Frequência e duração do ciclo estral e do estro em caprinos sem raça definida (SRD) no nordeste tropical do Brasil

In a one-year study conducted in the tropical, semi-and region of Northeast of Brazil, 30 genetically non-descript (SRD) does, 1.5 - 2.0year old, were grazed on native range (2.3 ha/head/year) with ad libitum water, salt and bone meal. Fourteen goats were supplemented with green chopped elephant grass (P. purpureum Schum.) at the proportion of 2% dry matter in relation to the mean body weight of goats, during the most critical part of the dry season (November 2 to February 26). The remaining 16 goats served as controls. The 480estrous cycles and 511 estrous period lengths were compared for the wet season (February 27 to July 10) and dry season (July 11 to February 26) as well as for level of feed. The incidence of estrus classified by month was evenly distributed throughout the year with a mean of 8.3% and 7% to 9.8% range (P>0.05) monthly variation. The average lengths of estrous periods were 55.8 vs 57.4 hours (P>0.05) and the estrous cycles 20.9 vs 21.5 days (P>0.05) for non-supplemented and supplemented groups, respectively. The same traits between wet and dry seasons were 62.0 vs 51.2 hours (P0,05). A duração média do estro foi de 55.8 e 57,4 horas (P>0,05), e a do ciclo estral foi de 20$ e 21,5 dias (P>0,05) para as cabras não suplementadas e suplementadas, respectivamente. A duração do estro foi de 62,0 e 51.2 horas (P <0,05) e do ciclo estral de 20,6 e 21,8 dias (P<0,06) para as estações chuvosa e seca, respectivamente

Traditional system of goat management. III. Reproductive performance of SRD (non-descript) does and kid mortality

Avaliou-se o desempenho de 50 fêmeas de cabras SRD adultas mantidas em um piquete de pastagem nativa com uma lotação de 1 a 1,5 ha/cab/ano. Neste rebanho, dois reprodutores foram usados em monta natural de setembro de 1978 a dezembro de 1980. Foram observados 93 partos e 28 abortos. Ocorreram três prenhezes antes do início do experimento. Dos 90 partos restantes, 57,1%, 35,6%, 1,1% e 5,6% forem simples, duplos, triplos e não determinados, respectivamente. O rebanho mostrou uma prolificidade de 1,38. Para o rebanho inicial 15 (30%), 28 (56%),  5 (10%) e 2 (4%) das cabras pariram uma, duas, três e nenhuma vez, respectivamente, durante o período estudado. O período de gestação e o intervalo entre os partos não foram influenciados pelo tipo de nascimento. O período vazio foi influenciado pela estação do ano, quando os dados foram classificados por estação e tipo de parto. A combinação do tipo de parto, na parição inicial e na parição seguinte, teve influência significativa no período vazio. Os animais que pariram primeiramente simples e depois simples ou duplos apresentaram um período vazio menor (109 vs 188 dias) do que os animais que pariram primeiramente múltiplos e depois abortaram na prenhez seguinte. O pique de mortalidade (32%) ocorreu entre 7 e 112 dias de idade. A mortalidade de cabritos parece não ter sido influenciada pelo sexo e tipo de nascimento. A mortalidade total das crias foi de 76%. A idade à morte desses animais foi influenciada pela estação, sexo e interação de ambos. Os machos nascidos durante a estação chuvosa sobreviveram mais tempo do que os nascidos nas outras classes estudadas.The reproductive performance of 50 adult SRD does maintained in native caatinga pasture at a stocking rate of 1 to 1.5 ha/head/year was evaluated. Two bucks were used in natural matings from September 1978 until December 1980. A total of 93 kiddings and 28 abortions occurred. Three pregnancies occurred before initiation of the experiment. From the 90 parturitions, 57.7%, 35.6%, 1.1% and 5.6% bore singles, twins, triplets and undetermined, respectively. The flock showed an overall prolificacy of 1.38. From the initial flock, 15 (30%), 28 (56%), 5 (10%) and 2 (4%) does presented one, two, three and zero kiddings, respectively, during the period of study. Neither gestation length nor kidding interval were influenced by type of birth. Length of open period was influenced by season of the year when data were classified by season and kidding status at the open period. Combination of kidding type at previous and following kiddings showed a significant influence (P < 0.05) on the length of the open period. Animals that kidded first singles and then singles or twins showed a shorter open period than animals that firstly kidded twins and then aborted at the following pregnancy (109 vs 188 days). The peak of kid mortality occurred between 7 and 112 days of age. Kid mortality appears not to be influenced by sex or type of birth. Overall kid mortality was 76%. The age at death of kids was influenced by season and sex as well as by their interaction. Males born during the rainy season survived longer than any other class studied.

Influence of the year and calving season on production, composition and mozzarella cheese yield of water buffalo in the State of Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil

This research was carried out to evaluate the influence of the year and calving season on the production, composition and mozzarella cheese yield index (PKM) of Murrah water buffalos. We analyzed a data set of 514 lactations collected from 2004 to 2008, recorded and archived in software of a farm located in Taipu, in the eastern region of Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. To assess the effects of calving season, the year was divided into a rainy season (from March to August) and a dry season (from September to February). Results showed that the year influenced daily production and PKM (P<0.05). However, no effects were observed on logarithm somatic cell count (LSCC), fat, protein and total dry extract (TDE). The season had no influence on the variables analyzed and no interaction was observed between the year and the season. The season and its interactions had no effect on water buffalo performance in relation to dairy production and PKM index of mozzarella efficiency

Avaliação de programas hormonais para a indução e sincronização do estro em caprinos Evaluation of hormonal programs to induce and synchronize estrus in goats

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estabelecer alternativas para indução e sincronização do estro em cabras leiteiras manejadas semi-intensivamente. Foram conduzidos quatro experimentos com 411 cabras na Embrapa-Centro Nacional de Pesquisa deCaprinos, Sobral, CE. No protocolo básico, utilizaram-se esponjas intra-vaginais com 50 mg de acetato de medroxiprogesterona (MAP) por dez dias e aplicação intra-muscular de 100 mig de cloprostenol e 200 UI de gonadotropina coriônica eqüina (eCG) no 8º dia; a inseminação artificial (IA), com sêmen congelado foi feita 38 horas após remoção da esponja. No experimento1 substituiu-se a e CG pelo "efeito macho"; no experimento 2 substituiu-se a dose de MAP para 60 mg; no experimento3 compararam-se diferentes momentos de IA: 38, 44 e 50 horas e no experimento 4 substituiu-se a eCG pela gonadotropina humana (hCG). Nenhuma das alternativas testadas modificou (P>0,05) a prolificidade. A IA em cio natural gerou maior (P<0,05) índice de parição no experimento2(67,7%) e no experimento 4 (73,3%). A dose de 60 mg de MAP permitiu realizar a IA mais tarde (44 horas apósretirar a esponja) sem detrimento da fertilidade. A hCG equivaleu a eCG, se aplicada 48 horas antes de retirar a esponja.<br>The objective of this study was to establish alternatives to induce and synchronize estrus in dairy goats managed under semi-intensive conditions. Four experiments were carried out using 411 goats at the Embrapa-Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Caprinos, Sobral, CE, Brazil. In the basic protocol, intra-vaginal sponges were used with 50 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) over ten days, associated with intra-muscular shots of cloprostenol, and equine corionic gonadotropin (eCG) at the 8th day. Artificial insemination (AI) with frozen semen took place 38 hours after sponge withdrawal. In the first experiment, eCG was replaced by "buck effect"; in the second experiment, 60 mg MAP replaced the usual dose; the third experiment compared different pre-fixed time for AI: 38, 44 and 50 hours and in the fourth experiment, hCG (human corionic gonadotropin) given at different moments, replaced eCG. Prolificacy was not influenced (P>0.05) by any changes of basic protocol.After natural estrus, AIprovided higher (P<0.05) parturition rates in the second (67.7%) and fourth experiment (73.3%). Sponge with 60mg MAP allowed to inseminate later (44 hours after removal) without impairing fertility. As long as hCG is given 48 hours before sponge removal it results equals to eCG ones

Acasalamento entre ovelhas deslanadas e reprodutores especializados para corte: desempenho produtivo até a desmama Hairsheep females mated to specialized meat-type rams: productive performance up to weaning

O presente experimento foi realizado para avaliar o desempenho produtivo de ovelhas deslanadas do Nordeste do Brasil acasaladas com machos de raças especializadas para corte. Dados de 305 parições oriundas de 134 matrizes dentro de três períodos de monta foram usados para determinar as taxas de desmame e sobrevivência das crias, o peso vivo ao desmame e o peso vivo total desmamado por ovelha acasalada. As fêmeas foram acasaladas, em sistema de rodízio de uso dos machos das raças Santa Inês, Hampshire-Down, Ile-de-France, Suffolk e Texel. O peso das crias ao desmame não diferiu entre genótipos. A taxa de desmame foi mais baixa para crias de Suffolk e de Texel, ao passo que crias de Hampshire-Down e Ile-de-France tiveram as taxas de sobrevivência mais baixas. Houve efeito compensatório entre os pesos ao nascer e ao desmame e as taxas de sobrevivência e desmame, de modo que o peso total de cordeiro desmamado não diferiu entre genótipos, à exceção para o grupo F1 de Hampshire-Down, devido à baixa taxa de sobrevivência dos cordeiros (71,4%), se comparado com as crias de Ile-de-France. Os acasalamentos ocorridos durante a estação chuvosa foram responsáveis pela menor produtividade das ovelhas. O desempenho das crias Santa Inês comparou-se ao das raças especializadas para o corte, podendo ser indicada como raça parental em programas de cruzamento com ovelhas deslanadas do Nordeste do Brasil.<br>This trial was conducted to evaluate production levels of native breed ewes of Northeast Brazil mated to rams of specialized meat-type breeds. A total of 305 lambings from 134 ewes over three periods of mating were used to determine weaning rate, survival rate and live weight at weaning and total weight of weaned lamb. The hairsheep ewes were mated in a rotational scheme of the use of rams from Santa Inês, Hampshire-Down, Ile-de-France, Suffolk and Texel breeds. Live weight at weaning did not differ among lamb genotypes. Weaning rate was lower for Suffolk and Texel crossbred lambs. Whereas, the lowest survival rates were observed for Hampshire-Down and Ile-de-France crossbred lambs. There was a compensatory effect among the weight at birth, weaning weight; weaning and survival rate, so that the total weight of weaned lamb did not differ among lamb genotypes except for Hampshire Down crossbred, due to its lower survival rate (71.4%) as compared to Ile-de-France crossbred lambs. The mating throughout the rainy season accounted for the decreased levels of productivity of the ewes. The Santa Inês hairsheep lamb performance compared to the other specialized meat-type sheep breeds and could be indicated as ram breed in crossbreeding programs for hairsheep in Northeast Brazil