Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Animal Sciences and Industry / Jeffrey S. Stevenson / Four experiments were conducted in beef cows to determine factors that increased the probability of pregnancy per AI when cows are inseminated by appointment. Cows in all experiments were inseminated after a 7-d CO-Synch + CIDR program (100 μg GnRH [2 mL Factrel, Pfizer Animal Health, Whitehouse Station, NJ] 7 d before 25 mg PGF₂[subscript]α [d 0; 5 mL Lutalyse; Pfizer Animal Health]). Experiment 1 compared 1 vs. 2 inseminations and GnRH injection times at 60 and 75 h after the CO-Synch + CIDR program. Delaying AI until 75 h, according to interpretation of estrus-detection patches, for cows not in estrus by 60 h after CIDR insert removal increased (P < 0.05) pregnancy risk (PR) compared with cows not in estrus and inseminated at 60 h (51.4 vs. 41.7%), respectively. The necessity of GnRH injection concurrent with AI was tested in experiment 2. Cows displaying estrus by 65 h that were injected with GnRH had similar PR to cows in estrus and not treated with GnRH (61.9 vs. 60.4%), respectively. Cows in experiment 2 that did not display estrus, but were treated with a GnRH injection at 65 h and then inseminated at 84 h after CIDR insert removal had increased PR compared with similar cows not treated with GnRH (33.4 vs. 15.0%; P < 0.01), respectively. Experiments 3 and 4 were observational studies conducted to determine if blood metabolites glucose and beta-hydroxy butyrate (BHB experiment 3), or physical body and blood metabolites, (glucose, BHB, non-esterified fatty acids [NEFA], blood urea nitrogen [BUN], body weight, rump fat [RF], or BCS; experiment 4) were indicative of future reproductive success in suckled beef cows enrolled in a timed AI program. In experiment 3, plasma glucose concentration 10 d before AI was lesser (P = 0.01; 52.2 vs. 56.9 mg/dL) and serum BHB concentration was lesser (P < 0.01) in cows that became pregnant 35 d after timed AI than for cows that did not become pregnant (600 vs. 690 μM), respectively. Experiment 4 identified relationships between indicators and reproductive success including the finding that serum NEFA concentration 2 to 4 wk before AI is negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with PR to AI.

Objetivou-se avaliar a efetividade da ventilação forçada associada à nebulização sobre as respostas comportamentais e fisiológicas de suínos mantidos dentro do veículo transportador antes do descarregamento na indústria frigorífica. Durante 6 semanas de transporte, 2 veículos pot-belly (PB) transportaram 191 suínos cada até a mesma planta frigorífica. Na chegada, ambos veículos permaneceram estacionados por 30 minutos antes da descarga. Um dos veículos PB foi posicionado ao lado do sistema de ventilação e nebulização (PBVM), enquanto o outro PB não teve acesso ao sistema de resfriamento (PBC). O tratamento (PBVM) consistiu em 10 minutos de ventilação (Espera 1); seguido de 10 minutos de ventilação e nebulização (Espera 2) e 10 minutos finais de ventilação (Espera 3). A temperatura do ar (T) e a umidade relativa (RH) foram monitorados. A frequência de suínos deitados e a frequência de acesso ao bebedouro foram calculadas. Temperaturas do trato gastrointestinal (GTT), lactato sanguíneo, hematócrito, creatina quinase e concentrações de cortisol foram avaliados. Durante a Espera 1, a ventilação forçada reduziu a temperatura do ar e o índice de temperatura e umidade no tratamento PBVM. Na Espera 3, a temperatura e o índice de temperatura e umidade foram menores (P &lt; 0.001) no tratamento PBVM comparado ao PBC, contudo a umidade relativa do ar foi maior (P &lt; 0.001). Suínos oriundos do compartimento 4 do PBVM apresentaram maior atividade durante o tempo de Espera 2 e 3, e reduzido tempo de latência para se deitar na baia do frigorífico (P &lt; 0.05). Redução no GTT dos suínos oriundos do PBC foi observada após 1 hora de período de descanso comparada ao PBVM. O percentual de hematócrito tendeu a ser maior nos suínos PBC comparado ao PBVM. O sistema de ventilação e nebulização utilizado na indústria frigorifica antes do descarregamento melhora de forma eficiente as condições internas térmicas do caminhão e consequentemente o conforto térmico dos suínos mantidos no veículo transportador, com redução na temperatura dentro dos compartimento e baixo nível de desidratação no abate. / The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of water misting with forced ventilation on a stationary trailer on internal vehicle ambient conditions, behavioral and physiological response of market