Aflatoxin contamination in corn utilized for swine feeding

Foi analisado o teor de matéria seca e de aflatoxinas de um total de 420 amostras de milho (Zea mays L.) utilizado na alimentação de suínos. Estas amostras foram coletadas mensalmente de granjas produtoras de suínos para abate, de fábricas de ração e cooperativas agrícolas do estado de Santa Catarina, no período compreendido entre abril de 1985 e março de 1986. No período de janeiro a agosto verificou-se que o milho apresentou menor teor de matéria seca e maior contaminação por aflatoxinas, e de setembro a dezembro, maior teor de matéria seca e menor contaminação por aflatoxinas. Também concluiu-se que o milho originário de granjas de suínos continha menor teor de matéria e maior índice de contaminação por aflatoxinas, do que o milho proveniente das outras origens.Aflatoxin content and free water level of 420 samples of corn utilized in swine feeding were analysed. Corn samples were collected monthly from swine farms, feed factories and agricultural cooperatives, in Santa Catarina state, Brazil, during April 1985 to March 1988. The period from January to August presented the highest tree water and aflatoxin contamination levels, while the period from September to December presented the lowest levels. It was also observed that corn from swine farms presented higher contamination and tree water levels than corn samples collected from teed factories and agricultural cooperatives

Genetic and phenotypic parameters for female broiler lines

Foram utilizadas, respectivamente, 3226 e 3373 fêmeas das linhagens KK e PP, em desenvolvimento no CNPSA/EMBRAPA, com o objetivo de estimar as herdabilidades (h2) e correlações genéticas (rg) e fenotípicas (rp) do peso aos 42 dias (P42), produção de ovos até a 40a semana de idade (PD), peso dos ovos às 28 (PO28), 32 (PO32) e 37 (PO37) semanas, peso médio dos ovos (PMO), e taxas de fertilidade (FERT) e eclodibilidade (ECLO). As estimativas de h2 para, P42, PD, PMO, FERT a ECLO, foram, respectivamente, 0,26 ± 0,05; 0,30 ± 0,06; 0;15 ± 0,04; 0,50 ± 0,10 e 0,06 ± 0,04 para KK e 0,44 ± 0,07; 0,31 ± 0,06; 0,38 ± 0,07; 0,23 ± 0,05 e 0,13 ± 0,04 para PP. As h foram altas em ambas as linhagens, para todas as características estudadas, com exceção para PMO em KK e ECLO para KK e PP. As rg foram negativas e baixas em PP e praticamente nulas em KK, com exceção da rg entre PD e PMO (-0,41 ± 0,15).Termos para indexação: herdabilidades, correlação genética, correlação fenotípica.Data included information on 3226 KK and 3373 PP female broiler lines under development at the Brazilian National Swine and Poultry Research Center, to estimate the heritability (h2), genetic (rg) and phenotipic correlations (rp) for (and between) weight at 42 days as well of age (P42), as egg production from 25 to 40 weeks of age (PD), egg weight at 28 (PO28), 32(PO32) and 37 (PO37) weeks of age, average egg weight (PMO), fertility (FERT), and hatchability rates (ECLO). The heritability estimates for P42, PD, PMO, FERT and ECLO were respectively .26 ± .05; .30 ± 06; .15 ± .04; .50 ± 01 and .06 ± .04 for KK, and .44 ± .07; .31 ± 0.6; 38 ± 07; .23 ± .05 and .13 ± .04 for PP. The h2 were high in both lines, for all traits but PMO in KK and ECLO in KK and PP. The rg were negative and low in PP and practically null in KK, except for rg between PD and PMO (-.41 ± .15)

Apparent eradication of Mycoplasma synoviae in broiler breeders subjected to intensive antibiotic treatment directed to control Escherichia coli. Avian pathology : journal of the W.V.P.A

A Mycoplasma synoviae (MS)-free flock of broiler breeders was housed for brooding and rearing on an MS endemic farm. PCR revealed that the flock became infected within nine weeks. At 22 weeks the flock was transferred to a clean and disinfected house on a previously depopulated farm. The birds were then subjected to three treatments with fluoroquinolones due to recurrent Escherichia coli peritonitis and from the 32 weeks of age they received 600 ppm of oxytetracycline hydrochloride continuously in the feed. Monitoring by PCR showed a decrease in MS positive birds after 34 weeks of age and MS may have been eradicated as judged by consistent negative results in PCR. We conclude that intensive antibiotic treatments supported by adequate biosecurity could clear MS from infected broiler breeders

Swine and Poultry Pathogens: the Complete Genome Sequences of Two Strains of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and a Strain of Mycoplasma synoviae

This work reports the results of analyses of three complete mycoplasma genomes, a pathogenic (7448) and a nonpathogenic (J) strain of the swine pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and a strain of the avian pathogen Mycoplasma synoviae; the genome sizes of the three strains were 920,079 bp, 897,405 bp, and 799,476 bp, respectively. These genomes were compared with other sequenced mycoplasma genomes reported in the literature to examine several aspects of mycoplasma evolution. Strain-specific regions, including integrative and conjugal elements, and genome rearrangements and alterations in adhesin sequences were observed in the M. hyopneumoniae strains, and all of these were potentially related to pathogenicity. Genomic comparisons revealed that reduction in genome size implied loss of redundant metabolic pathways, with maintenance of alternative routes in different species. Horizontal gene transfer was consistently observed between M. synoviae and Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Our analyses indicated a likely transfer event of hemagglutinin-coding DNA sequences from M. gallisepticum to M. synoviae