The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of genetic polymorphism of kappa-casein, breed and seasonality on the physicochemical characteristics, composition and stability of milk in commercial dairy herds. A total of 879 milk and blood samples were collected from 603 Holstein and 276 Girolando cows, obtained during rainy and dry seasons. Milk samples were analyzed to determine the physicochemical characteristics, composition and ethanol stability, while blood samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction to identify the kappa-casein […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of adding antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotic and sodium gluconate for swine from 28 to 142 days of age, corresponding to the nursery, growing and finishing phases. One hundred and sixty-eight piglets were used weaned at 21 days in a randomized complete design in 42 pens with four male piglets in each experimental unit with six replications and seven treatments: control basal feed; basal feed + antibiotic; basal feed + probiotic; […]

The objective of the study was to determine whether bioavailability of methionine hydroxy analogue free acid (MHA-FA) is higher than 65%, in product basis, for 24 to 40 week-old laying hens. Six hundred and forty 24-week commercial laying hens were used in four 28-day experimental periods in a randomized complete design with ten treatments, eight replications and eight birds per experimental unit. The treatments were based on a basal feed deficient in methionine, containing 2,830 kcal metabolizable energy (EM)/kg and […]

The effect was assessed of pre-mating supplementary feeding on the reproductive performance of 13-15 month old beef heifers. Eighty-nine heifers were used with a mean age of 12 months and mean body weight (BW) of 242 kg from three herds Aberdeen Angus heifers from the Santa Cecilia and Capitao Rodrigo ranches and crossbred Aberdeen Angus heifers) in a feeding system of only grazing pasture or supplemented heifers on pasture with milled corn grain. The supplement was offered daily at the […]

The effects were assessed of supplying supplementary roughage on intake, milk yield and milk physical and chemical composition in F1 (Boer ×Saanen) goats. Eighteen females were placed in three stalls, and received as ad libitum supplement sorghum silage, corn silage and mulberry hay (MHT), with daily control of dry matter intake. The average daily production per week was calculated by gathering the milk data in three post-parturition periods: 1 (34-40 days/7 days); 2 [(64-70 days/7 days) + (91-97 days)/7 days)]/2 […]

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the associations between visual scores of body structure, precocity and muscling at 550 days of age and growing traits, and verify the possibilities of applying these traits as selection criteria. (Co)variance components were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood, employing an animal model with fixed effects of contemporary group and age as a covariate (linear and quadratic effects). Contemporary groups were defined by variables: sex; year, season and herd of birth; herd and […]

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationships between previously estimated individual growth curve parameters (mature weight and maturing rate) and measures of productive efficiency of 333 Holstein-Friesian cows, born from 1992 to 2002. Data on age at first calving, first lactation milk yield, first lactation length, first calving interval and milk yield per day of first calving interval were analyzed using a generalized linear model with the fixed effect for age group (year-season of birth), the random […]

The objectives of this study were to verify whether propolis and ascorbic acid have an effect on plasmatic membrane integrity of goat spermatozoa and investigate the potential of these antioxidants in the use of goats spermatozoa cryopreservation extenders. Five adult boars were used of the Alpine (n = 2) and Saanen (n = 3) breeds. After semen collection, the evaluation consisted of the physical and morphological exam, live and dead cells (supravital test) and hyposmotic swelling test. Afterwards, the fresh […]

Three experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of adding enzymatic complex (EC) on the nutritive value of soybean hulls (SH) in starting pig feeding. The enzyme complex used contained α-galactosidase, β-glucanase, galactomananase and xilanase. In experiment 1, the digestibility of soy bean hull with addition of enzyme complex was determined at three levels (0, 200 and 300 mg/kg), using piglets with initial body weight of 22.49 ± 1.73 kg. None of the enzyme complex levels affected the soy […]

The relationship between the quality of dietary crude protein and health of bullfrog juveniles (Lithobates catesbeianus) was evaluated by necropsy and histopathological examination of animals. The histopathology results showed that animals fed different feeds, regardless of CP levels, presented lymphocytary hepatitis, colitis and flattened microvillosities; kidneys with areas of tubulonephrosis and renal tubule calcification; myocarditis and cardiac muscular fiber dissociation. Such injuries suggested a degenerative nutritional process, with development of inflammatory processes spread to all the organs. These findings suggested […]