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No Brasil, grande volume de residuos e subprodutos oriundos da agroindustria sao gerados anualmente, ocasionando danos ao meio ambiente e onerando o processo produtivo. A utilizacao destes na alimentacao animal ja e uma realidade, que alem de diminuir o desperdicio e a poluicao, ainda reduz o custo para a producao de alimentos de consumo animal. Diante do exposto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi sintetizar os resultados de estudos realizados nos ultimos 10 anos sobre os principais subprodutos e ingredientes alternativos, assim como sua eficiencia produtiva, enquanto compostos usados na nutricao cunicola. Os estudos voltados a utilizacao dos alimentos alternativos para a nutricao dos coelhos mostram que este e considerado animal estrategico, pois aproveita de forma eficiente subprodutos tais como bagacos, baracos, cascas, polpas, restevas, farelos e outros materiais improprios para consumo dos seres humanos. Desse modo, a partir de insumos de baixo custo e possivel produzir proteina nobre e de altissima qualidade que e a carne de coelho. Perante conhecimento sobre as caracteristicas nutricionais de cada composto, os subprodutos agroindustriais sao alternativas recomendadas para utilizacao na alimentacao dos coelhos nas variadas fases produtivas.

1. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the residual effects of two windrow composting methods for reused litter on its quality (pH, moisture, ammonia), ammonia (NH3) volatilisation and the prevalence (scores 0-4) of foot pad dermatitis (FPD) and hock burn (HB) on d 1, 7, 14 and 21 of age in broilers. Litter was allowed to compost for 8 d within a 14-d interval between flocks. 2. The composting methods studied were with or without a PVC plastic sheet. The same procedures were applied for three consecutive flocks, with litter initially having been used for 12 flocks. Data were analysed with a mixed model of repeated measures of day, with main effects and interactions of day, composting method, litter age (block) and house nested within method. 3. At d 1, litter NH3 and NH3 volatilisation were higher in the covered litter method. Litter moisture increased to 45.3% as broilers aged. The incidence of FPD also increased with age. No signs of HB were found in any bird throughout the trials. 4. There was no effect of litter composting methods on the prevalence of FPD or body weight at any age. 5. Litter moisture should be controlled to avoid NH3 volatilisation reaching critical levels. Windrow composting of litter with a PVC plastic sheet may not be required when considering the broiler housing environment.

This review intends to bring an overview of relevant challenges and accomplishments surrounding the farm animal welfare fi eld and identify gaps that, when fulfi lled, may lead to positive outcomes in the present, but especially for the future of the pork and poultry industries. It is not new to animal agriculture sectors, governments, animal protection organizations, and consumers that animal welfare concerns surrounding current industrialized animal production systems have increased within the last decade. Globalization, international trade, and dramatic increases in the demand for animal protein for decades to come may magnify these concerns from both practical and ethical perspectives and thus create a need for objective debates. Within this global scenario, a major challenge for all parties ought to be implementing a “clean, green, and ethical” animal agriculture, while guaranteeing that food is produced under high animal welfare standards. Sound and objective science must be the basis for establishing on-farm and slaughter standards seeking to promote better animal welfare. Currently, integrating these standards and guidelines may not be a priority for a cluster of leaders in animal production and even for policymakers, as changes are usually associated with signifi cant fi nancial and time investments. Hence, resistance arising from this confl ict may weaken opportunities for forthcoming implementation of science-based welfare-friendly production and slaughter practices. Some progress toward improving animal welfare has been observed in situations which these standards are either legislated, verifi ed under a third-party certifi cation program, or are a trade barrier by the importing market where the priority is likely economic benefi t (Promar International, 2008; Centner, 2010; Rayment et al., 2010). Direct enforcement and application of penalties for nonconformance to legislated animal care and treatment standards and policies may also be a challenge due to costs of putting infrastructure changes (building or retrofi tting) into practice and the lack of resources and trained professionals (Promar International, 2008; Rayment et al., 2010). Thus, in the authors’ opinions, one of the greatest challenges facing the scientifi c communities in the upcoming decades will be to uncover solutions while reconciling the need to safeguard animal welfare within a sustainable farm animal production system, and considering public and governmental deliberations for ethical treatment of animals. The readiness to overcome these challenges is highly dependent upon consideration of societal moral and ethical values and their infl uences in driving political and economic policy amendments in countries leading animal production. Two distinct economic and socio-political nations’ categories, that may or may not refl ect consumer general principles and concepts toward animal welfare, are witnessed globally. One category consists of industrialized developed countries, which are featured by a population that spends a minor portion of its household income on food, The Five Freedoms in the global animal agriculture market: Challenges and achievements as opportunities

Aggression can be a major problem for swine production as it negatively impacts the pigs' health and welfare. Increasing tryptophan (TRP) intake to raise brain serotonin (5-HT)—key for aggression control, and long-term positive social handling can reduce stress in pigs. Objective was to feed a short-term high-TRP diet to grower (3 months) and finisher (6 months) maternal gilts that were either socially handled or not and measure their behavioural activity and aggressiveness. Eight pens of six unrelated gilts were split into two blocks balanced for litter, social handling (non- vs. handled) and dietary treatment (control vs. high-TRP). Social-handling was applied three times per week, from day 45 until 6 months of age. At 3 months, two handled and two non-handled pens were assigned to control while the other four pens were assigned to the high-TRP diet fed ad libitum for 7 days (days 1-7). At 6 months of age, pen assignment to dietary treatments was swapped. Body weights and blood were taken at days 1 (pre-feeding) and 7. Blood samples were analyzed for TRP and 5- HT concentrations using high pressure liquid chromatography. Behaviour was recorded from days 1 to 5 and scan-sampling used to determine time-budget behaviours and postures in a 12-h period each day (06:00-18:00 h). Aggression evaluation in the home pen focused on counts of agonistic interactions, bites and head-knocks per interaction during three, 30-min intervals (08:00, 12:00, and 16:00 h) from days 1 to 5. Resident-intruder (R-I) test was carried out for a maximum of 300 s at days 6 and 7 to measure aggressiveness, predicted by the latency to the first attack and attack outcomes. A 2 � 2 factorial arrangement of dietary treatment and social handling within age was analyzed by repeated measures of mixed models and Tukey adjustments. The TRP-added diet raised blood TRP concentration of 3- and 6-month-old gilts by 180.7% and 85.2% respectively (P < 0.05), reduced behavioural activity and time spent standing, while increasing lying behaviour, mostly in grower gilts (P < 0.05). High-TRP diet reduced the number of agonistic interactions, and aggressiveness in 3-month- old gilts, which took longer to attack the intruder pig, and displayed fewer attacks on the first day of testing (P < 0.05). Long-term positive social handling improved growth performance and had a slight effect on behaviour (P < 0.05). Provision of enhanced TRP diet reduced behavioural activity and aggressiveness of grower gilts, and these results are likely mediated by activation of brain serotonergic system. Short-term high-TRP dietary supplementation may be used to reduce aggression at mixing in young pigs. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is currently viewed as the most precise technique to quantify levels of messenger RNA. Relative quantification compares the expression of a target gene under two or more experimental conditions normalized to the measured expression of a control gene. The statistical methods and software currently available for the analysis of relative quantification of RT-PCR data lack the flexibility and statistical properties to produce valid inferences in a wide range of experimental situations. In this paper we present a novel method for the analysis of relative quantification of qRT-PCR data, which consists of the analysis of cycles to threshold values (CT) for a target and a control gene using a general linear mixed model methodology. Our method allows testing of a broader class of hypotheses than traditional analyses such as the classical comparative CT. Moreover, a simulation study using plasmode datasets indicated that the estimated fold-change in pairwise comparisons was the same using either linear mixed models or a comparative CT method, but the linear mixed model approach was more powerful. In summary, the method presented in this paper is more accurate, powerful and flexible than the traditional methods for analysis of qRT-PCR data. This new method is especially useful for studies involving multiple experimental factors and complex designs.

