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The aim of the present study was to evaluate the similarity of area (LTMAUS, cm2), depth (LTMDUS, cm) and width (LTMWUS, cm) of the longissimus thoracis muscle and fat thickness (SFTUS) measured by ultrasound and ImageJ software. Ultrasound measurements were performed on 36 male sheep 24 h prior to slaughter and immediately measured using electronic callipers with a resolution of 0.1 cm. Images were stored on a flash drive, opened on a computer and measured using ImageJ (LTMDDIA, LTMWDIA, LTMADIA and SFTDIA). There were no differences between ultrasound and ImageJ measurements (P = 0.3610) for Hotelling's T2 test. Our results show that ImageJ software is a potential tool for in vivo measurement of longissimus thoracis parameters and fat thickness in hair sheep.

The present review aims to analyze the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the mammary gland and udders of water buffalo by making an anatomofunctional comparison with dairy cattle. It will also discuss the knowledge generated around the physiological regulation of milk ejection in the water buffalo. It was found that buffalo’s average udder depth and width is approximately 20 cm smaller than Bos cattle. One of the main differences with dairy cattle is a longer teat canal length (around 8.25–11.56 cm), which highly influences buffalo milking. In this sense, a narrower teat canal (2.71 ± 0.10 cm) and thicker sphincter muscle are associated with needing higher vacuum levels when using machine milking in buffalo. Moreover, the predominant alveolar fraction of water buffalo storing 90–95% of the entire milk production is another element that can be related to the lower milk yields in buffalo (when compared to Bos cattle) and the requirements for prolonged prestimulation in this species. Considering the anatomical characteristics of water buffalo’s udder could help improve bubaline dairy systems.

This study elucidated the effect of age and diet on carcass characteristics and meat quality parameters of Rambouillet ewes. Forty ewes (n = 20 yearling ewes and n = 20 cull ewes) were fed with alfalfa hay (AH) or a 100 % concentrate diet (CD). Treatments were: a) 10 cull ewes were fed only with AH, b) 10 yearling ewes were fed only with AH, c) 10 cull ewes were fed with CD, d) 10 yearling ewes were fed with CD. Productive performance, carcass and meat quality were analyzed. Animals had ten days for adaptation and 35 days were used to collect data. Dry matter intake was greater (P

Transport is a stressor that can cause physiological and metabolic imbalances in livestock, resulting in stress-induced hyperthermia. In water buffaloes, studies regarding the thermal state of animals during mobilization are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the thermal response of 1516 water buffaloes using infrared thermography (IRT) during 15 short trips (783 animals, 60,291 records, average duration = 50.33 min ± 5.48 min) and 14 long trips (733 animals, 56,441 records, average duration = 13.31 h ± 47.32 min). The surface temperature was assessed in 11 regions (periocular, lacrimal caruncle, nasal, lower eyelid, auricular, frontal-parietal, pelvic limb, torso, abdominal, lumbar, and thoracic) during seven phases from pasture to post-transport. It was found that the surface temperature of the periocular, lacrimal caruncle, nasal, auricular, frontal-parietal, pelvic limb, torso, abdominal, lumbar, and thoracic regions was significantly higher during SJs (+3 °C) when compared to LJs (p < 0.0001). In particular, the frontal-parietal region had a significant increase of 10 °C during the post-transport phase (p < 0.0001) in both groups, recording the highest temperatures during this phase. Likewise, a strong positive significant correlation between the different regions was found (r = 0.90, p < 0.0001). It is worth mentioning that the herding, loading, pre-, and post-transport phases were the ones where the greatest thermal response was recorded, possibly due to the influence of human interaction. Finally, a strong positive correlation (r above 0.9, p > 0.001) between the periocular, lacrimal caruncle, pinna, and pelvic limb was found. According to the results, SJ could be considered a stressful event that hinders thermal generation, contrarily to LJ.

