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The LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) and the ligand dependent nuclear receptor corepressor-like (LCORL) genes were selected as candidates in this study of growth and height of equines of the Brazilian Pony breed. Until now, no genomic studies on the morphometry of Brazilian ponies have been reported in the literature. Both genes are correlated with osteogenesis and transcription factor TFIID of genes involved in skeletal growth, respectively. The objective of this study was to analyze two height associated mutations in LASP1 and LCORL genes and their associations with equine morphometry. This is the first study that genotyped these known variants in the Brazilian Pony breed. The DNA was extracted from hair follicles and the two variants were amplified by PCR. The genotyping was performed by RFLP markers through restriction enzyme cleavage; the samples were submitted to capillary electrophoresis for allelic discrimination by size; and the polymorphism was identified and associated with the morphometric measures of the animals. Regarding the LASP1 gene, the ponies with genotypes G/G and G/A presented the smallest measures for head length, neck length, withers height, croup height and body length. Mutation analysis [T > C] of the LCORL gene identified the T/T genotype in all ponies except one individual of the control group, with shoulder height of 1.69 m, which presented the C/C genotype, confirming the association of this gene with the height of horses of the Brazilian Pony breed. The stature and morphometry of horses of this breed were influenced by variants of the LASP1 gene.

Genome-wide association testing facilitates the identification of genetic variants associated with complex traits. Mapping genes that promote genetic resistance to mastitis could reduce the cost of antibiotic use and enhance animal welfare and milk production by improving outcomes of breeding for udder health. Using imputed whole-genome sequence variants, we carried out association studies for 2 traits related to udder health, udder index, and milking speed in Nordic Holstein cattle. A total of 4,921 bulls genotyped with the BovineSNP50 BeadChip array were imputed to high-density genotypes (Illumina BovineHD BeadChip, Illumina, San Diego, CA) and, subsequently, to whole-genome sequence variants. An association analysis was carried out using a linear mixed model. Phenotypes used in the association analyses were deregressed breeding values. Multitrait meta-analysis was carried out for these 2 traits. We identified 10 and 8 chromosomes harboring markers that were significantly associated with udder index and milking speed, respectively. Strongest association signals were observed on chromosome 20 for udder index and chromosome 19 for milking speed. Multitrait meta-analysis identified 13 chromosomes harboring associated markers for the combination of udder index and milking speed. The associated region on chromosome 20 overlapped with earlier reported quantitative trait loci for similar traits in other cattle populations. Moreover, this region was located close to the FYB gene, which is involved in platelet activation and controls IL-2 expression; FYB is a strong candidate gene for udder health and worthy of further investigation.

Context The in vivo evaluation of body tissue development on meat production sheep can be used both to identify and select animals with the best characteristics and to make choices regarding marketing the products of these animals. Aims The objective of this work was to evaluate, using computed tomography, the dynamics of body tissue development and composition of male and female Santa Ines sheep in vivo. Methods The carcass tissue evaluation by computed tomography of 38 sheep (21 male and 17 female) was performed after weaning, at the ages of 90, 120, 180 and 300 days. Based on the Cavalieri method, regression equations were generated for estimates of total weight and proportions of bone, muscle and fat. For the Cavaliere method five males and five females were selected at random and in the four times. In the evaluation of the reference points, all the animals of the study were evaluated in the four times (21 males and 17 females). Key results The mean fat weight was highest at 300 days (2.74 ± 0.99 kg) and lowest at 90 (1.88 ± 0.88 kg) and 120 days (1.91 ± 0.83 kg), indicating that the mean fat area increased with age at all the points evaluated. At age 300 days, the females accumulated more fat than the males whereas the proportions of bone and muscle were higher in the males. Conclusions Computed tomography allowed the evaluation of the body tissues of live animals and was efficient at detecting the changes during the growth phase, besides revealing differences in tissue composition between males and females. Implications The in vivo evaluation by computed tomography of body traits on meat production animals can be used both to identify and select animals with the best productive characteristics, allowing advances in sheep meat production.

A mastite caracteriza-se por uma resposta inflamatória na glândula mamária, causada por alterações metabólicas e fisiológicas, traumas, ou mais frequentemente por microrganismos patogênicos ambientais ou contagiosos, cuja rapidez e eficácia de resposta imune do hospedeiro contra o patógeno constituem um fator crucial para o estabelecimento, a persistência e a gravidade da infecção. Estima-se que as perdas econômicas mundiais causadas pela doença podem alcançar 35 bilhões de dólares por ano. Muitos trabalhos foram realizados para identificar e estudar genes envolvidos na resposta de resistência à mastite. Devido ao grande número de vias metabólicas, moléculas e células envolvidas na manifestação da doença, a mastite é uma característica muito complexa, que depende de componentes genéticos e também de fatores ambientais e fisiológicos. A maior parte dos estudos sobre resistência a mastite focaliza o fenótipo de contagem de células somáticas no leite e mastite clínica para inferir sobre o genótipo de resistência. Várias abordagens moleculares são destinadas a incrementar o melhoramento quando os valores de herdabilidade são baixos e a coleta de dados fenotípicos é difícil, por isso esta abordagem tem sido utilizada para seleção de animais resistentes para posterior emprego em programas de melhoramento genético, possibilitando a redução de aplicações de medicamentos com conseqüente redução de custos, dos níveis de contaminação dos produtos e do meio ambiente. Com essa revisão, objetivou-se traçar a trajetória dos estudos sobre as características físicas, ambientais e genéticas de resistência à mastite e assim contribuir para a construção dessa nova concepção no melhoramento genético animal.