Increasing concern for animal well-being and food safety has stimulated the investigation of feed additives such as ractopamine (RAC), a beta-agonist widely used to improve production performance of finishing pigs. The objective of this study was to determine effects of RAC feeding, delivered as a "step-up" program (5 mg/kg for 2 wk followed by 10 mg/kg for 2 wk), on growth performance, Enterobacteriaceae shedding, including Salmonella, and hoof lesions, also taking into account sex and social rank of pigs. A total of 64 barrows and gilts (balanced by treatment and sex) were assigned to pens of 4 (by sex) as either control (CTL) or RAC treatment. Social ranks (dominant, intermediate, and subordinate) of pigs in each pen were determined by behavioral observation during 48 h post-mixing. Fecal samples were collected once per week for 5 wk. At slaughter, the 32 dominant and subordinate barrows and gilts (16/sex) were examined for hoof lesions, and luminal contents from ileum, cecum, and rectum were collected. Pigs fed RAC had increased growth performance (P 0.10). No significant effect of RAC feeding was found on backfat or loin eye area (P > 0.10). At slaughter, RAC-fed pigs had greater BW (P < 0.05). Despite the positive effects of RAC feeding on growth performance, pigs fed the compound had a greater frequency of front and rear hoof lesions as did barrows and dominant individuals (P < 0.05). Detectable concentrations of Salmonella shedding were not identified at any time during the experiment. Enterobacteriaceae shedding concentrations from RAC-fed pigs peaked at the first week of feeding and progressively decreased until slaughter. At slaughter, rectal and cecal Enterobacteriaceae concentrations were less in RAC-fed pigs than in CTL pigs (P < 0.05). Social rank tended to affect gut Enterobacteriaceae populations of barrows more than in gilts (P < 0.10). The effects of RAC feeding on hoof soundness and Enterobacteriaceae populations in the gastrointestinal tract of finishing pigs warrant further investigation. It is also proposed that the integration of the social rank status of the individual into future studies should be considered, because it may affect treatment responses.

Gestation stalls are criticized for its negative physical and psycho-physiological effects on sow welfare. Group housing benefits sow well-being and when planned properly can minimize aggression during mixing. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of short-term feeding of a TRP-enriched diet at a concentration of 220% the control (CTL) diet, on aggressiveness at mixing of sows at 4weeks of gestation. Treatment diets were fed for 7 consecutive days; from days 1 to 5 sows were housed in stalls, early in the morning on day 6 sows were grouped by parity and assessed until day 7. Eighteen pens with 4 sows each (n=72) of similar parity were assigned to CTL and TRP treatments. Sows' behaviors were recorded daily for 12h, from days 1 to 7. Inactive and active behaviors (alert, walking (pen), rooting, feeding, drinking, eliminating), stereotypic behaviors (bar biting and sham-chewing), and postures (standing, sitting, lying) were assessed by 10-minute scan sampling. Occurrence of agonistic interactions, number of actions such as bites, head knocks and pursuits and their sum per interaction were recorded for each pen using 2-h continuous behavioral observation, at days 6 and 7. Skin lesion scores were assessed from each sow at day 5 and at 48h post-mixing, using a sow body map subdivided into anterior, central and posterior body regions. A linear mixed model with day as repeated measure, stall or pen as experimental unit, tested the fixed effects of treatment, day, period within day, their interactions, and block by treatment interaction; stall (trt) or pen (trt) as appropriate was used as random effect. Blood concentration of TRP was higher on the mixing day in TRP-fed sows compared to baseline (76%) and CLT-fed sows at mixing (79%; P0.05), while serotonin concentration did not differ between treatments (P0.05). The TRP-enriched diet was effective in reducing sham-chewing in stall housed sows of parity 5-9 (P0.05). In pens, TRP-fed sows spent more time rooting (TRP=28.0 vs. CTL=20.7±1.0%; P0.05) and consequently less time lying down than CTL-fed sows (TRP=56.1 vs. CTL=65.1±2.0%; P0.05). The total number of offensive actions per interaction was greater in the morning than afternoon for both days (P0.05), but this was less evident in TRP-fed compared to CTL sows mainly on the morning following mixing (3.4 vs. 7.2±1.0, respectively; Trt∗period (day)=P0.05). The average lesion score was lower in the anterior body region of TRP-fed compared to CTL sows (2.1 vs. 2.5±0.2; P0.05), the most affected area during fights. The TRP-enriched diet reduced sow aggression while increasing behavioral activity, as evidenced by more time rooting and standing while sows had fewer offensive actions per agonistic interaction and lower skin lesion score 48h post-mixing. A TRP enriched diet provided to gestating sows for a short period prior to social mixing and continued for a short time after is an effective means of reducing aggression and improving the welfare of sows during group formation.

Understanding autonomic nervous system functioning, which mediates behavioral and physiological responses to stress, offers great potential for assessing farm animal stress and welfare. Evaluation of heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure variability (BPV), using time and frequency domain analyses may provide a sensitive and reliable measure of affective states and stress-mediated changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic tones. The aim of this research was to define low (LF) and high frequency (HF) power spectral ranges using pharmacological autonomic blockade, and to examine HRV and BPV parameter changes in response to atropine and propranolol in swine. Ten, 13-week old, barrows ( n = 6) and gilts ( n = 4) underwent surgery to place an intra-cardiac electrode and a blood pressure catheter attached to a biotelemetric transmitter; pigs had a 3-week recovery period prior to data collection. Each pig was subjected to administration of 4 intravenous (i.v.) drug treatments: a control treatment, 3 mL of saline, and 3 blockade treatments; 0.1 mg/kg of atropine, 1.0 mg/kg of propranolol, and .1 mg/kg of atropine together with 1.0 mg/kg of propranolol. All treatments were delivered by injection in the jugular vein with a minimum of 48 h between individual treatments. Behavior, ECG and blood pressure data were recorded continuously for a total of 1 h, from 30 min pre-injection to 30 min post-injection. For data analyses, two 512-beat intervals were selected for each treatment while the pig was lying and inactive. The first interval was selected from the pre-injection period (baseline), and the second was selected between 10 and 30 min post-injection. Time and frequency domain (power spectral density) analyses were performed on each data interval. Subsequent, LF and HF bands from the power spectral densities were defined based on general linear and regression analyses. The HRV and BPV were computed with a covariate (baseline) factorial analysis of treatment by sex interaction, and day of injection, with mixed models and Tukey's post-hoc tests. The best-fit range for LF was 0.0–0.09 Hz, and HF was 0.09–2.0 Hz ( r 2 : 0.41 and 0.43, respectively). Propranolol and saline injections led to a greater overall total power and overall higher inter-beat interval, HF and LF power. Atropine led to a dominant sympathovagal balance of the cardiac activity in pigs. In addition, atropine led to an increase in LF power of both systolic and diastolic blood pressures in gilts suggesting vagal tone mediation of BPV. The understanding of autonomic regulation of HRV and BPV in domestic swine facilitates our ability to detect and quantify stress responses, and broadens its application in assessing farm animal welfare.