Water buffaloes have morphological and behavioral characteristics for efficient thermoregulation. However, their health, welfare, and productive performance can be affected by GW. The objective of this review was to analyze the adverse effects of GW on the productive behavior and health of water buffaloes. The physiological, morphological, and behavioral characteristics of the species were discussed to understand the impact of climate change and extreme meteorological events on buffaloes’ thermoregulation. In addition, management strategies in buffalo farms, as well as the use of infrared thermography as a method to recognize heat stress in water buffaloes, were addressed. We concluded that heat stress causes a change in energy mobilization to restore animal homeostasis. Preventing hyperthermia limits the physiological, endocrine, and behavioral changes so that they return to thermoneutrality. The use of fans, sprinklers, foggers, and natural sources of water are appropriate additions to current buffalo facilities, and infrared thermography could be used to monitor the thermal states of water buffaloes.

The objective of this study was to estimate lamb birth weight based on body dimensions. We monitored 101 lambs (61 Charollais lambs, 27 Kent lambs, and 13 their crossbreds) at a selected commercial flock. Birth weight, chest circumference (CC), head circumference (HC), and shin circumference (SC) were measured immediately after birth using a tape measure. Correlation analysis indicated the promising use of CC (r = 0.795; p

El objetivo fue determinar la frecuencia por decomiso de hígados con daños atribuidos a la presencia de Fasciola sp y los factores de riesgo asociados. Se realizó un estudio prospectivo observacional en el que se efectuaron visitas diarias durante un periodo de 12 meses, a un rastro municipal en la zona Sierra del estado de Tabasco. El 25.8 % de los hígados fueron positivos a la presencia del parásito, siendo el decomiso por sexo igual para machos y hembras (X2 = 0.011, gl= 1, P

El déficit de forrajes tropicales en la temporada seca requiere de estrategias de alimentación alternas que involucren trasferencia de tecnologías y la conservación de alimentos locales. El objetivo fue evaluar la respuesta animal y el costo beneficio ante raciones mixtas con diferentes niveles de inclusión de ensilado de maíz en sistemas de producción doble propósito del sur de Quintana Roo. Se utilizaron nueve vacas lactantes con 152 días en leche en un diseño experimental de cuadrado latino 3 x 3 por triplicado. Las secuencias de tratamiento fueron asignadas al azar con periodos experimentales de 12 días, el tratamiento uno (T1) estuvo conformado por la inclusión del 15% de ensilado maíz; el T2 por 31%, T3 por un 45%. Se evaluó la producción de leche, peso vivo, condición corporal, la composición química de la leche y la viabilidad económica. La producción de leche promedio fue de 4.4 kg vaca−1 día−1, con un contenido de grasa de 3.3% y proteína cruda de 3.4%. El peso vivo promedio fue de 424.6 kg y la condición corporal de 2.3, manteniéndose constante a lo largo del experimento. Solo se observaron diferencias (P < 0.05) para la condición corporal siendo favorable para T3. La incorporación del ensilado de maíz en un 15, 31 o 45% vaca−1 día−1 en las raciones mixtas de vacas doble propósito que producen 4.4 kg leche−1 día−1 no incrementó la producción de leche, pero si tienen un efecto en los costó total de alimentación.

El inadecuado manejo de Tithonia diversifolia puede ocasionar una disminución progresiva en la producción de forraje (Ruiz et al., 2012)

Se confinaron 10 ovejas multíparas Katahdin × Pelibuey, color blanco, no gestantes y no lactantes, para evaluar las variaciones diurnas de variables fisiológicas y concentración de algunos metabolitos sanguíneos a través de los meses calientes de verano (junio-septiembre), en una región desértica del noroeste de México. Las concentraciones de metabolitos se midieron a las 6 y 18 h y las variables fisiológicas a las 0, 6, 12 y 18 h durante cuatro días de cada mes (mediciones semanales). Los promedios para temperatura ambiental e índice de temperatura-humedad durante el verano fueron 33.6 ºC y 78.6 unidades, respectivamente, siendo agosto el mes más caliente. No cambió (P>0.05) el peso vivo y la condición corporal a través de los meses de verano. La temperatura rectal en agosto fue menor (P