pigs. During 6 weekly shipments, two identical tri-axle pot-belly (PB) trailers transported 191 pigs each (126 ± 5 kg BW) to the same slaughter plant. On arrival, both trailers were kept stationary in the yard for 30 min before unloading. One PB trailer was pulled over along a fan-misters bank (PBVM), while the other PB trailer had no access to this cooling system (PBC). The PBVM treatment consisted in 10 min of fan-assisted ventilation (wait 1) followed by 10 min of ventilation and water misting (wait 2) and final 10 min of ventilation (wait 3). The air temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) were monitored. The frequency of lying pigs, the latency to rest and the frequency of drinking bouts were calculated. Gastrointestinal tract temperature (GTT) and exsanguination blood lactate, hematocrit, creatine kinase and cortisol concentrations were assessed. In wait 1, the application of the fan-assisted ventilation resulted in lower (P &lt; 0.05) T and THI in the PBVM. In wait 3, T and THI were still lower (P &lt; 0.001) in PBVM compared to PBC, but the RH was higher (P &lt; 0.001). Pigs from compartment 4 of PBVM had a greater (P &lt; 0.001) activity during waits 2 and 3, and a reduced latency to lie down in the lairage pen compared to the same compartment in the PBC (P &lt; 0.05). A higher (P &lt; 0.05) GTT drop was recorded until 1 h after lairage in pigs located in PBC compared to those transported in PBVM. At slaughter, hematocrit tended to be higher (P = 0.08) in blood of PBC pigs compared to PBVM. The fan-misters bank used on the PBVM vehicle sitting at the slaughter plant before unloading efficiently improves internal trailer thermal conditions and consequently thermal comfort of pigs kept in a stationary trailer, with reduced temperature within the compartments and lower dehydration condition at slaughter.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T13:53:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tatiana Fiorotti Rodrigues.pdf: 734442 bytes, checksum: 1e0f917c7e09642b3b468b433c78ea21 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-06-25 / The objective of this study was to evaluate the action of propolis in the feeding of ewes in pre and post-partum phases and the animal response by plasma concentrations of some blood metabolites. Four treatments were studied, using 16 animals divided in four groups. The treatmens were: Control treatment (TC), control diet; Flushing treatment (TF) control diet with flushing; Flushing Treatment with propolis level 1 (TFP1), control diet with flushing and 20 ml of alcoholic solution of propolis/animal/day and ; Treatment Flushing with level 2 of propolis (TFP2) diet control and flushing with 30 mL of alcoholic solution of propolis/animal/day. The animals were kept in stalls and fed over a period of 37 days, seven of the control diet adaptation and 30 days of blood sampling. Were fed twice a day at 7 AM y 16PM, samples were taken at three-day and one hour before the delivery of food and one and three hours after feeding. There were significant differences among treatments for albumin, which were within normal range, and for globulins, which values were below those considered normal. Aspartate transaminase enzyme presented a significant difference between the phases, before and after birth, but with normal values. Propolis extract did not affect urea and total proteins, however resulted in changes on albumin and globulin levels / Objetivou-se avaliar a ação da própolis na alimentação de ovelhas nas fases de pré e pós-parto e a resposta animal por meio de concentrações plasmáticas de alguns metabólitos sanguíneos. Foram estudados quatro tratamentos, usando-se 16 animais divididos em quatro grupos. Os tratamentos foram: Controle (TC), dieta controle; Tratamento Flushing (TF), dieta controle mais 300 g de fubá de milho; Tratamento Flushing com nível 1 de própolis (TFP1), dieta controle com flushing e 10 mL de solução alcoólica de própolis/animal/dia; Tratamento Flushing com nível 2 de própolis (TFP2), dieta controle com flushing e 15 mL de solução alcoólica de própolis/animal/dia. Os animais foram mantidos estabulados e alimentados em um período de 37 dias, sendo sete de adaptação à dieta controle e 30 dias de coletas de sangue. A alimentação foi feita duas vezes ao dia, às 7 e 16 horas. As coletas de sangue foram realizadas de três em três dias, sendo uma hora antes do fornecimento da alimentação e uma e três horas após a alimentação. Uréia e proteínas totais não apresentaram variações significativas em relação aos tratamentos. Houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos para a albumina, dentro do intervalo de normalidade, e de globulinas, cujos valores estavam abaixo dos normais. A enzima Aspartato transaminase (AST) apresentou diferença significativa entre as fases de estudo, pré e pós-parto, contudo dentro do intervalo de normalidade. O extrato de própolis não afetou os valores de uréia e proteínas totais, entretanto, resultou em alterações nos níveis de albumina e globulinas