Aggression is a major source of social stress with negative effects on health and well-being, yet limited information is known about the molecular mechanisms mediating aggressive behavior in swine. Ractopamine (RAC) is a β-adrenoreceptor agonist that enhances growth but increases aggressive behaviors in female pigs. Thus, the effects of RAC, sex, and social rank on the mRNA abundance of genes encoding serotonin and dopamine receptors, and monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A in brains of sub-adult pigs were evaluated. Top dominant and bottom subordinate pigs (16/sex) in pens of 4 pigs were determined, and fed either the control or RAC diets. At day 31, their raphe nuclei (RN), amygdala (AMY), frontal cortex (FC), and hypothalamus (HYP) were dissected; relative mRNA abundance for 5-HT₁(B), 5-HT₂(A), 5-HT₂(B), and D₁ receptors, and MAO-A was determined by Q-RT-PCR and data subjected to multivariate linear mixed model analysis and Tukey post-hoc test. Expression of 5-HT₁(B) and MAO-A was suppressed in the AMY of female pigs; 5-HT₂(B) expression was also suppressed in the RN, FC and HYP of females and RN of dominant pigs (P < 0.05). Expression of 5-HT₂(A) was more up-regulated in RN of females compared to males (P < 0.05). Expression of D₁ varied in RN and FC mostly as a function of RAC feeding and its interaction with sex and social rank (P < 0.05). While RAC feeding is related to changes in expression of the D1 receptor mRNA, suppression in expression of serotonergic genes detected in the brain of pigs, especially in females independent of social rank, may be mediating the inter-individual offensive aggression.

Dois mil cento e dezenove bovinos adultos pertencentes a 156 propriedades leiteiras distribuídas em 22 localizadas do município de Passo Fundo foram testados para tuberculose bovina (TB) e brucelose bovina (BB). A prevalência de anticorpos contra o vírus da diarréia viral bovina (BVDV), vírus da leucose enzoótica bovina (BLV) e herpesvírus bovino tipo 1 (BHV-1) foi estimada por amostragem aleatória em 28 dessas propriedades. Para tanto, considerou-se prevalência acima de 30% para essas infecções e intervalo de confiança de 90%, e sorteou-se 204 amostras de soro sangüíneo. Entre os 2.119 animais testados, 32 (1,51%) foram positivos para TB e 26 (1,22%) foram positivos para BB. Os exames sorológicos dos animais pertencentes às 28 propriedades indicaram animais positivos para BHV-1, BVDV e BLV em 22 (92,85%), 19 (67,85%) e 17 (60,71%) propriedades, respectivamente; 11 (39,28%) propriedades apresentaram animais soropositivos tanto para BHV-1, BVDV e BLV; em 1 (3,57%) propriedade apenas todos os animais eram soronegativos para essas infecções. Two thousand one hundred and nineteen bovines belonging to 156 dairy herds distributed among 22 counties in Passo Fundo, RS, were tested for bovine tuberculosis (BT) and bovine brucellosis (BB). The prevalence of antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), enzootic bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and bovine herpesvirus (BHV-1) was estimated by random sampling in 28 properties; considering a prevalence of infection of at least 30% and a confidence interval of 90%, 204 serum samples were tested. Among de 2119 bovines, 32 (1.51%) were positive for TB and 26 (1.22%) were positive for BB. The serological tests of the animals belonging to the 28 herds indicated the presence of antibodies to BHV-1, BVDV and BLV in 22 (92.35%), 19 (67.35%) and 17 (60.71%) herds, respectively; 11 (39.28%) properties had animals positive to BHV-1, BVDV and BLV, and in only 1 (3.57%) herd all animals tested were negative to these infections.

