Morphometry and histomorphometry of the testis in crossbred pigs fed diets with different protein levels

Aiming to evaluate the effect of the diet protein content on testicular parameters in pigs, 21 non-gelded male Dalland pigs were used and randomly divided into three groups. Males belonging to groups G2 and G3 received a diet with crude protein levels of 15% below and above, respectively, in relation to G1 (control). At 210 days of age, animals were castrated, and testis and epididymis were collected for morphometric and histomorphometry analyses. No difference was observed in relation to the total length of seminiferous tubules (G1=3239.9±333,3m; G2=2989.4±171,7m and G3=3059.5±254.9m), population of Sertoli cell (G1=4.7±0.5x10(9); G2=4.3±0.3x10(9) and G3=4.7±0.5x10(9)), population (G1=31.6±5.58x10(9); G2=27.3±4.0x10(9) and G3=26.4±3.9x10(9)) and volume of Leydig cells (G1=1289.3±182.6µm³; G2=1179.1±85.4µm³ and G3=1133.3±37.8µm³) and sperm production (G1=5.9±0.9x10(9); G2=5.6±0.6x10(9) and G3=5.1±0.3x10(9)). Protein levels were sufficient to maintain spermatogenesis in different experimental groups. It can be concluded that the magnitude of variation in levels of protein used in different stages of development was not sufficient to promote significant changes in testicular development and spermatogenesis process in adult animals

Comportamento ingestivo de vacas em lactação e de ovinos alimentados com dietas contendo palma forrageira Ingestive behavior of lactating cows and sheep fed diets with spineless cactus

Foram realizados dois experimentos, o primeiro com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da substituição do feno de capim-elefante por palma forrageira e o segundo para avaliar o efeito da substituição total do milho, e parcial da soja, por palma e ureia sobre o comportamento ingestivo de ovinos e de vacas em lactação, respectivamente. No experimento 1, foram utilizados cinco ovinos machos, não-castrados, sem raça definida, com peso médio de 25,8 kg, distribuídos em quadrado latino 5 x 5. No experimento 2, foram utilizadas 8 vacas em lactação, com produção média inicial de 14 kg leite/dia, distribuídas em dois quadrados latino 4 x 4. A observação dos dados comportamentais foi realizada visualmente, durante 24 horas, em ambos os experimentos. No experimento 1, com a inclusão da palma forrageira, os consumos de matéria seca, o tempo de alimentação e as eficiências de ruminação aumentaram linearmente, ao passo que o tempo de ruminação reduziu, linearmente também; o consumo de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e as eficiências de alimentação apresentaram comportamento quadrático. No experimento 2, a inclusão de palma e ureia não influenciou os consumos de matéria seca e FDN nem os tempos de alimentação e ruminação e as eficiências de alimentação e de ruminação (kgMS/hora), no entanto, a eficiência de ruminação (kg FDN/hora) apresentou comportamento quadrático. O tempo de mastigação total e o tempo de ócio não foram influenciados pela inclusão de palma na dieta nos dois experimentos. Recomenda-se para ração de ruminantes com alta proporção de palma forrageira a inclusão de uma fonte de fibra fisicamente efetiva.<br>It was carried out two experiments, the first aiming to assess the effect of substituting elephant grass hay by spineless cactus and the second to evaluate the total replacement of corn and partial replacement of soybean by cactus and urea regarding to the ingestion behavior of sheep and lactating cows, respectively. In experiment 1, five mixed-breed non castrated male sheep with 25.8 kg average weight were distributed in a 5 x 5 latin square. In experiment 2, it was used eight lactating cows 14 kg milk/day average initial production distributed in two 4 x 4 latin squares. The observation of the behavioral data was visually performed for a period of 24 hours in both experiments. In experiment 1, the intake of dry matter, feeding time and rumination efficiency increased linearly with the inclusion of the spineless cactus, whereas rumination time decreased linearly; the consumption of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and feeding efficiency exhibited quadratic behavior. In experiment 2, the inclusion of cactus and urea had no influence on dry matter and NDF intake, neither on time (kgDM/h) and efficiency of feeding and rumination; however, rumination efficiency (kgNDF/h) exhibited quadratic behavior. Total mastication time and idle time were not influenced by the inclusion of cactus in the diet in both experiments. The inclusion of a source of physically effective fiber is recommended for ruminant rations with a high proportion of spineless cactus