The goals of this study were to evaluate the ability of a nonlinear optimization tool to provide solutions for maintaining consistent qualities of diets irrespective of the plane of nutrition (L) and to evaluate the effect of the plane of nutrition on intake and digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CF), non fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and metabolizability (qm) of diets using sheep as a generalized experimental model. Eight wethers were randomly assigned to two balanced four-treatment Latin squares conducted simultaneously with four diets providing nutritional levels that were multiples of maintenance levels (ME=Mm; 1.5Mm; 2Mm; and 2.5Mm, where ME is the metabolizable energy intake, and Mm is the metabolizable energy intake for maintenance). The ME, Mm, metabolizable protein (MP) and NDF of the diet were subjected to nonlinear constraints; the model was considered a general nonlinear programming problem and solved using Microsoft Excel Solver® with Newton's method of resolution. The intake of nutrients, digestible nutrients, digestible energy (DE) and the amounts of feces and urine produced daily were measured and analyzed statistically by fitting a linear mixed model. The corrected metabolizability (qm') and plane of nutrition (Lc) were obtained on the basis of the digestible, urinary, and simulated methane losses. The trends of some variables were reanalyzed by regressing observed values against Lc. All measured variables were affected by L. The intakes of DM and OM increased in an asymptotic fashion as Lc increased, whereas the intake of NDF increased linearly as Lc increased. At levels immediately below maintenance, observed values were approximately constant. Digestible amounts of OM, DE, CF, and CP consumed increased linearly at levels above maintenance, whereas the digestible amounts of total carbohydrates, neutral detergent solubles, and ashes increased in an asymptotic fashion. Under conditions of controlled feeding, the nonlinear optimization tool yielded dietary solutions with a nearly constant metabolizability in which the rate of increase in crude protein, digestible crude protein, and digestible energy intakes remained constant as the plane of nutrition increased.

espanolEste trabalho teve por objetivo verificar o efeito da mastigacao simulada em laboratorio so- bre a sobrevivencia de sementes de quatro legu- minosas forrageiras tropicais submetidas a dife- rentes periodos de digestao acido-enzimatica in vitro (cunha, Clitorea ternatea; estilosantes, Stylosanthes capitata/S. macrocephala 'Campo Grande'; macrotiloma, Macrotyloma axillare e soja perene, Neonotonia wightii). Foram conduzidos tres ensaios: o primeiro, para observar o percentual de sementes destruidas pela mastigacao; o se- gundo, para comparar o comportamento germinativo das sementes apos mastigacao, escarificacao com lixa, mastigacao com posterior escarificacao com lixa e sementes integras (con- trole). No terceiro ensaio as sementes foram incubadas a 39°C com acido cloridrico mais pepsina por: 0, 2, 4, 8, 12 e 24 horas. As percentagens de sementes nao destruidas na mastigacao (91,5 de macrotiloma; 88,0 de soja perene; 82,1 de cunha e 81,1 de estilosantes), associadas aos efeitos beneficos da escarificacao (verificados pela porcentagem de germinacao, 64,7; 60,0; 92,0 e 87,3%), e aos efeitos do tempo de digestao acida- enzimatica (75% maior quando permanecem 24 horas em HCl + pepsina) permitem observar que as sementes de leguminosas, por possuirem tegumentos duros e impermeaveis, quando submetidas a mastigacao e a digestao acido- enzimatica, ainda tem um elevado potencial de resistencia e, portanto, susceptivel de passar intacta pelo aparelho digestivo dos bovinos, sendo capazes de germinar quando defecadas nas pastagens. Contudo, o estilosantes nao deve ser inserido na alimentacao de bovinos com este fim, pois nao resiste a digestao acido-enzimatica. EnglishThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of simulated chewing in the laboratory on the survival of seeds of four tropical forage legumes (butterfly pea, Clitorea ternatea; estilosantes, Stylosanthes capitata/S. macrocephala 'Campo Grande; archer, Macrotyloma axillare and perennial soybean, Neonotonia wightii) submitted to different periods of acid enzymatic digestion in vitro. Three trials were conducted to observe the percentage of destroyed seeds by the mastication; to compare the germination of the seeds (intact seeds, simulated mastication, scarification with sand- paper, mastication and scarification with sandpaper). And, finally the seeds were incubated at 39oC with hydrochloric acid and pepsin for: 0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours. The percentages of not destroyed seeds in mastication (archer, 91,5; perennial soybean, 88.0; butterfly pea, 82.1, and estilo, 81.1), associated with the beneficial effects of scarification on germination (64.7, 60.0, 92.0 e 87.3%, respectively) and the effects of time of acid-enzymatic digestion (75% higher if they stay 24 hours in HCl + pepsin) associated to the hard and not permeable coats of legume seeds, allow a high potential for resistance, and to pass intact through the digestive tract of cattle, being able to germinate when defecated in the pastures. However, estilo should not be included in the feeding of cattle for this purpose, because it do not resists the acid-enzyme digestion