Pork is the second most consumed animal protein in the world, and there are important animal welfare concerns for the over 1 billion pigs raised for meat each year. One important animal-based indicator of good welfare in pigs is the absence of lameness, which may affect up to 15% of sows globally. Lameness is an extremely painful and stressful condition which, when not identified and treated correctly, can affect animals in several ways, including through their social behavior, nutritional condition, and overall biological functioning and mental state. During pregnancy, lameness has the potential to alter developmental outcomes of the offspring by transplacental endocrine modification or epigenetic mechanisms. This study initially explored an existing dataset on lameness in sows during pregnancy in which we assessed behavioral and physiological consequences of lameness in sows and their offspring thorough measures of salivary and placental glucocorticoid concentrations in sows, and indicators of agonistic and exploratory behavior in their weaned offspring when mixed and s bjected to open field and novel object tests. Follow up studies involved systematic periodical locomotion assessments in pregnant sows on two commercial pig farms, one in Brazil (Farm 1) and one in Italy (Farm 2). A validated 0 to 5 score system was used, with 0 corresponding to easy locomotion and 5 to a downer sow. The studies included 511 pregnant sows (N=397 in Brazil and N=114 in Italy) with at least 3 locomotion evaluations in the final third of gestation to determine prevalence of lameness. A cohort sample of 30 (Farm 1) and 39 (Farm 2) sows were selected and grouped by the severity of lameness, and their productive performance, physiology, and the developmental outcomes in their offspring were assessed. Sows were grouped as not lame (G1; N = 15 Farm 1; N = 14 Farm 2), moderately lame (G2; N = 16 Farm 2), and severely lame (G3; N = 15 Farm 1; N = 9 Farm 2). In Brazil sows were grouped only as severely lame or not lame. Productivity data including gestation length, birth weight, total live/stillborn piglets, and piglets dying during the first week post-partum were collected from the selected sows. Glucocorticoid measures were performed on saliva, hair, and placenta of sows from Farm 2. A cohort sample of weaned piglets was selected from Farm 1 (N=90, 3 piglets per sow) and all piglets in the litters from Farm 2 were included. Behavioral data were collected from weaned piglets from Farm 1, skin lesions were counted to assess post-mixing aggression and exploratory behavior was measured using a combination of open field and novel object tests. Nociception threshold assessments were performed in piglets at birth, before and after castration of male piglets from Farm 2, and in weaned piglets from Farm 1. Hair was collected from newborn piglets from Farm 2 to measure cortisol. Salivary cortisol was measured in weaned piglets from Farm 1 before and after transport. After determining the data distributions, parametric and non-parametric statistical tests were used, considering significance when p < 0.05 and a tendency when p = 0.05 0.1. Results from the initial dataset indicated that lameness in pregnant sows reduced piglet weight at weaning and increased agonistic behavior in the offspring. In both the Brazilian and Italian studies, lameness reduced gestation length, whereby the gestation length in G1 sows was longer than G2 sows (Farm 2) and G3 sows (Farm 1). At birth, G1 piglets were heavier than G2 piglets (Farm 2) and G3 piglets (Farm 1). On Farm 2, nociception threshold values at birth and before castration were higher in G3 piglets than G2, and after castration were higher in G1 than G2 piglets. On Farm 1, nociception threshold after weaning was higher in G3 than G1 piglets. On Farm 1, there were fewer skin lesions after mixing in G1 than G3 piglets. On Farm 2, hair cortisol concentrations in G2 sows were higher than G3 sows and tended to be higher in male offspring from G3 than G1 sows. Placental tissue from G1 sows was more efficient in metabolizing cortisol to cortisone that from G2 sows. Finally, in Farm 1, salivary cortisol response to transport was higher in weaned piglets from G3 sows compared with piglets from G1 sows. Here we demonstrated that lameness in sows during the last third of pregnancy altered their physiology and performance and modified the phenotype of their offspring by reducing weight at birth, decreasing response to noxious stimuli, and altering behavioral and physiological responses when piglets were faced with common challenges present in the commercial farming environment. A carne suína é a segunda proteína animal mais consumida no mundo, e há preocupações importantes com o bem-estar animal para mais de 1 bilhão de suínos criados para a produção de carne a cada ano. Um importante indicador animal de bom bem-estar em suínos é a ausência de claudicação, que pode afetar até 15% das matrizes globalmente. A claudicação é uma condição extremamente dolorosa e estressante que afeta os animais de várias maneiras, incluindo seu comportamento social, condição nutricional e todo seu funcionamento biológico e estados mentais, quando não é identificada e tratada adequadamente. Durante a gestação, a claudicação, como uma condição estressante, tem o potencial de alterar os resultados de desenvolvimento da prole por modificação endócrina transplacentária ou mecanismos epigenéticos. O estudo inicialmente explorou uma base de dados existente relacionada à claudicação em fêmeas suínas durante a gestação, no qual avaliamos as consequências comportamentais e fisiológicas da claudicação nas matrizes e nas suas proles, através da mensuração da concentração de glicocorticóides em saliva e placenta, e indicadores de comportamento agonístico e exploratório em suas leitegadas desmamadas, misturadas e testadas nos testes de campo aberto e objeto novo. Estudos subsequentes envolveram avaliações periódicas sistemáticas de locomoção em matrizes prenhes, em duas granjas comerciais de suínos, uma no Brasil (Fazenda 1) e outra na Itália (Fazenda 2). Foi utilizado um sistema de pontuação validado, variando de 0 a 5, sendo 0 um animal com fácil locomoção e 5 um animal que não caminha. Os estudos brasileiro e italiano incluíram 511 matrizes gestantes (N = 397 no Brasil e N = 114 na Itália) com pelo menos 3 avaliações de locomoção no terço final da gestação, para determinar a prevalência de claudicação. Uma amostra de 30 (Fazenda 1) e 39 (Fazenda 2) matrizes foi selecionada e agrupada por severidade de claudicação, para avaliar seus desempenhos produtivos, fisiológicos e resultados de desenvolvimento de suas proles. As matrizes foram agrupadas como sem claudicação (G1; N = 15 - Fazenda 1; N = 14 - Fazenda 2), claudicação moderada (G2; N = 16 - Fazenda 2) e claudicação severa (G3; N = 15 - Fazenda 1; N = 9 - Fazenda 2). No Brasil, as matrizes foram agrupadas apenas como severamente claudicantes ou não claudicantes. Dados de produtividade como duração de gestação, peso ao nascer, total de leitões vivos / natimortos e mortos até a primeira semana de idade foram registrados, a partir das matrizes selecionadas. As medidas de glicocorticóides foram realizadas na saliva, pelo e placenta das matrizes estudadas na Fazenda 2. Uma amostra de leitões desmamados foi selecionada na Fazenda 1 (N = 90, 3 leitões por fêmea) e todas as leitegadas foram utilizadas na Fazenda 2. Dados comportamentais foram coletados em leitões desmamados da Fazenda 1, lesões cutâneas foram contadas para avaliar agressão após a mistura dos leitões e o comportamento exploratório foi mensurado usando uma combinação de testes de campo aberto e objeto novo. Avaliações do limiar de nocicepção foram realizadas em leitões ao nascimento, antes / após a castração de leitões machos da Fazenda 2 e em leitões desmamados da Fazenda 1. O pelo foi coletado de leitões recém-nascidos da Fazenda 2 para medir o cortisol. Cortisol salivar foi medido em leitões desmamados da Fazenda 1, antes e depois do transporte. Após a determinação da distribuição dos dados, foram utilizados testes estatísticos paramétricos e não paramétricos, considerando significância quando p

