Conjugated probiotics dispensed from birth to weaning for the survival of goat kids

a) Objective: To prevent morbidities, mortalities and increase weight gain and growth of kids by administering oral probiotic conjugate (PC). b) Design/Methodology/Approach: A randomized design comparing treatments (supplemented dose), percentage of morbidity and percentage of mortality. Goats were administered weekly from birth to 56 days of age. PC of Bifidobacterium bifidum essensis, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus were dosed weekly. Treatments, TC: Control, T2: 2.0 mL PC/kg body weight (BW). T3: 3 mL PC/Kg BW. T4: 4 mL PC/Kg BW. c) Results: Diarrhea was present in: TC = 16%, T2 = 1%, T3 and T4 = 0% (TC vs. T2, T3, T4, P <0.05). Mortality percentages: TC = 17%, T2, T3 and T4 = 0% (TC vs. T2, T3, T4, P <0.05). T2 and T3 had an increase (P <0.05) of 1.9 kg weight gain (WG) vs. TC. T3 was the best treatment at 56d (P <0.05). d) Study Limitations/Implications: The doses used were defined based on other studies and experimental doses were used; the results consider that the facilities and management are optimal and in accordance with animal welfare standards. e) Findings/Conclusions: The most adequate dose was 1014 CFU/kg BW since it improved WG and reduced mortality. It is suggested to compare oral doses of probiotics to reduce death due to enteric diseases.To prevent morbidities, mortalities and increase weight gain and growth of kids by administering oral probiotic conjugate (PC). Design/Methodology/Approach: A randomized design comparing treatments (supplemented dose), percentage of morbidity and percentage of mortality.  Goats were administered weekly from birth to 56 days of age. PC of Bifidobacterium bifidum essensis, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus were dosed weekly. Treatments, TC: Control, T2: 2.0 mL PC/kg body weight (BW). T3: 3 mL PC/Kg BW. T4: 4 mL PC/Kg BW. Results: Diarrhea was present in: TC = 16%, T2 = 1%, T3 and T4 = 0% (TC vs. T2, T3, T4, P <0.05). Mortality percentages: TC = 17%, T2, T3 and T4 = 0% (TC vs. T2, T3, T4, P <0.05). T2 and T3 had an increase (P <0.05) of 1.9 kg weight gain (WG) vs. TC. T3 was the best treatment at 56d (P <0.05). Study Limitations/Implications: The doses used were defined based on other studies and experimental doses were used; the results consider that the facilities and management are optimal and in accordance with animal welfare standards. Findings/Conclusions: The most adequate dose was 1014 CFU/kg BW since it improved WG and reduced mortality. It is suggested to compare oral doses of probiotics to reduce death due to enteric diseases

Tamaño gonadal de machos de Chaetodipus arenarius (Rodentia: Heteromyidae) durante un ciclo reproductivo en Baja California Sur, México

El patrón de reproducción de roedores nocturnos es difícil de desclibirse en condiciones naturales, para inferirse, se recurre las características de la gónada a través del tiempo de Febrero a Septiembre de 1993 colocándose 1628 trampas/noche captura de roedores.El patrón de reproducción de roedores nocturnos es difícil de desclibirse en condiciones naturales, para inferirse, se recurre las características de la gónada a través del tiempo de Febrero a Septiembre de 1993 colocándose 1628 trampas/noche captura de roedores

Recovery of Vegetation Cover and Soil after the Removal of Sheep in Socorro Island, Mexico

For over 140 years, the habitat of Socorro Island in the Mexican Pacific has been altered by the presence of exotic sheep. Overgrazing, jointly with tropical storms, has caused soil erosion, and more than 2000 hectares of native vegetation have been lost. Sheep eradication was conducted from 2009 to 2012. Since then, the vegetation has begun to recover passively, modifying soil properties. The objective of our study was to verify that this island was resilient enough to be recovered and in a relatively short time scale. To confirm our hypothesis, we analyzed changes in the physical-chemical properties of the soil and vegetation cover, the last one in different times and habitats after sheep eradication. The change in vegetation cover was estimated by comparing the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) between 2008 and 2013. In sites altered by feral sheep, soil compaction was assessed, and soil samples were taken, analyzing pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. After a year of total sheep eradication, clear indications in the recovery of vegetation cover and improvement of soil quality parameters were observed and confirmed, specifically compaction and nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus, and calcium. The results seem to support our hypothesis

The Sonozotz project: Assembling an echolocation call library for bats in a megadiverse country

Bat acoustic libraries are important tools that assemble echolocation calls to allow the comparison and discrimination to confirm species identifications. The Sonozotz project represents the first nation-wide library of bat echolocation calls for a megadiverse country. It was assembled following a standardized recording protocol that aimed to cover different recording habitats, recording techniques, and call variation inherent to individuals. The Sonozotz project included 69 species of echolocating bats, a high species richness that represents 50% of bat species found in the country. We include recommendations on how the database can be used and how the sampling methods can be potentially replicated in countries with similar environmental and geographic conditions. To our knowledge, this represents the most exhaustive effort to date to document and compile the diversity of bat echolocation calls for a megadiverse country. This database will be useful to address a range of ecological questions including the effects of anthropogenic activities on bat communities through the analysis of bat sound.</p