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The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic divergence of forage peanut in relation to agronomic and chemical traits in both rainy and dry seasons. This experiment was conducted with genotypes from the Forage Peanut Active Germoplasm Bank located in Embrapa Acre. Eighteen genotypes of forage peanut were used: 12 genotypes of A. pintoi, four genotypes of the A. repens species and two interspecific hybrids of A. pintoi × A. repens. The design was of randomized blocks with five replicates. All traits were submitted to analyses of variance and later, study of genetic divergence was done through multivariate analysis techniques, in which the Tocher's optimization method and the nearest neighbor method were used. Dissimilarity measure used in cluster analysis was the generalized distance of Mahalanobis. No pattern was found in the cluster based on species used, according to the results. There is genetic variability for all traits except neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose and lignin in the rainy season and for pests in the dry season. The traits which presented most relative contribution in the study of genetic divergence of forage peanut were flowering, dry matter yield and average height in the rainy season and crude protein and average height in the dry season. The established cluster may help the breeder to choose parents and crossings to be selected in forage peanut breeding programs.

This study was carried out to evaluate the influence of diets supplemented with glycerin as an alternative ingredient to corn on the performance and carcass characteristics of Santa Inês confined lambs. The study involved 27 lambs aged 90 days, having an average initial weight of 26.33 ± 0.15 kg. Lambs were randomly distributed into a control group and groups with diets containing 15 and 30% glycerin in the total feed. Diet was formulated with 40% roughage and 60% concentrate. The experimental design was completely randomized, and the production performance and carcass characteristics were analyzed by analysis of variance, and the subjective carcass characteristics, by general linear models. The daily average gain was 0.21, 0.24 and 0.23 kg/day; feeding conversion was 6.39, 5.73 and 5.92 kg of diet/kg BW for control animals, and those fed with 15 or 30% glycerin, respectively, without treatment differences. Lambs were slaughtered, weighing 34 to 36 kg, and average weight of the cold carcass and commercial carcass yield were evaluated. The results were, respectively, 15.97 kg and 49.18%, for control, 15.96 kg and 48.31% for animals fed with 15% glycerin, and 15.79 kg and 47.87% for those treated with 30% glycerin, with no treatment effects. Meat tenderness and cooking loss averages were not affected by diets, with 5.07 kg and 40.45%, 5.10 kg and 40.81%, and 5.27 kg and 39.04%, respectively, for control, and those fed with 15 or 30% glycerin. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that up to 30% of medium purity glycerin in the dry matter of the diet can be used to replace corn, without any negative effect on lamb performance or carcass characteristics.

This experiment was carried out with the objective of evaluating different levels of powder propolis in rabbit diets and their effect on semen characteristics. A total of 36 New Zealand White male rabbits were used, randomly distributed into six groups, corresponding to six propolis levels (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.25 g propolis/kg of ration). Semen was collected twice a week, using an artificial vagina. Semen volume, progressive spermatic motility, spermatic vigor, spermatic concentration and spermatic morphology were analyzed. General linear models were used for statistical analysis. The inclusion of powder propolis in the diet increased normal spermatozoa percentage and reduced spermatozoa abnormalities. The powder propolis did not affect the progressive spermatic motility, spermatic vigor or spermatic concentration. The values were considered normal for rabbits. However, a small reduction in semen volume was observed, without any negative effect on the other semen characteristics evaluated. Thus, it is possible to observe better semen quality with the inclusion of 1.25 g powder propolis/kg in the diet for reproducer rabbits.

A vitamina C atua na proteção de danos celulares provocados pelos radicais livres, sendo a suplementação considerada essencial para a maioria das espécies de peixes, uma vez que não a sintetizam em função da ausência da enzima L-gulonolactona oxidase. Assim, avaliou-se o efeito da suplementação de 0, 75, 150 e 225 mg de vitamina C kg-1 de ração na qualidade do sêmen em tilápias do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus). Os parâmetros quali-quantitativos do sêmen não foram influenciados pela suplementação de vitamina C, exceto a motilidade progressiva que aumentou linearmente com adição de vitamina C. Conclui-se que os reprodutores de tilápias do Nilo devem ser suplementados com 225 mg de vitamina C kg-1 de ração. Vitamin C acts as cellular protection from damage by free radicals, and vitamin C supplementation is considered essential for most fish species, as they do not synthesize it due to the absence of enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase. Thus, the effect of supplementation with 0, 75, 150 and 225 mg of vitamin C kg-1of ration was evaluated in the semen quality in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Seminal parameters were not influenced by vitamin C supplementation except progressive motility, which increased linearly with the addition of vitamin C. It was concluded that Nile tilapia reproducers should be supplemented with 225 mg vitamin C kg-1 ration.

The effects of selenium (Se) in Jersey cows' diet on the aspiration of oocytes and production of embryos in vitro were studied. Groups with five Jersey cows received 3.2mg or 9.6mg Se daily, provided in the feed concentrate. Six follicular aspirations were carried out every 15 days, using only the last 5. The oocytes were classified, and standard procedures were carried out for maturation, fertilization and cultivation. The total number of oocytes (35.11±2.65 vs 23.10±2.16) and degree 1 oocytes (11.61±2.65 vs 4.75±0.97) were higher in the group that received 9.6mg Se and the quantity of naked oocytes (3.23±0.87 vs 6.22±1.18) was lower in this group. The aspirated oocytes from the cows treated with 9.6mg Se/day resulted in higher (P

The spermatic morphopathology in the semen of rabbits, fed with rations containing different selenomethionine (SeM) and vitamin C (VC) levels, were evaluated. 125 male rabbits kept individually in cage were used. They were distributed in a completely randomized design with twenty-five treatments and five replications. The following items were evaluated: sperm normality (SN), total pathologies (TP), primary pathologies (PP) and secondary pathologies (SP). An influence of treatments with SeM and VC (p < 0.05) on: TP, PP, SP, bent tail (BT), abaxial tail (AT), free cap (FC), raquetiform head (RH), loose tail (LT), final coiled tail (FCT), distal droplet (DD), proximal droplet (PD), and microcephalic sperm (MS) was observed. Treatments with SeM and VC increased until an intermediate level and later it reduced the rates of: TP, PP, BT, AT, RH, LT and DD. The microcephalic sperm decreased when vitamin C level was increased, demonstrating the antioxidant protection effect on the spermatozoa.

Quantitative and qualitative semen characteristics of rabbits fed with rations containing different selenomethionine and vitamin C (VC) levels were studied. 125 male rabbits kept individually in cage were used. They were distributed in a completely randomized design with twenty-five treatments and five replications. Semen was collected once a week. The following parameters were evaluated: volume, color, pH, progressive motility, spermatic vigor, and spermatic concentration. Significant difference (p 0.05) among the treatments. The ration intake increased lineally according to the increase of the VC levels, but there was not any effect of selenomethionine levels. Results showed that vitamin C improved the semen color and spermatic concentration and increased the ration intake.