Os sistemas suinícolas atuais, aliados aos programas de melhoramento genético avançados, trouxeram inúmeros ganhos produtivos e sanitários para a indústria. O repertório comportamental natural da espécie, importante para manter o bem-estar dos animais, é raramente priorizado nos sistemas de produção comercial de suínos. Em consequência disso, comportamentos anormais, alterações fisiológicas e emocionais, e indicadores de bem-estar comprometido são frequentemente observados. Esses comportamentos são uma tentativa dos animais de adaptação ao meio onde estão inseridos, e os sistemas emocionais 'básicos' dos animais têm funções adaptativas e fundamentais para o indivíduo. O alojamento de machos reprodutores suínos desafia o bem-estar dos mesmos pela restrição de movimento, isolamento social e falta de enriquecimento ambiental. Estudos recentes em animais de laboratório indicam que situações de estresse nos machos podem alterar características no sêmen e alterar as características da prole. O objetivo da pesquisa foi estudar o efeito do sistema de alojamento de machos suínos sobre a emocionalidade da sua prole. Foram utilizados 18 machos alojados em três sistemas: cela (C:N=6), baia (B:N=6) e baia enriquecida com o fornecimento de feno, escovação, banho (E:N=6). Submetidos à colheita de sêmen semanalmente. Na quarta semana, três pools de sêmen, cada pool representando todos os três tratamentos, com dois machos de cada tratamento (C, B e E), selecionados de acordo com métodos objetivos de avaliação do sêmen, foram utilizados para inseminar 15 marrãs alojadas em grupo no sistema ao ar livre. Foram realizadas avalições comportamentais e fisiológicas a cada terço gestacional. Os leitões foram identificados no terceiro dia de idade e seus pesos registrados aos 10°, 25° e 29° dias de idade. No 25° dia, foram realizadas as avaliações emocionais dos leitões (medo e ansiedade) (N=138) através do comportamento gravado durante os testes de campo aberto, objeto novo e labirinto em cruz elevada. No 29° dia, os leitões foram desmamados (N=138) e reagrupados por peso em três baias com feno. Imagens corporais dos leitões (N=138) foram registradas no desmame e nos quatro dias subsequentes para contabilizar as lesões de pele. No 34° dia, eles foram submetidos à avaliação nociceptiva, estimulados duas vezes consecutivas do lado direito e esquerdo da região coxofemoral e quartela. Após, amostras de pelo foram colhidas para realização do teste de paternidade. Após o recebimento dos dados de paternidade, os leitões foram alocados nos tratamentos representando o alojamento dos pais (C, B e E). Os dados comportamentais das fêmeas foram avaliados com estatística descritiva. Na análise dos dados da prole utilizou-se a análise fatorial com o intuito de resumir em quatro fatores latentes a informação relativa à variabilidade e correlações entre as variáveis. Os escores fatoriais foram classificados como negativos, centrais e positivos, com base no primeiro e terceiro quartis. O teste de qui quadrado (alfa=0,05) foi usado para testar a homogeneidade da distribuição desses escores nos três tratamentos a que os machos foram submetidos. Uma análise de correspondência buscou associações entre as frequências de leitões nos tratamentos e categorias dos escores fatoriais. Os resultados da prole indicam a influência do ambiente herdado através dos machos; os leitões filhos de machos alojados com acesso ao enriquecimento tiveram menor número de lesões de pele (p=0,008). Leitões oriundos de machos alojados em celas apresentaram valores nociceptivos mais hipoalgésicos, em contrapartida, a prole de machos alojados nas baias sem enriquecimento foram menos hipoalgésicos (p=0,029). Compreender o mecanismo de ação de tais alterações requer futuras pesquisas associando os princípios da epigenética e sua interação na construção do comportamento animal. Current pig production systems, combined with advanced genetic improvement programs, have brought numerous productive and health gains to the industry. However, the species\' natural behavioral repertoire, which is important for maintaining good animal welfare, is rarely prioritized in commercial pig production systems. As a result, abnormal behaviors, physiological and emotional changes, all indicators of impaired welfare, are often observed. These behaviors are an attempt by animals to adapt to the environment in which they live, and the 'basic' emotional systems of animals have adaptive and fundamental functions for the individual. The housing of boars challenges their welfare as a result of movement restriction, social isolation and lack of environmental enrichment. Recent studies in laboratory animals indicate that stressful situations in males can alter characteristics in the semen and change the phenotype of their offspring. Eighteen males housed in three systems were studied: crate (C:N=6), pen (P:N=6), and enriched pen, which included the supply of hay, brushing and bathing (E:N=6). Animals were submitted to semen collection weekly. In the fourth week, three pools of semen, each pool representing two males per treatment (C, P and E), matched for objective semen quality indicators, from the animals of the three treatments was used to inseminate 15 gilts, five gilts for each different pool. Gilts were housed in group in an outdoor system. Behavioral and physiological evaluations were carried out at each third of gestation. The piglets, offspring of 13 gilts, were identified on the third day of age and their weights recorded at the 10th, 25th, and 29th days of age. On the 25th day, the piglets\' emotional assessments (fear and anxiety) were carried out through the behavior recorded during the tests open field, novel object, and elevated plus maze (N=138). On the 29th day, the piglets were weaned and regrouped by weight in three pens with hay. Body images of the piglets (N=138) were recorded at weaning and in the subsequent four days to account for skin lesions (N=138). On the 34th day, they were submitted to a nociceptive evaluation, stimulated twice in a row on the right and left side of the plantar surface of the metacarpal and hip region. Afterward, hair samples were taken to perform the paternity test. After receiving the results of the paternity tests, the piglets were allocated to the experimental groups representing the treatments applied to the boars (C, P and E). The behavioral data of the females were evaluated for descriptive statistical. In the analysis of the offspring data, factor analysis was used to summarize the information regarding the variability and correlations between the variables in four latent factors. The factor scores were classified as negative, central, and positive, based on the first and third quartiles. The chi-square test (alpha=0.05) was used to test the homogeneity of the distribution of these scores in the three treatments to which the males were submitted. A correspondence analysis sought associations between the frequencies of piglets in the treatments and categories of factor scores. The offspring results indicate the influence of the environment inherited through males; piglets born to males housed with access to enrichment had fewer skin lesions (p=0.008). Piglets from males housed in cells showed nociceptive values more hypoalgesic, in contrast, the offspring of males housed in pens without enrichment were less hypoalgesic (p=0.029). Understanding the mechanism of action of such changes requires further research associating the principles of epigenetics and their interaction in the construction of animal behavior.

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agroecossistemas, Florianópolis, 2013. A principal função da fermentação da cama de aviário é propiciar condições microbiológicas adequadas para a sua reutilização. Entretanto, os diferentes tratamentos de fermentação da cama também podem alterar as características físico-químicas do material. Essas, por sua vez, podem contribuir para uma maior volatilização de amônia (NH3) e para o desenvolvimento de pododermatites de contato (PDD) e de lesões de joelho (tibiotarso-metatarso) nos frangos. Com isso, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência de dois tratamentos de fermentação da cama de aviário reutilizada, (a) sem cobertura e (b) com cobertura de lona plás-tica de PVC, sobre a carga microbiológica, a qualidade da cama e do ambiente, bem como a incidência e a severidade de PDD e de lesões de joelho em frangos de corte. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se modelo misto de medidas repetidas de dia, com efeitos principais e interação de tratamento e dia, aviário aninhado em tratamento e bloco (idade da cama). O estudo foi dividido em duas etapas, sendo a primeira etapa realizada no período de intervalo entre os lotes e a segunda etapa durante o período de criação dos frangos (1, 7, 14 e 21 dias). No dia 8 da fermentação, o tratamento da cama com cobertura apresentou pH e teor de amônia maiores do que o tratamento sem cobertura (P < 0,05), no entanto, não foi mais efetivo na redução da carga microbiológica do que o tratamento sem cobertura (P > 0,05). Na etapa 2, a NH3 liberada pela cama e volatilizada para o ambiente foi maior no tratamento com cobertura na primeira semana (P < 0,05), enquanto o teor de umidade da cama não diferiu entre os tratamentos de fermentação durante as 3 semanas de avaliação (P > 0,05). Não houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos de fermentação na incidência e na severidade de PDD aos dias 7, 14 e 21 de criação (P > 0,05). Nenhum dos frangos apresentou lesões de joelho durante o período de avaliação. Houve correlação positiva entre PDD (escore 3) e umidade da cama (r2 = 0,50, P < 0,01) e entre PDD (escore 3) e idade dos frangos (r2 = 0,61, P < 0,01). Conclui-se que ambos os tratamentos de fermentação foram efetivos na redução da carga microbiológica de camas reutilizadas. Entretanto, a fermentação com cobertura plástica de PVC pode ser dispensado devido aos efeitos indesejáveis de acúmulo e volatilização de amônia. O desenvolvimento de PDD não foi afetado pelos tratamentos de fermentação no período de três semanas de criação. Abstract : Composting built up broiler litter aims to control microbiological conditions to raise multiple flocks. However, the different methods of in-house composting may also modify physicochemical properties of the litter, thus promoting the development of foot pad dermatitis (FPD) and hock burn (HB), and negatively affecting in-house environmental conditions. The aims of this experiment were to evaluate the effects of two methods of composting built up broiler litter on its quality (pH, moisture content and NH3 released from the litter), microbial levels (bacteria and fungi), NH3 volatilization and incidence and severity of FPD and HB in broilers. The two windrow methods of composting built up broiler litter studied were a) with and b) without PVC plastic cover. Data were analyzed using a repeated measurements of day, and the model included terms for the fixed effects of litter composting treatments, broiler age, days, house, block and their interactions. The study was divided into two steps. The first step was carried out on birds' downtime (litter was composted for 8 days) and the second step during the birds raising (1, 7, 14 and 21 of flock age). On day 8 (step 1), the covered litter treatment presented a higher content of NH3 released (P < 0.05), whereas no differences were detected between the composting methods on the reduction of microbial levels (P > 0.05). On chicks' placement (second step), ammonia released from litter and NH3 volatilization were higher in the covered litter treatment (P < 0.05). There were no differences between the litter composting methods on the incidence and severity of FPD of all birds examined on days 7, 14 and 21 (P > 0.05). No signs of HB were found in any bird throughout the trials. Positive correlations of FPD with litter moisture content (r2 = 0.50) and broiler age (r2 = 0.61) were also observed (P < 0.01). Both methods of litter composting were effective in reducing microbial levels, however, the covered litter treatment may not be required when considering the harmful effects of ammonia volatilization on birds. Development of FPD was not affected by the litter composting methods.