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of feeding different levels concentrations of dietary calcium propionate (CaPr) on lambs’ growth performance; ruminal fermentation parameters; glucose–insulin concentration; and hypothalamic mRNA expression for neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti-related peptide (AgRP), and proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Thirty-two individually fed lambs were randomly assigned to four treatments: (1) control diet (0 g/kg of CaPr), (2) low CaPr, (30 g/kg dry matter (DM)), (3) medium CaPr, (35 g/kg DM), and (4) high CaPr (40 g/kg DM). After 42 days of feeding, lambs were slaughtered for collecting samples of the hypothalamus. Data were analyzed as a complete randomized design, and means were separated using linear and quadratic polynomial contrast. Growth performance was not affected (p ≥ 0.11) by dietary CaPr inclusion. The ruminal concentration of total volatile fatty acids (VFA) increased linearly (p = 0.04) as dietary CaPr increased. Likewise, a linear increase in plasma insulin concentration (p = 0.03) as dietary CaPr concentration increased. The relative mRNA expression of NPY exhibited a quadratic effect (p < 0.01), but there were significant differences in the mRNA expression of AgRP and POMC (p ≥ 0.10). Dietary calcium propionate did not improve lamb growth performance in lambs feed with only forage diets. Intake was not correlated with feed intake with mRNA expression of neuropeptides.

En las regiones tropicales las gramíneas representan la principal fuente de alimentación para los rumiantes, por lo que el rendimiento y la calidad forrajera son de gran interés para mitigar la baja productividad. La mayoría de los estudios en forrajes se basan en la producción de la materia seca y el valor nutritivo, sin considerar los caracteres morfogenéticos y estructurales del pasto, en la dinámica de rebrote. En Brachiaria hibrido cv Mulato se estudiaron a 14, 21 y 28 días de pastoreo, y 9-11, 13-15 cm de altura residual, que se distribuyeron en un diseño de bloques al azar en arreglo factorial 3 x 2 con tres repeticiones. Se midió: acumulación de forraje, densidad poblacional de tallos, tasa de aparición y muerte de tallos, recambio de tejido foliar. La mayor acumulación del forraje fue de 2,769, 4,985, 7,033 kg de materia seca por hectárea con pastoreo ligero en lluvias. La tasa de aparición de tallos con el pastoreo severo superó en 13, 8 y 14 % al ligero en las épocas de nortes, seca y lluvias en el primer ciclo. La mayor elongación foliar se obtuvo al pastorear cada 28 días en la época de lluvias. Se concluye que durante la época de lluvias el pasto mulato presentó la mayor acumulación del forraje al cosecharse en periodos de 28 días con pastoreo ligero. La tasa de elongación y senescencia foliar mostraron los mayores valores al pastorear ligeramente la pradera cada 28 días con una densidad menor de tallos.

Twenty-four Dorper x Pelibuey lambs were housed in individual pens during a 31-d feeding period and assigned to four treatments (n = 6) under a randomized complete block design with different daily doses of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH): 0 (control), 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mg/kg BW to determine the effects of ZH supplementation on productive performance, meat quality, and wholesale cut yields. Final BW (p = 0.02) and average daily gain (ADG, p = 0.04) were greater in lambs supplemented with 0.2 mg/kg BW. Supplemental ZH tended to improve dry matter intake (DMI, p = 0.008) and ADG:DMI ratio (p = 0.078). Wholesale cut yields were not affected by ZH supplementation. Percentage of head was greater (p = 0.04) in lambs treated with ZH. The ZH supplementation did not affect carcass characteristics. However, longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) presented a linear trend (p = 0.08) of increasing with ZH supplementation. Percentage of blood presented a trend (p = 0.051) of decreasing with ZH supplementation. Also, liver decreased in size (p < 0.05) for treatments where ZH was included. Values of luminosity decreased (p < 0.02) when ZH dosage increased. The value of protein Lowry was greater, with 0.3 mg kg−1 (p = 0.04). Cathepsin B + L was greater in the lambs from the control treatment (p = 0.05). In conclusion, using a daily ZH dosage of 0.2 mg per kg of BW produced the best productive performance, carcass characteristics, and some changes in the meat of hair-breed lambs.

