Hemograma, proteinograma, ionograma e dosagens bioquímicas e enzimáticas de ovinos acometidos por conidiobolomicose no nordeste do Brasil

Blend of secondary metabolites from mesquite to improve nutrient digestibility, microbial protein, efficient use of nitrogen, ruminal parameters, and blood metabolites in sheep

Although chemical additives are able to improve the efficiency of ruminal fermentation, they can leave residues in the meat. However, a blend of secondary metabolites can improve ruminal fermentation without harming the population welfare. Five levels (0.0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 g/day) of a blend of secondary metabolites from mesquite extract in sheep feed to promote increases in the nutritional value, ruminal parameters, nitrogen (N) use efficiency, microbial protein (MP) synthesis, and blood metabolites. Ten intact male Santa Inês sheep with average body weight of 55 ± 9.81 kg were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design, replicated twice. There was a quadratic response of the digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and total digestible nutrients (TDN). Microbial protein concentrations, MP synthesis efficiency, propionic acid levels, and acetic/propionic acid ratio also showed a quadratic response. The blend promoted a quadratic effect on plasma glucose and lactate levels. On the other hand, it decreased the concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen, plasma urea, and plasma cholesterol. It is recommended to supply a blend of secondary metabolites at 3.43 g/day.

Microbiological Composition of Diets of Cactus Pear-Based with Increasing Levels of Buffel Grass Hay and Relationship to Nutritional Disorders in Sheep

This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological composition of cactus pear-based diets with increasing levels of buffel grass hay, and its effect on the blood and physiological parameters and occurrence of diarrhea in feedlot sheep. Four diets containing different percentages of buffel grass hay were tested. Diets were composed of forage cactus, buffel grass hay and concentrate, and the treatments were represented by different levels of hay in the dry matter of the feed: 7.5% buffel grass hay; 15% buffel grass hay; 30% buffel grass hay; and 45% buffel grass hay on a dry matter basis. There was a significant effect (p = 0.0034) of inclusion levels of buffel grass hay on fecal score. Only at the 45% inclusion level diarrhea was not observed, showing that the level of buffel grass affected more the animals than the collection period, although the collection period has affected the microbial counts. Probably there was a physiological adaptation of animals over time. There were significant changes (p < 0.0001) in the blood parameters of sheep. The reduction of the proportion of cactus and the inclusion of greater than 15% buffel grass hay, on a dry matter basis, provides less contamination of the diet and animal feces by enterobacteria, such as E. coli.

Dwarf versus tall elephant grass in sheep feed: which one is the most recommended for cut-and-carry?

Tall- and dwarf-sized elephant grass cultivars have been developed for cut-and-carry system. Dwarf clones have better digestibility; on the other hand, tall-sized cultivars are more productive. The aim was to verify which grass would be most recommended for cut-and-carry: tall-sized (Elephant B and IRI-381) or dwarf (Taiwan A-146 2.37 and Mott) elephant grass cultivars to feed 24 male sheep, aged between 4 and 5 months, uncastrated, weighing approximately 24.08 ± 1.76 kg body weight which were sampled on intake, digestibility, performance, ingestive behavior, nitrogen balance, microbial protein synthesis, metabolic parameters, and ruminal degradability. This research was divided into two experiments: experiment 1 lasted 38 days, seven for adaptation and 31 for data collection. Elephant grass cultivars were supplied with a mineral mixture. Data collected were intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, metabolic parameters, microbial protein synthesis, and performance submitted to a completely randomized design. For experiment 2, three rumen fistulae animals were sampled, lasting 20 days. In this case, a randomized block in split-plot design was applied. Both designs were with P < 0.05 and analyzed through SAS statistical software. Mott and Taiwan A-146 2.37 cultivars provided greater intake, digestibility, weight gain, feeding time, nitrogen retention, production and efficiency of microbial protein synthesis, dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradability, and DM, crude protein, and NDF, but shorter rumination time rather than Elephant B and IRI-381. There was also a significant difference for glucose, triglycerides, plasma urea, total serum protein, urinary urea (mg/L), and urea excretion in urine (mg/day). Dwarf elephant grass cultivars as Mott and Taiwan A-146 2.37 have greater nutritional value than tall-sized Elephant B and IRI-381. Dwarf elephant grass is recommended for cut-and-carry system.

