ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate performance, hematological parameters, leukocyte counts, and respiratory microbiota of broilers under heat stress receiving eucalyptus oil supplementation. Cobb broilers (n = 1200) were randomly distributed on the first day of life in a factorial arrangement with additional treatment (2 × 2 + 1) with two periods of oil administration via drinking water (daily, from 18 to 35 days of life) and two periods of oil administration via spray (daily, from 18 […]

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper was to investigate the availability of betaine present in fine wheat bran (FWB) in diets for growing pigs. We used thirty crossbred intact males, housed individually in metabolic cages and distributed in a randomized block design, with five treatments and six replicates. Blocks consisted of two periods of 15 days. Average initial body weights were 32.00±1.30 and 44.90±1.32 kg, in the first and second periods, respectively. Treatments were modified only at the level of […]

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the influence of forage production area, concentrate supply, and farm labor on characterization of milk production systems (MPS) and their productive results. Milk volume data provided in 2014 by 110 dairy farms located in the eastern region of Santa Catarina State, Brazil, were obtained from a dairy industry. Forty-four farms with different production levels were selected, in which interviews were carried out aiming to characterize the management practices related to forage production area, concentrate […]

ABSTRACT We assessed the effects of different amounts of water-treated black tea waste (BTW) in the diets of laying hens on performance, egg quality, yolk peroxidation, and blood parameters in this study. The experiment lasted for 12 weeks, during which a total of 108 Lohman layers, of 24 weeks old, were randomly allocated to one of six dietary treatments (18 hens each); each treatment consisted of six replicate cages, each containing three hens. Experimental animals were fed a commercial diet […]

ABSTRACT This study evaluated growth responses of white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei by testing different combinations of Jatropha curcas kernel meal (JCK) and tilapia waste silage (FS) as dietary protein sources under laboratory and pond conditions. A reference diet (RD) based on fish meal was elaborated to contain 35% crude protein and 434 kcal/g; then, five isoproteic and isoenergetic experimental diets were formulated from RD with different FS/JCK proportions as follows: 75%FS/0%JCK; 56.25%FS/13.25%JCK; 26.5%FS/30.89%JCK; 18.75%FS/39.75%JCK; and 0%FS/53%JCK. For the laboratory trial, […]

ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of purmorphamine and cyclopamine, classical agonists and inhibitors of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, in the adipogenic differentiation of porcine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSC) to investigate the roles underlying adipogenic differentiation in AMSC. Porcine-derived AMSC were established, and the Hh signaling pathway was activated or inhibited by treatment with purmorphamine or cyclopamine. The adipogenic differentiation of the porcine AMSC was then analyzed by Oil Red O staining. The expression levels of Hh signaling […]

ABSTRACT Thermal stress is the result of a misbalance between heat produced or gained from the environment and the amount of heat lost to the environment. The level of thermal stress can range from minor or no effect to death of vulnerable animals. Under summertime conditions, thermal stress results in hyperthermia or heat stress. Heat stress in feedlot cattle is a common summertime occurrence in cattle-producing parts of the world (USA, Australia, Brazil, etc.). Effects on animals experiencing heat stress […]

ABSTRACT In this study, we investigated the effects of eCG and GnRH on the induction of puberty in prepubertal gilts and evaluated the pregnancy rate and litter size in these females. Thirty 140-day-old gilts with an average weight of 80 kg were randomly divided into two treatments: hormonal treatment (n = 15): 1000 IU of eCG and 50 μg of GnRH; and control group (n = 15): induction of estrus by male presence. Gilts were inseminated at the second estrus […]

ABSTRACT The present study evaluated the optimal duration of creep feeding that improves the growth performance and fecal score of piglets and the performance and estrus interval of sows. Sixteen sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) and their litters were used in this 24-day trial. Dietary treatments were: Treatment 1, in which creep feed was not provided; treatment 2, in which creep feed was provided at the 7th day of life (day 7 to weaning); treatment 3, in which creep feed was […]

ABSTRACT This study was designed to assess the effects of feeding space availability on social behavior and performance of housed crossbreed sheep through the use of three different types of feeders. Thirty-six crossbreed ewes (Santa Inês × Dorper; 2-3 years old) with initial body weight of 34.99±4.28 kg were randomly assigned to a 3 × 3 (feeder type × available space at the feeder) factorial arrangement among nine pens. Pens had one of three feeder types (concrete bunk, plastic, or […]