The present study tested whether feeding ewes during the last third of pregnancy with cladodes of Opuntia (untreated or protein-enriched), as an alternative to alfalfa hay, would improve milk yield as well as the pre- and post-natal growth of their lambs. Sixty mature Rambouillet ewes and their progeny were randomly allocated among three nutritional treatments: (i) Control, fed alfalfa; (ii) Opuntia, fed untreated cladodes; (iii) E-Opuntia, fed protein-enriched cladodes (pre-treated with urea and ammonium sulphate). Birth weight did not differ among treatments (p > 0.05) but Control ewes produced more milk than both groups of Opuntia-fed ewes (p < 0.05). However, milk yield was not related to the growth of the progeny (p > 0.05) because lambs from E-Opuntia-fed ewes grew faster (p < 0.01) and were heavier at weaning (p < 0.05) than lambs from the other two groups. We conclude that Opuntia (with or without protein enrichment) can be used as an alternative to alfalfa hay for feeding ewes during the last third of pregnancy and therefore reduce production costs under extensive conditions in arid and semiarid regions. Moreover, protein-enriched Opuntia appears to improve postnatal lamb growth.

Methane produced by enteric fermentation contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. Methane is one of the GHG resulting from anthropogenic activities with the greater global warming contribution. Ruminant production systems contribute between 18% and 33% of methane emissions. Due to this, there has been growing interest in finding feed alternatives which may help to mitigate methane production in the rumen. The presence of a vast range of secondary metabolites in tropical trees (coumarins, phenols, tannins, and saponins, among others) may be a valuable alternative to manipulate rumen fermentation and partially defaunate the rumen, and thus reduce enteric methane production. Recent reports suggest that it is possible to decrease methane emissions in sheep by up to 27% by feeding them saponins from the tea leaves of Camellia sinensis; partial defaunation (54%) of the rumen has been achieved using saponins from Sapindus saponaria. The aim of this review was to collect, analyze, and interpret scientific information on the potential of tropical trees and their secondary metabolites to mitigate methane emissions from ruminants.

The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between udder measurements and milk yield (MY) in dairy Pelibuey ewes. Udder measurements were taken twice a week for eight weeks before (initial) and after (final) milking, including udder depth (UD), udder circumference (UC), udder width (UW), teat length (TL) and teat diameter (TD) in 38 multiparous ewes. Additionally, udder volume (UV) and the difference (VDF) between initial UV (UVi) and final (UVf) was calculated as VDF = UVi − UVf. The MY varied from 0.10 kg/d to 1.04 kg/d, with a mean of 0.39 kg/d, ± 0.18 kg/d. Initial UC (UCi) ranged from 25.80 cm to 53.30 cm, and VDF varied from 1 cm3 to 2418 cm3. The TL and TD were not correlated with MY (p > 0.05), while UCi, UVi and VDF were positively correlated with MY (p < 0.0001; r = from 0.66 to 0.74). For the prediction of MY, the obtained equations had an r2 ranging from 0.54 to 0.63. The UCi, UDf, UWi and UWf were included in these models (p < 0.05). It is concluded that there was an acceptable correlation (r = 0.60) between the measurements of the udder, the volume of the udder and the daily milk yield in Pelibuey sheep. When direct measurements of milk production cannot be performed in practice, the measurement of udders and their volume could be a viable alternative to estimate milk yield production as an indirect method.

The objective was to evaluate the production and nutritional composition of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) meal under dierent organic fertilization rates. Twenty 10 10 m plots were planted with cassava and fertilized with 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg plant-1 of sugarcane lter cake (part of the waste left after processing). The variables measured were fresh and dry forage yield (FFY and DFY), fresh and dry tuber yield (FTY and DTY), meal yield (MY) and their nutritional composition. The results indicate that the organic fertilization signicantly increased the FFY, DFY, FTY, DTY and MY compared to the control. Applying 1.5 kg of organic fertilizer signicantly improved crude protein content (CP, 3.37%). Organic fertilization with 1.5 kg plant-1 of compost improved forage and tuber yield, and CP content.