DINÂMICAS PRÉ E PÓS-COLOSTRAL DO ERITROLEUCOGRAMA, DA PROTEÍNA PLASMÁTICA TOTAL E DO FIBRINOGÊNIO DE CORDEIROS

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar a dinâmica de alguns parâmetros hematológicos em cordeiros recém-nascidos sadios, antes e após a ingestão de colostro. Foram coletadas amostras sanguíneas de 28 cordeiros recém-nascidos, determinando-se o eritroleucograma, as concentrações de proteína plasmática total (PPT) e de fibrinogênio nos momentos pré e pós-colostro. Os dados foram analisados comparando-se a variabilidade dos parâmetros entre os dois momentos. O hematócrito (P<0,001), a concentração de hemoglobina (P<0,05) e o volume globular médio (VGM) (P<0,05) diminuíram após a ingestão de colostro, enquanto a concentração de hemoglobina globular média (CHGM) aumentou (P<0,01) no momento pós-colostro. Houve aumento no número de leucócitos totais (P<0,001) e nas contagens absolutas de neutrófilos segmentados (P<0,05) e de linfócitos (P<0,01) após a ingestão de colostro. As concentrações de PPT e de fibrinogênio também aumentaram no momento pós-colostro (P<0,001 e P<0,01, respectivamente). O eritroleucograma, as concentrações de PPT e de fibrinogênio variam consideravelmente antes e após a ingestão de colostro, sendo modificados em função da própria ingestão do colostro e/ou da adaptação dos processos fisiológicos do animal à vida extrauterina. Portanto, recomenda-se que a interpretação de hemogramas realizados em cordeiros recém-nascidos seja feita com base em intervalos de referência específicos para o período neonatal.

Experimental infection in gerbils by Conidiobolus lamprauges

Conidiobolomycosis is an emerging entomophthoramycosis caused by fungi Conidiobolus spp. Animal models are essential for the study of infectious disease in various areas such as pathogenesis, diagnostic methods, treatment and prevention. There is not currently an animal model for conidiobolomycosis. The aim of this study was to create an experimental infection protocol for Conidiobolus lamprauges in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). The study animals were randomly divided into four groups of four animals: immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide (CPA) and infected with C. lamprauges (G1), immunocompetent and infected with C. lamprauges (G2), immunosuppressed with CPA (G3), and an immunocompetent control group (G4). Clinical signs were observed only in G1 animals, where the mortality rate reached 75% by day 7 after infection (AI) with a median survival of 2 days. C. lamprauges was detected only in G1, both by PCR and by isolation. Necropsies of the G1 animals showed lesions in the nasal cavity and lung tissue. These lesions were characterized by polymorphonuclear infiltrate cells and by the presence of hyphal structures under silver staining. This animal model will be useful for further investigation of diseases caused by C. lamprauges, particularly of those associated with immunosuppression factors in naturally occurring animal infections.

Sugarcane and mulberry silage supplementation of sheep during the peripartum period

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with silage made from sugarcane alone or mulberry and sugarcane on the gastrointestinal nematodes and hematological parameters in peripartum Santa Inês ewes. Three groups, each of 15 ewes, were supplemented with either 100 % sugarcane silage or sugarcane silage and mulberry at ratios of either 75:25 or 50:50. The variables analyzed were weight, body condition, packed cell volume, total plasma protein, hemoglobin, total leukocytes, eosinophils, and number of parasite eggs per gram of feces. All variables were measured individually every 14 days, making ten samples per ewe. Diets with sugarcane added to different proportions of mulberry branches did not influence the blood and parasitological parameters of Santa Inês sheep naturally infected in the peripartum period.

Development and application of polymerase chain reaction test for detection of Conidiobolus lamprauges

Conidiobolomycosis is a granulomatous disease caused by the fungus Conidiobolus spp. in humans and animals. Traditional technique for diagnosis of the disease is isolation of the agent associated with the presence of typical clinical signs and pathological conditions. The aim of this study was to describe the development of a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Conidiobolus lamprauges to detect the fungus in clinical samples. Samples from suspected animals were collected and submitted to isolation, histopathological analysis and amplification by PCR. DNA from tissues was subjected to PCR with fungi universal primers 18S rDNA gene, and specific primers were designed based on the same gene in C. lamprauges that generated products of about 540 bp and 222 bp respectively. The culture was positive in 26.6% of clinical samples. The PCR technique for C. lamprauges showed amplification of DNA from fresh tissues (80%) and paraffin sections (44.4%). In conclusion, the PCR technique described here demonstrated a high sensitivity and specificity for detection of fungal DNA in tissue samples, providing a tool for the rapid diagnosis of C. lamprauges.