Objetivou-se avaliar a efetividade da ventilação forçada associada à nebulização sobre as respostas comportamentais e fisiológicas de suínos mantidos dentro do veículo transportador antes do descarregamento na indústria frigorífica. Durante 6 semanas de transporte, 2 veículos pot-belly (PB) transportaram 191 suínos cada até a mesma planta frigorífica. Na chegada, ambos veículos permaneceram estacionados por 30 minutos antes da descarga. Um dos veículos PB foi posicionado ao lado do sistema de ventilação e nebulização (PBVM), enquanto o outro PB não teve acesso ao sistema de resfriamento (PBC). O tratamento (PBVM) consistiu em 10 minutos de ventilação (Espera 1); seguido de 10 minutos de ventilação e nebulização (Espera 2) e 10 minutos finais de ventilação (Espera 3). A temperatura do ar (T) e a umidade relativa (RH) foram monitorados. A frequência de suínos deitados e a frequência de acesso ao bebedouro foram calculadas. Temperaturas do trato gastrointestinal (GTT), lactato sanguíneo, hematócrito, creatina quinase e concentrações de cortisol foram avaliados. Durante a Espera 1, a ventilação forçada reduziu a temperatura do ar e o índice de temperatura e umidade no tratamento PBVM. Na Espera 3, a temperatura e o índice de temperatura e umidade foram menores (P &lt; 0.001) no tratamento PBVM comparado ao PBC, contudo a umidade relativa do ar foi maior (P &lt; 0.001). Suínos oriundos do compartimento 4 do PBVM apresentaram maior atividade durante o tempo de Espera 2 e 3, e reduzido tempo de latência para se deitar na baia do frigorífico (P &lt; 0.05). Redução no GTT dos suínos oriundos do PBC foi observada após 1 hora de período de descanso comparada ao PBVM. O percentual de hematócrito tendeu a ser maior nos suínos PBC comparado ao PBVM. O sistema de ventilação e nebulização utilizado na indústria frigorifica antes do descarregamento melhora de forma eficiente as condições internas térmicas do caminhão e consequentemente o conforto térmico dos suínos mantidos no veículo transportador, com redução na temperatura dentro dos compartimento e baixo nível de desidratação no abate. / The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of water misting with forced ventilation on a stationary trailer on internal vehicle ambient conditions, behavioral and physiological response of market pigs. During 6 weekly shipments, two identical tri-axle pot-belly (PB) trailers transported 191 pigs each (126 ± 5 kg BW) to the same slaughter plant. On arrival, both trailers were kept stationary in the yard for 30 min before unloading. One PB trailer was pulled over along a fan-misters bank (PBVM), while the other PB trailer had no access to this cooling system (PBC). The PBVM treatment consisted in 10 min of fan-assisted ventilation (wait 1) followed by 10 min of ventilation and water misting (wait 2) and final 10 min of ventilation (wait 3). The air temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) were monitored. The frequency of lying pigs, the latency to rest and the frequency of drinking bouts were calculated. Gastrointestinal tract temperature (GTT) and exsanguination blood lactate, hematocrit, creatine kinase and cortisol concentrations were assessed. In wait 1, the application of the fan-assisted ventilation resulted in lower (P &lt; 0.05) T and THI in the PBVM. In wait 3, T and THI were still lower (P &lt; 0.001) in PBVM compared to PBC, but the RH was higher (P &lt; 0.001). Pigs from compartment 4 of PBVM had a greater (P &lt; 0.001) activity during waits 2 and 3, and a reduced latency to lie down in the lairage pen compared to the same compartment in the PBC (P &lt; 0.05). A higher (P &lt; 0.05) GTT drop was recorded until 1 h after lairage in pigs located in PBC compared to those transported in PBVM. At slaughter, hematocrit tended to be higher (P = 0.08) in blood of PBC pigs compared to PBVM. The fan-misters bank used on the PBVM vehicle sitting at the slaughter plant before unloading efficiently improves internal trailer thermal conditions and consequently thermal comfort of pigs kept in a stationary trailer, with reduced temperature within the compartments and lower dehydration condition at slaughter.

The broad objective of the current study was to determine the response of pigs fed on incremental levels of Acacia tortilis leaf meal-based diet. Eight trees of each of the following five dominant leguminous leaf meals; A. tortilis, A. robusta, A. nilotica, A. nigrescens and A. xanthophloea, were individually hand harvested from the same grazing camp at Makhathini Research Station, Jozini, South Africa. The leaf meals were harvested between April and May 2013 after the rainy season at advance stage of maturity. Following the nutritive evaluation of Acacia species, A. tortilis was selected for the feeding experiment. Thirty finishing male F1 hybrid (Landrace × Large White) pigs with an initial weight of 60.6 (s.d. = 0.94) kg were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments containing 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 g/kg DM inclusion levels of A. tortilis leaf meal. Each treatment diet was offered ad libitum to five pigs in individual pens for 21 days. Average daily feed intake (ADFI), body weight, average daily gain (ADG) and gain: feed ratio was measured every week. Blood was collected at the end of the experimental period for the determination of nutritionally-related blood metabolites and activity of Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Following a feed withdrawal period of 12 hours, pigs with a mean body weight of 80 ± 15 kg were slaughtered, eviscerated for the collection of livers, kidneys, lungs and heart from each pig and weighed individually using a digital scale. Acacia tortilis and A. xanthophloea leaf meals had the highest CP and fat content (P < 0.01) among all the Acacia species. The NDF and ADF varied significantly across Acacia species (P < 0.05). Acacia robusta had significantly the highest levels of non-structural carbohydrates, whilst A. tortilis had the lowest. The concentration of proanthocynidins varied across the species. Acacia tortilis had significantly high levels (23 g/kg DM) of phosphorus compared to the other species. Acacia nilotica had the highest (P < 0.001) concentration of iron, but it had the lowest (P < 0.01) level of manganese. There was a quadratic decrease in both ADFI and ADG (P < 0.001) with as A. tortilis leaf meal increased. The gain: feed ratio was linearly reduced (P < 0.001) with incremental levels of A. tortilis leaf meal in the diets. Serum concentrations of Fe, AST and ALP increased quadratically (P < 0.01) as A. tortilis leaf meal increased. There was a linear increase in ALT activity with increased leaf meal inclusion. Hepatosomatic index (HSI: liver weight/ body weight x 100), scaled kidney weight and scaled heart weight increased linearly (P < 0.001) as A. tortilis leaf meal increased. There was, however, a quadratic increase in the relative weight of lungs (P < 0.001) as leaf meal increased. In conclusion, the piecewise regression (brocken-stick) NLIN procedure (SAS, 2008; SASA institute Inc.) showed that A. tortilis leaf meal can be included in finisher pig diet up to 150 g/kg DM of feed without negatively affecting growth performance, nutritionally-related blood metabolites, liver enzymes and internal organs of pigs. / M.Sc.Agric. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 2013.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T13:53:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Charlene Candida Rangel.pdf: 1085244 bytes, checksum: 6b18f8fb4c9d2fe96407a55dc3d6f2df (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-28 / Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos das dietas com e sem a inclusão de extrato etanólico de própolis Verde Alecrim no consumo de matéria seca, nos parâmetros de perfil metabólico sanguíneo e nas inter-relações com aspectos reprodutivos. Os tratamentos utilizados foram: Controle (TC) dieta controle; Flushing (TF), dieta controle mais 300 g de fubá de milho; Flushing com nível 1 de própolis (TFP1), TF mais 8 mL de solução alcoólica de própolis/animal/dia; Flushing com nível 2 de própolis (TFP2), TF mais 12 mL de solução alcoólica de própolis/animal/dia. Foram utilizadas 16 fêmeas nulíparas vazias, sendo quatro por tratamento, distribuídas em experimento inteiramente casualizado, submetidas a um protocolo de sincronização de cio e posteriormente cobertas. Os animais foram estabulados por um período de adaptação de 10 dias, seguido de 30 dias de período experimental e alimentados duas vezes ao dia, às sete e 16 horas. Para determinar o perfil