Los ácidos grasos poliinsaturados sufren modificaciones a nivel ruminal dando origen a los isómeros conjugados del ácido linoléico (CLA), el cual, bajo condiciones in vitro ha demostrado mejorar la resistencia a la manipulación y supervivencia de los embriones. Sin embargo, bajo estas condiciones no está expuesto al metabolismo del animal, lo cual pudiera modificar su potencial fisiológico, resultando necesario estudiar los aspectos intrínsecos del animal consumiendo dietas ricas en ácidos grasos poliinsaturados. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar la presencia de los isómeros de CLA de mayor importancia biológica en líquido ruminal bajo condiciones in vitro, la presencia de estos en líquido folicular, plasma sanguíneo y la calidad de ovocitos en borregas Pelibuey in vivo. El estudio se realizó en dos fases: fase 1, se formularon tres dietas isoenergéticas e isoproteicas, con tres niveles de inclusión de aceite de maíz en la dieta (0 %, 3 % y 6 %), las cuales fueron incubadas en medio de cultivo con fluido ruminal por 24 h. fase 2, se utilizaron 21 ovejas de la raza Pelibuey con un peso vivo de 35.7 ± 1.92 kg, distribuidas en tres grupos (n = 7) y alimentadas con las dietas descritas en la fase 1 por un periodo de 28 días, los ciclos estrales fueron sincronizados con tres dosis de PGF2α y un dispositivo intravaginal impregnado de FGA por 12 días. El día ~29 del experimento los animales se sacrificaron, los ovocitos se aspiraron mediante punción a partir de folículos ≥ 2.00 mm, clasificándose en excelente, buena, regular y mala calidad, la determinación de la proporción de ácidos grasos en líquido ruminal, folicular y plasma sanguíneo fue determinada mediante cromatografía de gases. Los ácidos grasos (16:0, 16:1, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2 y 18:3) en líquido ruminal y sangre, no fueron afectados por el nivel de aceite, en líquido folicular el C16:0, C18:0 y C18:3 (P ≤ 0.01) disminuyen de manera lineal conforme aumentó el nivel de aceite en la dieta. Los isómeros Cis-9, Trans-11 (P ≤ 0.05) y Trans-10, Cis-12 (P ≤ 0.001) en líquido ruminal presentaron un efecto lineal, y en la sangre un efecto cuadrático (P ≤ 0.014) y lineal (P ≤ 0.004) respectivamente. En líquido folicular el Cis-9, Trans-11 (6 a 12 %) y Trans-10, Cis12 (2 a 4%) aumenta de forma lineal su presencia conforme incrementó el nivel de aceite en la dieta. La calidad de los ovocitos mejoró conforme se incrementó el nivel de aceite de maíz en la dieta. En conclusión la adición del 6% de aceite de maíz en la dieta de ovejas Pelibuey, aumenta la presencia de los isómeros Cis-9, Trans-11 y Trans-10, Cis-12 en líquido ruminal y folicular, favoreciendo la calidad de los ovocitos.

This article presents a determination of haematological parameters in Pelibuey lambs in the humid tropic of Mexico. A total of 80 blood samples were collected from clinically healthy male lambs of 3-4 months of age in with a live weight of 20.03 ± 7.50. The resulting data set was analyzed using Gaussian distribution and descriptive statistics. Confidence intervals of 95 % were established. Haematological parameters in the Pelibuey lambs were haematocrit: 36.62 ± 3.80 %; red blood cell: 11.71 ± 1.13 x106/µL; mean corpuscular volume: 31.28 ± 1.92 fl; haemoglobin: 12.01 ± 1.80 g/dL; mean corpuscular haemoglobin: 10.26 ± 1.30 pg; mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration: 32.95 ± 4.46 g/dL; white blood cell: 11.55 ± 5.52 ×10³/µL; and platelets: 509.98 ± 141.61 ×10³/µL. Most haematological parameters in the Pelibuey lambs were similar to those reported for male lambs from other breeds in the humid tropic, although the red blood cells were upper. The mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration were slightly lower. The present study could help in realistic evaluation of the management practices and diagnosis of health condition of Pelibuey male lambs under humid tropic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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