Productive and economic parameters of pigs supplemented from weaning to finishing with prebiotic and probiotic feed additives.

Practical evidence suggests possible beneficial effects with the combined use of prebiotics and probiotics which can improve production parameters. The objective of the study was to investigate the addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) as prebiotic and the combination of Lactobacillus spp. (L), Bacillus spp. (B) as probiotics on productive parameters and economic feasibility. Four hundred male pigs, hybrids of commercial genetic lines (Pietrain), were used: T1 = control group, T2 = 4 kg/tonne SC, T3 = 0.8 kg/tonne feed L and B, T4 = 4 kg/tonne SC + 0.8 kg/tonne L and B. Productive parameters were recorded in the treatment groups for four periods. Then, the viscera of five pigs per treatment were collected after slaughter to evaluate the histological changes and cytokine concentrations in the ileum. The weight gains of groups at 70-100, 100-125 and 125-150 days in the T4 group showed statistically increases (p < .05). Feed intake had a significant difference (p < .05) in T3 versus T1. The feed-conversion ratio improved for all periods in the T4 group (p < .05). The eosinophil, mononuclear infiltration and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6) in the mucosa were lower for treatments with probiotics. In conclusion, there was an economic benefit when using both prebiotics and probiotics in the diet of pigs from weaning to finishing.

Protection and antibody isotype responses against Fasciola hepatica with specific antibody to pIII-displayed peptide mimotopes of cathepsin L1 in sheep.

Fluke burdens, liver fluke size and biomass, fecal eggs counts, serum levels of hepatic enzymes and immune response were assessed in sheep immunized with peptide mimotopes of cathepsin L1 and challenged with Fasciola hepatica metacercariae. Twenty sheep were randomly allocated to four groups of five animals each; groups 1 and 2 were immunized at weeks 0 and 2 with mimotopes YVYRWVEAECVA and FSPAYLRDAALK, respectively; group 3 was immunized with wild-type M13KE phage and the control group received phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). All groups were challenged with 300 metacercariae at week 6 and slaughtered 16 weeks later. Groups 1 and 2 showed a reduction in fluke burden of 51.7% and 35.9%, respectively, when compared to the control group, but only the former was significant at the 5% level. