores elevados de nitrato na pastagem

Coccidiosis en pollos de engorda comerciales en Brazil entre 2012 y 2019: especies principales y grados de daño

The purpose of the present study was to determine the occurrence of coccidiosis in broilers, detect the most commonly occurring species of Eimeriaspp, and parasitic burdens in industrial poultry in Brazil from 2012 to 2019. We studied 13,648 birds between 9–49 days of age at 82 companies in 13 Brazilian states. Birds were randomly selected (3–6 birds/aviary) and euthanized. Macroscopic lesions were analyzed, and the intestinal mucosa was scraped to count E. maxima oocysts. The classification of species was based on the size of the oocysts. We also quantified the infectious burden using a scoring system. Subclinical coccidiosis (E. maxima micro) was detected in an average of 34.8%,E. acervulina(16.1%), E. maxima(7.9%), and E. tenella(4.1%) were also identified with annual fluctuations. The count of oocysts was within score 1 (1–10 oocysts/bird) in 47.5–84.4% of the cases; followedby score 2 (11–20), 3 (21–40) and 4 (over 41 oocysts/bird). Subclinical coccidiosis is a cause for concern, with 3.5 out of every ten birds being infected. This is a factor responsible for the lower productive performance of broilersEl propósito del presente estudio fue determinar la frecuencia de la coccidiosis en pollos de engorde, detectar las especies más comunes de Eimeriaspp y cargas parasitarias en aves comerciales en Brasil de 2012 a 2019. Estudiamos 13,648 aves entre 9 y 49 días de edad en 82 empresas en 13 estados brasileños. Las aves se seleccionaron al azar (3 a 6 aves / aviario) y se sacrificaron por eutanasia. Se analizaron las lesiones macroscópicas y se raspó la mucosa intestinal para el conteo de ooquistes de E. maxima. La clasificación de especies se basó en el tamaño de los ooquistes. También cuantificamos la carga infecciosa mediante un sistema de puntuación. Se detectó coccidiosis subclínica (E. maximamicro) en un promedio de 34.8%. E. acervulina(16.1%), E. maxima(7.9%) y E. tenella(4.1%) también se identificaron con fluctuaciones anuales. El conteo de ooquistes estuvo dentro de la puntuación 1 (1 a 10 ooquistes / ave) en el 47.5 al 84.4% de los casos; seguido de una puntuación 2 (11 a 20), 3 (21 a 40) y 4 (más de 41 ooquistes / ave). La coccidiosis subclínica es motivo de preocupación, ya que 3.5 de cada diez aves estaban infectadas. Este es un factor responsable del menor rendimiento productivo de los pollos de engord