Ascending Infection

Peer Reviewe

Chorioamnionitis

Peer Reviewe

Performance and carcass traits of Nellore and Red Norte steers finished in feedlot Desempenho e características de carcaça de novilhos das raças Nelore e Red Norte terminados em confinamento

The objective of this work was to evaluate average daily gain (ADG) and carcass traits in Nellore and Red Norte steers, finished in feedlots and to evaluate performance predictions by using the systems BR-CORTE, CNCPS 5.0 and NRC (2000). It was used 41 steers: 19 Nelore animals with initial body weight of 361 ± 31 kg and 22 Red Norte animals with initial body weight of 367 ± 30 kg. Adaptation period lasted 28 days. Animal performance evaluation was composed of three 28 day period, totaling 84 days. At the end of each period, animals were weighed after a 16-hour feeding fast. Average gain weight of Red Norte steers was greater than Nellore breed animals (1.43 vs. 1.81 kg/day, respectively). Red Norte animals also presented greater loin eye area (75.41 cm² vs. 68.67 cm²). It was not observed any differences on subcutaneous fat thickness and on rump fat among the genetic groups. None of the nutritional requirement system evaluated were efficient in predicting animal performance. For Nellore breed, daily average gain observed was 1.53kg/day, with values of 1.53, 1.70 and 1.82 kg/day predicted by NRC, CNCPS and BR-CORTE systems. Although average values and predicted by NRC were similar, according to the regression equation, intercept and inclination were different from zero and one. For Red Norte breed, performance observed was 1.88 kg/day with values of 1.50, 1.66 and 1.72 predicted by the systems NRC, CNCPS and BR-CORTE, probably because database of those systems is based mainly on results obtained from Angus bovines.<br>Objetivou-se avaliar o ganho médio diário (GMD) e as características de carcaça em novilhos das raças Nelore e Red Norte, não-castrados, terminados em confinamento e avaliar as predições do desempenho pelos sistemas CNCPS 5.0, NRC (2000) e BR-CORTE. Utilizaram-se 41 novilhos: 19 do grupo Nelore com peso vivo inicial de 361 ± 31 kg e 22 do grupo Red Norte com peso vivo inicial de 367 ± 30 kg. O período de adaptação teve duração de 28 dias. A avaliação do desempenho animal foi composta de três períodos de 28 dias, totalizando 84 dias. Ao final de cada período, realizou-se a pesagem dos animais após jejum alimentar de 16 horas. Na raça Red Norte, o ganho médio diário foi superior ao da raça Nelore (1,81 vs. 1,43 kg/dia). Os animais da raça Red Norte apresentaram também maior área de olho-de-lombo (75,41 cm² vs. 68,67 cm²). Não foi observada diferença nas espessuras de gordura subcutânea e de gordura na garupa entre os grupos genéticos. Nenhum dos sistemas de exigências nutricionais avaliados foram eficientes para a predição do desempenho animal. Na raça Nelore, o ganho médio diário observado foi de 1,53 kg/dia, com valores preditos de 1,53; 1,70 e 1,82 kg/dia pelos sistemas NRC, CNCPS e BR-CORTE. Apesar de os valores médio e preditos pelo sistema NRC terem sido semelhantes, de acordo com a equação de regressão, o intercepto e a inclinação foram diferentes de zero e um. Na raça Red Norte, o desempenho observado foi de 1,88 kg/dia com valores preditos de 1,50; 1,66 e 1,72 kg/dia pelos sistemas NRC, CNCPS e BR-CORTE, provavelmente porque o banco de dados desses sistemas é baseado principalmente em resultados obtidos em bovinos Angus

Population biology of swift (Apus apus) ectoparasites in relation to host reproductive success

1We censused ectoparasite populations of adult and nestling swifts over the course of the host\u27s breeding season. Nearly all of the birds were infested with chewing lice and two-thirds of the nests were infested with louse flies. Feather mites were observed but not quantified.2Lice and louse flies both showed aggregated distributions among hosts. Louse eggs, hatched lice and adult louse flies had negative binomial distributions, whereas the aggregated distribution of louse fly pupae was not adequately described by negative binomial or Poisson models.3Transmission of lice from parents to offspring was documented. A comparison of the age structure of lice on parents and offspring indicated that most transmission was by nymphal lice.4Host reproductive success and survival appeared to be independent of the number of lice or louse flies. Neither parasite correlated with the number, body mass, or date of fledging of young birds, nor with the overwinter survival of adults. We caution, however, that experimental manipulations of parasite load are required for a definitive test of the impact of ectoparasites on evolutionary fitness components

Macroscopic anatomy of the omasum of free-ranging moose (Alces alces) and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and a comparison of the omasal laminal surface area in 34 ruminant species

The function of the 'third compartment' of the ruminant forestomach, the omasum, has been debated for a long time. To date, it is assumed that its major function is fluid reabsorption. In order to investigate differences in this organ between ruminant feeding types, we first compared macroscopic measurements of the omasa of free-ranging muskoxen Ovibos moschatus [n=6, mean body mass (BM) 207 kg, range 180-221], a grazer, and free-ranging moose Alces alces (n=11, mean BM 291 kg, range 144-418), a strict browser. Despite the similar BM range, omasa of muskoxen contained more ingesta, had a higher empty organ weight, had more third- and fourth-order laminae, and represented a higher proportion of the total forestomach weight. In particular, the surface area of the omasal leaves - the area available for fluid absorption - was significantly larger in muskoxen (10 933 +/- 940 cm(2)) than in moose (2228 +/- 885 cm(2)). In order to test whether the difference in available surface area is a true functional correlate of feeding type, additional data on the omasal laminar surface area were generated for 83 individuals of 19 species. These data were supplemented with data on 13 additional species from the literature. The percentage of grass (%grass) in the natural diet was used to characterize the feeding type; the phylogenetic tree used for a controlled statistical evaluation was entirely based on mitochondrial DNA information. Regardless of phylogenetic control in the statistical treatment, there was a significant positive correlation of both BM and %grass in the natural diet with omasal laminar surface area. The data suggest that certain ruminant species that ingest more grass have larger omasal leaf surface areas, possibly indicating a higher need for water reabsorption distal to the ruminoreticulum, which could be explained as a consequence of the more distinct rumen contents stratification in these species