Vitamin D doses for alpacas (Lama pacos)

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of cholecalciferol (D3) doses for maintaining adequate vitamin D status in crias and adult female alpacas at pasture. Design: A field experiment during winter and early spring in a herd on a farm in South Australia. Animals and procedure: Crias, usually less than 6 months of age and female alpacas, aged 2 to 6 years, were given a single subcutaneous dose of 0, 1000 or 2000 IU D3/ kg body weight. Plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxycholecalcif-erol (25-OH D3), phosphorus, calcium and vitamins A and E and alkaline phosphatase activity were measured at intervals over a period of 16 weeks after treatment. Results: Crias not given a vitamin D supplement had reduced growth rate during winter and one animal showed clinical signs of rickets. Vitamin D treatment had no effect on the body weight of mature females. Vitamin D supplements increased the 25-OH D3 and phosphorus concentrations in plasma of both crias and adult females; alkaline phosphatase activity was not affected by treatment. Conclusion: It is suggested that for alpacas in southern Australia a subcutaneous dose of 1000 IU D3/kg body weight to crias in late autumn and again in mid winter and to adult females in mid winter should prevent vitamin D inadequacy.GJ Judson and A Feake

Influência do grão de sorgo como fonte de amido em ovinos alimentados com feno: parâmetros plasmáticos Influence of sorghum grain as a source of starch in sheep fed hay: plasma parameters

O objetivo deste trabalho experimental foi verificar a influência de diferentes níveis de grão de sorgo, como fonte de amido, nos parâmetros plasmáticos em ovinos alimentados com feno de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum Schum). O sorgo foi utilizado em quatro níveis na dieta: 0, 15, 30 e 45%. Foram usados 12 ovinos machos castrados distribuídos em quatro tratamentos com três repetições. Foram coletadas seis amostras de sangue por animal logo antes da refeição da manhã (hora zero) e 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 e 8 horas após. O delineamento experimental foi o completamente casualizado. A 1ª hora após a refeição apresentou a maior concentração plasmática de uréia (53,3 mg/100 mL) e foi superior à 6ª e 8ª hora (49,5 e 49,3 mg/100 mL). A maior concentração de uréia no plasma coincidiu com a maior concentração de amônia no líquido ruminal. O tratamento com 30% de sorgo na dieta apresentou concentração plasmática de glicose de 81,0 mg/100 mL e foi superior ao tratamento testemunha (60,4 mg/100 mL). A concentração de insulina variou entre tratamentos para cada hora de coleta após a refeição, de acordo com os níveis de sorgo na dieta. O tratamento com 45% de sorgo apresentou a maior concentração do hormônio no plasma. Observou-se para todos os tratamentos um pico de produção do hormônio na 4ª hora após a refeição.<br>The objective of this experimental work was to evaluate the influence of different levels of sorghum grain, as a source of starch, on the plasma parameters of sheep fed elephant grass hay (Pennisetum purpureum Schum). Sorghum grain was included in the diet at four levels: 0, 15, 30 e 45%. Twelve castrated male sheep were assigned to four treatments with three replicates. Six samples of blood per animal were collected just before the morning feeding (zero hour) and after 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 hours. A completely randomized design was used. The first hour after feeding showed the highest plasma concentration of urea (53.3 mg/100 mL) and was higher than the six and eight-hour samples (49.5 and 49.3 mg/100 mL). The higher concentration of urea in the plasma coincided with the highest concentration of ammonia in the ruminal liquor. Treatment including 30% sorghum in the diet showed a glucose plasmatic concentration of 81,0 mg/100 mL and was superior to the control treatment (60.4 mg/100 mL). Insulin concentration varied among treatments for each hour of collection after feeding according to the levels of sorghum in the diet. The treatment that included 45% sorghum grain showed the highest concentration of this hormone in the plasma. It was observed a peak of the insulin production at the four-hour after feeding