Este estudo objetivou investigar a variabilidade genética em dois loci do gene MC1R associados à cor de pelagem em ovinos Santa Inês. Pelos foram coletados da cauda de 121 animais com diferentes pigmentações. A genotipagem foi realizada por PCR RFLP com enzimas de restrição (NlaIII e BmgBI). As frequências alélicas e genotípicas esperadas no equilíbrio de Hardy-Weinberg foram verificadas no programa GENEPOP, e a diversidade genética, no programa ARLEQUIN. Os fragmentos observados no locus Nla1-MC1R apresentaram 46, 110 e 134 pb, frequência genotípica de 37% no genótipo homozigoto selvagem (AA), 23% no genótipo homozigoto mutante (TT) e 40% no genótipo heterozigoto (AT), com frequência de 42,8% para o alelo mutante. O alelo (A) foi associado à pelagem preta, sendo que o genótipo (T/T) aumenta em 4,688 vezes a probabilidade de serem multicoloridos (p < 0,001). No locus Bmg3-MC1R, os fragmentos apresentaram 107, 260 e 372 pb, 20% do genótipo homozigoto selvagem (GG), 12% do genótipo homozigoto mutante (AA) e 68% do genótipo heterozigoto (AG), com frequência alélica de 45,8% para o alelo mutante. O alelo (A) foi associado com a pelagem preta, sendo que o genótipo (A/G) acresce em 19,92 vezes a probabilidade de serem multicoloridos (p < 0,0001). Mutações no gene MC1R exibiram elevada variabilidade genética (0,49).

The basic problemwith the approach we adopted in the paper of Jardim et al. (2013) is that we found the denominator of the reported ratio Eq. (17)/Eq. (18) by assuming Lc 1⁄4ME=Mm, Mm 1⁄4 ðFHPþAÞ=km, and km 1⁄4 0:35ME=GEþ0:503. Nonetheless, the metabolizability of the diet (q1⁄4ME=GE) is lower than the metabolizability of the diet at maintenance, namely qm, 8 Lc41 (Blaxter and Boyne, 1978). We maintained terms and units here accordingly. In the paper of Jardim et al. (2013), we assumed the gross energy intake as GE1⁄4 18:8F (MJ/day). Therefore, our km values were biased because our qm values were also biased to some extent. By definition, qm is measured at maintenance (Blaxter and Boyne, 1978): qm 1⁄4MEm=GEm. MEm and GEm are the respective metabolizable and gross energy intake rates at maintenance, and MEm meets Mm, i.e., MEm=Mm 1⁄4 1. Nonetheless, let us define the dry matter intake measured at maintenance as Fm (kg/day), consequently, GEm 1⁄4 18:8Fm. If Mm 1⁄4ME=Lc, Mm 1⁄4 ðFHPþAÞ=km, km 1⁄4 0:35MEm=GEmþ0:503, and Mm 1⁄4MEm, then after algebraically isolating ME and taking only its positive root and simplifying constants, we have a new Eq. (18) based on the correct definition of qm: ME1⁄4 26:9Fmð 0:503Lcþð0:253Lc þ1:4Lc ðFHPþAÞ=ð18:8FmÞÞÞ: ð18Þ

Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-27T11:27:22Z No. of bitstreams: 0Bitstream added on 2014-05-27T14:47:56Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 2-s2.0-84875121427.pdf: 300445 bytes, checksum: f5f39cffd15c7cfdaa809d7234126d6a (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-27T11:27:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-12-01 Bovine mastitis is considered the main disease causing great economic losses in dairy herds. It is usually treated by antimicrobial chemicals that promote drug resistance, residues in food and environmental contamination. However, consumers in different countries requires more natural foods and with higher quality. Thus, the objective was to check the activities of propolis in controlling bovine mastitis. Seventy-two Holstein cows were used. The mastitis was identified by the California Mastitis Test, somatic cell counts and microbiological examination of milk. Four treatments were held: in group EAP1 10ml of a 30% alcoholic propolis extract (EAP) were given orally for seven consecutive days; in group EAP2 the same procedure described for the first group was used, in addition EAP was used for immersion of the teats before and after milking; in group CA alcohol was used for immersion of the teats before and after milking; and in group CT animals were subjected to soaking and disinfection, procedures routinely used by the property. The results were analyzed by the non-parametric variance model for repeated measures complemented by independent groups in multiple comparisons. There was a decrease of the somatic cell count in all groups. The biological activities of propolis provide great prospects; however, under the conditions evaluated, it was not possible to observe differences between treatments. The great diversity in its chemical composition and the complexity of multiple synergistic mechanisms involved in its biological activity require additional clinical trials. UENP - Bandeirantes UENF RURAP UNESP - Botucatu UNESP - Botucatu