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agroecossistemas, Florianópolis, 2013. Este trabalho foi realizado para analisar as atitudes e percepções dos docentes universitários das ciências agrárias do Brasil, em relação ao bem-estar de animais de produção. A pesquisa foi realizada através de um questionário enviado por e-mail para 1951 docentes de 51 instituições de ensino das cinco regiões do Brasil. A taxa de resposta foi de 15,8%. Nossos respondentes consistiram de 60% de veterinários, 28% de zootecnistas e 12% de agrônomos, sendo 56% de todos os respondentes do sexo masculino e 44% feminino. Dos profissionais que participaram da pesquisa, apenas 23% dos agrônomos, 46% dos zootecnistas e 30% dos veterinários afirmaram ter recebido informações específicas sobre bem-estar animal. De forma geral, os docentes concordaram com as cinco liberdades com mais de 90% de aprovação, exceto para a liberdade comportamental que apenas 79% dos respondentes concordaram ou concordaram fortemente. Respondentes do sexo feminino apresentaram valores médios na escala Likert maiores do que os do sexo masculino para as liberdades relacionadas: a dor e desconforto (p=0,02), comportamentos naturais (p=0,01) e, medo ou estresse (p=0,05). Entre as profissões, zootecnistas apresentaram valores médios menores para a liberdade comportamental (p=0,03). Mais de 65% dos participantes responderam que várias mudanças são necessárias no sistema de criação de poedeiras, suínos e frangos de corte; já na criação de bovinos leiteiros, bovinos de corte, ovinos e caprinos mais de 55% dos participantes acreditam que poucas mudanças são necessárias. Os profissionais que afirmaram não ter recebido ensino de bem-estar animal durante a sua formação profissional escolheram mais do que aqueles que receberam (p Abstract : This study was undertaken to examine the attitudes and perceptions towards farm animal welfare, among university faculty in courses of agricultural science in Brazil. The survey was carried out through a questionnaire sent by email to 1951 faculty from 51 educational institutions in the five regions of Brazil, with a response rate of 15.8%. The respondents consisted of 60% of veterinarians, 28% of animal scientists and 12 % of agronomists; 56% of all respondents were male and 44% female. Only 23% of agronomists, 46% of animal scientists and 30% of veterinarians reported having received specific information about animal welfare during their professional training. Overall, the respondents agreed with the five freedoms with over 90% approval, except for behavioural freedom, with which 79% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed. Female respondents had higher Likert means than the male for the freedoms listed: the pain and discomfort (p=0.02), natural behaviours (p=0.01) and fear or stress (p=0.05). Among the professions, animal scientists had lower mean values for behavioural freedom (p=0.03). Over 65% of participants responded that several changes are needed in the layers, pigs and broilers systems, while in the dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep and goats rearing systems, over 55% of the respondents believe that few changes are necessary. A greater proportion of professionals who declared not having studied animal welfare during their professional training chose the option "several changes are needed" in layers, pigs and broilers rearing systems than those who did (p

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agroecossistemas, Florianópolis, 2013. O Programa Nacional de Abate Humanitário - Steps foi desenvolvido pela Sociedade Mundial de Proteção Animal - WSPA, em conjunto com o Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento - MAPA, com o objetivo de melhorar a qualidade do manejo pré-abate e abate nos frigoríficos brasileiros. O Programa Steps tem investido em treinamentos específicos sobre bem-estar animal para os fiscais federais da inspeção animal e para demais profissionais dos frigoríficos, a fim de melhorar a atitude das pessoas e as práticas do manejo que antecedem o abate dos animais. O primeiro objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o resultado desse programa na melhoria do manejo pré-abate e abate de suínos. Um segundo objetivo foi investigar a atitude dos atores do Serviço de Inspeção Federal (SIF) sobre bem-estar e suas percepções sobre vários aspectos que influenciam a adoção de boas práticas de manejo. Na primeira parte deste trabalho foram realizadas auditorias em 11 frigoríficos de suínos, dos quais sete tinham recebido o treinamento Steps e quatro não o tinham recebido. Durante a auditoria, dados foram coletado utilizando um checklist baseado em pontos críticos de controle de bem-estar animal. Em comparação com frigoríficos não treinados, os frigoríficos treinados apresentaram uma tendência de menor percentagem de escorregões (P = 0,07) e vocalizações durante a insensibilização (P = 0,06). Após terem recebido o treinamento, os frigoríficos que tinham sido treinados mostraram uma tendência de redução da frequência de animais sensíveis na mesa de sangria (P = 0,08). As outras variáveis avaliadas - quedas no desembarque, o uso do bastão elétrico, vocalização no manejo, posicionamento incorreto dos eletrodos - não apresentaram diferenças (P > 0,05) entre o pré e pós-treinamento e entre frigoríficos treinados e não treinados. Na segunda parte do trabalho, 83 inspetores fiscais (médicos veterinários e agentes de inspeção) do Serviço de Inspeção Federal responderam um questionário abordando temas relacionados ao manejo e bem-estar de animais nos frigoríficos. Na opinião dos respondentes, a indústria tem obrigação ética de se envolver na melhoria do bem-estar animal; entretanto, a legislação brasileira é inadequada, a formação dos profissionais e dos manejadores é deficiente e o consumidor tem baixo engajamento e conhecimento sobre o tema bem-estar animal. Para reverter esses fatores que parecem limitar a adoção de boas práticas nos frigoríficos, eles sugeriram o fornecimento de treinamento continuado, e melhores condições de trabalho e remuneração para os funcionários, ensino de bem-estar animal durante a formação profissional, desenvolvimento de uma legislação mais detalhada, por exemplo, com parâmetros mínimo e máximo, e engajamento da indústria e do público consumidor. No primeiro estudo, embora tenha sido possível observar alguma redução dos pontos críticos encontrados anteriormente ao treinamento, isso não foi suficiente para atender aos padrões de bem-estar propostos internacionalmente. Porém, os resultados são encorajadores, especialmente considerando o pequeno número de frigoríficos que puderam ser comparados. Os resultados da segunda pesquisa apontaram vários fatores que precisam ser trabalhados para melhor efetivar as mudanças na infraestrutura e nas práticas de manejo necessários para melhorar o bem-estar animal nos frigoríficos.

Orientadores: Pedro Eduardo de Felício, Expedito Tadeu Facco Silveira Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos Resumo: A adição de ractopamina (RAC) na dieta de suínos em terminação tem sido amplamente utilizada para melhorar o desempenho zootécnico, porém tem despertado questionamentos no âmbito do bem-estar animal e qualidade da carne suína. Além disso, a posibilidade de ocorrer resíduos dessa substância na carne preocupa alguns países e a União Européia. Os objetivos desse trabalho são avaliar os possíveis efeitos da combinação da ractopamina e imunocastração, nas propriedades da carne e nas condições físicas e fisiológicas de bem-estar dos suínos. Um total de 310 fêmeas, machos castrados e imunocastrados de duas granjas diferentes e distintos cruzamentos genéticos [Tempo macho × Topigs 40 fêmea, granja A (n = 202) e AGPIC 337 macho × CB 22 fêmeas da granja B (n = 108)] foram aleatoriamente designados para receber o tratamento com RAC (7,5 mg / kg), durante 21 (±2) dias antes do abate, ou a dieta convencional, sem RAC. Na granja A, vocalizações foram registradas, para cada tratamento, durante a condução dos animais para o box de atordoamento. Os 202 suínos provenientes da granja A e os 108 suínos da granja B foram abatidos em diferentes abatedouros comerciais e as carcaças foram resfriadas por 24 horas a 4°C. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas na sangria, para determinar a atividade enzimática da creatinafosfoquinase (CPK), lactato desidrogenase (LDH) e os níveis do hormônio cortisol. As patas dianteiras foram avaliadas, após o abate, para contabilizar lesões de três categorias distintas: rachadura, erosão e hematoma. Após escaldagem e evisceração, as carcaças foram avaliadas para o desenvolvimento precoce de rigor mortis e escoriações de pele. Antes do refriamento, 60 carcaças de cada granja foram selecionadas para avaliações das propriedades da carne. Após 24 horas na câmara de resfriamento, o pH24h foi determinado no músculo longissimus dorsi (LD) e no músculo semimembranosus (SM) das carcaças, enquanto que a cor objetiva, perdas por exsudação, perdas por cozimento e força de cisalhamento (WBSF) foram medidos somente nas amostras do LD. Não houve interações em nenhuma das propriedades da carne estudada (P = 0,06). A ausência de interação entre condição sexual e ractopamina, sugere que a combinação de RAC e imunocastração não influencia a qualidade da carne. A incidência de RSE (Red, Soft, Exudative ¿ carne vermelha, flácida e exsudativa) foi extremamente elevada, 80,0 % do total das amostras avaliadas apresentaram esse problema de exsudação e 10,3% foram classificadas como PSE (Pale, Soft, Exudative ¿ carne pálida, flácida e exsudativa) e somente 0,9 % apresentaram carne DFD (Dark, Firm, Dry ¿ escura, firme e seca), mas a RAC não influenciou essas incidências. A adição de RAC em 7,5 mg/kg na dieta de suínos em terminação não apresentou impacto importante sobre os índices sanguíneos de estresse (CPK e LDH), lesões de casco e medidas da carcaça. No entanto, fêmeas alimentadas com RAC apresentaram maiores valores de cortisol. Alguns parâmetros de vocalização, como a intensidade do som e amplitude também foram maiores para os animais alimentados com RAC. Em relação às propriedades da carne, a dieta com RAC elevou perdas por cocção e valores de força de cisalhamento. Em relação à condição sexual, de uma forma geral as fêmeas apresentaram valores menores para os índices de estresse avaliados em comparação com imunocastrados e castrados cirurgicamente, com exceção para as medições dos níveis de cortisol, onde as fêmeas alimentadas com RAC apresentaram a maior concentração. É difícil apontar qual categoria de sexo foi mais susceptível ao estresse, uma vez que os parâmetros avaliados apresentaram resultados de forma equilibrada ente castrados e imunocastrados. A condição sexual não apresentou impacto importante sobre as propriedades da carne suína; imunocastrados não diferiram de castrados cirurgicamente. A diferença entre as granjas onde os animais foram criados influenciou vários parâmetros de bem-estar animal e também algumas propriedades da carne suína. Animais criados na granja A apresentaram maior incidência de índices de estresse negativos e valores superiores em algumas propriedades da carne, como: pH24 (SM), cor objetiva (a*), perdas por cocção, força de cisalhamento, além de maior ocorrência de lesões de casco (hematomas e rachaduras), desenvolvimento precoce de rigor mortis e aumento nos níveis sanguíneos de LDH, quando comparados a animais criados na granja B. Estas diferenças podem estar associadas a certos fatores, como estrutura da granja e abatedouro, transporte, manejo, contato com humanos e principalmente a origem do cruzamento genético dos animais Abstract: The addition of ractopamine (RAC) to the diet of finishing pigs has been widely used to improve production performance; however it has raised questions in the fields of animal welfare and pork quality. In addtion, the possibility of residues of this substance occurs in the meat leads to concern some countries and the European Union. The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of RAC and imunocastration combined on pork properties and the physical and physiological conditions of welfare in pigs. A total of 310 gilts, immunocastrates and barrows from two different farms and distinct genetic crosses [Tempo sires × Topigs 40 dams from farm A (n=202) and AGPIC 337 sires × CB 22 dams from farm B (n = 108)] were randomly assigned to received the RAC treatment (7.5 mg/kg), 21 (±2) days prior slaughter, or the conventional diet without RAC. In farm A, vocalizations were recorded, for each treatment within sex condition, during the animals¿ conduction to the stunning box. The 202 pigs from farm A and the 108 pigs from farm B, were slaughtered at different commercial slaughterhouses and chilled for 24 h at 4°C. Blood samples were collected at exsanguination to determine the enzymatic activity of creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the levels of the hormone cortisol. Front hooves were accessed; post slaughter, to evaluate 3 distinct lesions categories: splits, crack-erosions and bruises. After scalding and evisceration, carcasses were evaluated for early rigor development and skin damage score. Before chilling, 60 carcasses from each farm were selected for pork quality. After 24 h in the chiller, the pH24h was determined on the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) and on the M. semimembranosus (SM) of carcasses, whereas the objective color, drip loss, cooking loss and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) were measured on the LD samples only. No interaction for any of the meat properties studied were detected (P = 0.06). The absence of sex x RAC interaction, suggests that the combination of RAC and immunocastration had no impact on pork quality. The incidence of RSE ¿ red, soft and exudative - was extremely high, 80% of the total samples evaluated had this exudation problem, 10.3 % were classified as PSE - pale, soft and exudative, and 0.9 % were classified as DFD ¿ dark, firm and dry. The addition of RAC at 7.5 mg/kg on the diet of finishing pigs did not impact blood parameters of stress (CPK and LDH), hoof lesions and carcass measurements. However, some vocalization parameters and cortisol for females were greater for RAC-fed pigs. PSE and RSE meat was not increased by RAC diet, however cooking loss and WBSF toughness were increased in samples from RAC-fed pigs. In general, gilts presented lower values for the indices of stress than immunocastrates or barrows, with the exception of measurements of cortisol levels, where RAC-fed gilts had the highest concentrations. It is difficult to point wich sex category was more susceptible to stress, once different results were observed for each sex in different stress parameters measured. Animal sex condition had no important impact on fresh pork properties; immunocastrated pigs did not differ from barrows. The farms and processing plants influence the incidence of several welfare parameters and pork properties. Animals from farm A presented greater indices of stress and pork properties, including pH24, a* values, cooking loss, shear force, splits, bruises, early development of rigor mortis and LDH blood levels, than farm B. This difference can be associated to some factors, such as farm and slaughterhouse facilities, transport, humane handling and mainly genetic background Mestrado Tecnologia de Alimentos Mestre em Tecnologia de Alimentos

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agroecossistemas, Florianópolis, 2012 O uso de celas de gestação na suinocultura tem sido internacionalmente criticado devido ao seu efeito negativo no bem-estar físico e psicofisiológico das porcas. Mudanças na legislação de vários países e entre eles os da União Europeia, preveem a extinção desta prática nos próximos anos e propõem como alternativa o alojamento em grupo após a quarta semana de gestação. Com planejamento e emprego de práticas e instalações adequadas, o alojamento em grupo traz benefícios ao bem-estar das porcas, e reduz a agressividade durante a mistura social, um fator crítico consequente do estabelecimento da hierarquia social dos grupos. A suplementação da dieta com o aminoácido essencial triptofano (TRP), precursor do neurotransmissor serotonina, um inibidor da agressão, é promissor para reduzir a agressividade na mistura social. Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar o efeito do consumo em curto prazo de uma dieta com concentração elevada de TRP em relação à dieta controle (CTL), na agressividade de porcas gestantes ao serem misturadas em baias coletivas às 4 semanas pós cobertura. Setenta e duas porcas, com quatro semanas de gestação, e paridade semelhante (paridade 1-4 = categoria 1, paridade 5-9 = categoria 2), foram divididas em tratamentos TRP e CTL alocados em cinco blocos espaçados no tempo. As dietas experimentais foram fornecidas às porcas por sete dias consecutivos, sendo que estas estavam alojadas em celas individuais do dia 1 ao 5, e foram misturadas no dia 6 em baias coletivas de mesmo tratamento (18 baias com 4 porcas cada) e mantidas nas dietas até o dia 7. Os comportamentos de todas as porcas foram continuamente gravados por 12 horas diárias (06:00 - 18:00 h) durante dez dias. O tempo gasto realizando comportamentos inativo e ativos (alerta, caminhando, fuçando o chão e aparatos da cela ou baia, comendo, bebendo, eliminando), comportamentos estereotipados (mordedura de barra e falsa mastigação) e as posturas (em pé, sentada e deitada), foi avaliado pelo método de amostragem por instantâneos a cada 10 minutos. Os dados médios por dia de cada animal nas celas (dias 1-5) e a média de cada baia após a mistura (dias 6-10) geraram um perfil de comportamentos e posturas. A ocorrência de interações agonísticas na baia, o número de mordidas, cabeçadas e perseguições, e o total dessas ações em cada interação foram contabilizados por observação contínua entre 08:00 - 09:00 h e entre 16:00 - 17:00 h nos dias 6 e 7. Lesões de pele foram quantitativamente avaliadas a partir de fotos individuais tiradas pré-mistura (dia 5, controle) e 48 h após a mistura (dia 7). O número de lesões foi registrado em um mapa do corpo de cada porca, dividido em região anterior, central e posterior. Os dados de normalidade foram analisados com um modelo linear misto de medidas repetidas de dia usando cela ou baia como unidade experimental. Os efeitos fixos foram tratamento, dia, período do dia e paridade, suas interações, e bloco e interação com tratamento. A dieta enriquecida com TRP reduziu o comportamento de falsa mastigação nas porcas da categoria 2 de parição em relação às porcas CTL da mesma categoria enquanto alojadas nas celas individuais (P < 0,05). Nas baias, as porcas do grupo TRP passaram mais tempo realizando o comportamento exploratório de fuçar (TRP = 28,0 vs. CTL = 20,7 ± 1,0 %; P < 0,05), e passaram mais tempo em pé (TRP = 42,1 vs. CTL = 33,5 ± 1,7 %; P < 0,05) e, consequentemente, menos tempo deitadas do que as porcas do grupo CTL (TRP = 56,1 vs. CTL = 65,1 ± 2,0 %; P < 0,05). O número total de brigas no dia 6 (mistura) foi maior em relação ao dia 7 (13,2 vs. 5,8 ± 1,1, respectivamente; P < 0,01); da mesma forma, o tempo médio das brigas diminuiu do dia 6 para o dia 7 (4,9 vs. 2,94 ± 0,6 s, respectivamente; P < 0.01). O número total de ações por briga foi menor à tarde do que pela manhã em ambos os dias 6 e 7, e esta resposta foi mais evidente nas porcas suplementadas com TRP, principalmente na manhã da mistura (CTL: 7,2 vs. TRP: 3,4 ± 1,0; Trt*Período(dia) = P < 0,05). O escore médio de lesões de pele na região anterior do corpo foi menor nas porcas tratadas com TRP do que no grupo CTL (2,1 vs. 2,5 ± 0,2, respectivamente; P < 0,05), não diferindo nas outras regiões. A agressividade diminuiu ao longo dos dias após a mistura, e a suplementação de TRP na ração reduziu a agressividade na mistura social e aumentou a atividade das porcas. Isto foi evidenciado pelo maior tempo explorando o ambiente, pelo menor número de ações ofensivas (mordidas, cabeçadas e perseguições por briga), principalmente no primeiro dia da mistura social, e pela menor ocorrência de lesões corporais na região anterior do corpo. O fornecimento em curto prazo de uma dieta enriquecida com TRP no período antes da mistura social é uma ferramenta efetiva para minimizar a agressividade no alojamento coletivo de porcas gestantes. Abstract : Gestation stalls are criticized for their negative physical and psycho-physiological effects for sow welfare. Legislative actions have banned this practice worldwide and group housing has been proposed, as it benefits sows' wellbeing. Appropriate planning can minimize aggression during mixing, a critical factor during establishment of a social hierarchy. Dietary supplementation with tryptophan (TRP), an amino acid precursor of serotonin that inhibits aggression, is a promising tool to reduce aggressiveness in pigs. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of short-term feeding of a TRP-enriched diet in relation to the control (CTL) diet, on aggressiveness at mixing of sows at 4 wks of gestation. Eighteen pens with 4 sows each (n=72) of similar parity (parity 1-4 = category 1 and parity 5-9 = category 2) were assigned to CTL and TRP treatments divided in 5 blocks spaced in time. Treatment diets were fed for 7 consecutive days; from d 1-5 sows were housed in stalls, at d 6 early morning sows were grouped by parity and assessed until d 7. Sows' behaviors were recorded daily for 12 h (06:00-18:00 h) from d 1-7. Time spent performing inactive and active behaviors (alert, walking (pen), rooting, feeding, drinking, eliminating) stereotyped behaviors (bar biting and sham-chewing), and postures (standing, sitting, lying) were assessed by 10-minute scan sampling method. Animal (d 1-5) and post mixing pen (d 6-10) daily averages were used to define a behavioral and posture profile. Occurrence of agonistic interactions, number of actions such as bites, head knocks and pursuits and their sum per interaction were recorded for each pen using continuous behavioral observation for 2 daily periods (08:00-09:00 h and 16:00-17:00 h) at d 6 and 7. Skin lesion scores were assessed from photos taken from each sow at d 5 (control for pre-mixing lesions) and at 48 hours post-mixing (d 7). Lesions and scratches were recorded using a sow body map subdivided into anterior, central and posterior body regions. Each region received a score where 0= no lesion; 1= 1-5 lesions; 2= 6-10 lesions, and 3= >10 lesions. Data were analyzed with a linear mixed model with day as repeated measure, using box or pen as the experimental unit; fixed effects were treatment, day, period within day, their interactions, and block and block by treatment interaction. Stall(trt) or pen(trt) were used as random effect. The TRP-enriched diet reduced sham-chewing in sows of parity category 2 in relation to CTL-fed sows from same parity category while housed in stalls (p