hematobioquímico, amostras de sangue foram coletadas a cada cinco dias, sendo a primeira coleta realizada com os animais em jejum e a segunda, duas horas após a alimentação das sete horas da manhã, durante 15 dias na fase pré cobrição e 15 dias na pós cobrição, para estimar os teores de ureia, proteínas totais, albumina, globulinas e a enzima AST. Utilizou-se ultrassonografia para confirmação de prenhez trinta dias após cobrição. Verificou-se que o tratamento com menor concentração de extrato etanólico de própolis Verde Alecrim apresentou potencial para diminuir consumo de MS e que o extrato etanólico de própolis demonstrou ser eficiente na diminuição do consumo de matéria seca e na concentração de ureia sérica. Os tratamentos TC, TF e TFP1 apresentaram mesma taxa de prenhez, superior ao TFP2, contudo o TFP1 resultou em maior taxa de partos gemelares. O tratamento com menor concentração de própolis reduziu a concentração de ureia sérica nos momentos jejum e duas horas após alimentação e na fase pós cobrição. Os teores dos metabólitos, em sua maioria, encontram-se dentro dos limites de valores de referência / The aim of this research was to evaluate diets with and without inclusion of propolis ethanolic extract Verde Alecrim on dry matter intake, metabolic profile and its relationships of reproductive aspects and to compare metabolic profile values with reference values established on the scientific literature. Treatments were: Control (CT), control diet; Flushing (FT), control diet plus 300 g/animal/day of corn meal; Flushing with level 1 of propolis (FTP1), FT plus 8 mL/animal/day of propolis ethanolic extract; Flushing plus level 2 of propolis (FTP2), FT plus 12 mL/animal/day of propolis ethanolic extract. Sixteen Santa Inês nulliparous ewes, empty, four per treatment, were assigned in a complete randomized design, in a factorial scheme and subjected to an estrus synchronization protocol and covered. The females were housed and the experiment consisted of an adjustment period of ten days, followed by an experimental period of 30 days (15 days for pre-mating and 15 days for post mating). Animals were fed twice a day at 7 AM and 4 PM. To determine the hematobiochemical profile, blood samples were collected at each five days in fasting and two hours after during 15 days in the pre-mating phase and 15 days in the post mating to estimate urea, total protein, albumin, globulins and AST enzyme contents. Ultrasound to confirm pregnancy thirty days following mating was used. It was found that treatment with lower concentrations of propolis ethanol extract Verde Alecrim presented the potential to decrease DM intake intake and that the ethanol extract of propolis has proved effective in decreasing the dry matter intake and concentration of serum urea. The CT, FT and FP1T provided the same pregnancy rate, superior to TFP2, however FP1T resulted in higher rate of twin births. Treatments with a lower concentration of propolis reduced urea content in serum in fasting and two hours after feeding and in the post-mating phase. Most of metabolite contents were within reference values, according to the literature

Fasioloides magna is a trematode parasitizing in the liver parenchyma of ruminants. Its life cycle is associated with the humid environment and includes intermediate freshwater snail hosts from family Lymnaeidae. According to the ability of host to form a certain type of a pseudocyst during fascioloidosis, they can be,divided in three groups, specific definitive hosts (red deers, fallow deers, roe deers), nonspecific definitive hosts (cattle, wild boars and elks) and atypical hosts (sheeps and goats). Beside the natural infections also the experimental infections of other potential host species has been realized (chamois, llama and bighorn sheep and traditional laboratory animals such as mice, guinea pigs, rats and rabbits). In the context of different diseases, many changes in infected organism can occur. These can be qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated. Similarly, during fascioloidosis the changes associated with the presence of the parasite in the host's body is possible to monitor, e.g. antibody production, increase in the number of eosinophils, release of eggs in faeces, internal bleeding, or the level liver damage. The liver damage is corresponding primarily to biochemical parameters of blood, not only the liver enzymes, but also other blood components, like blood proteins, lipids,...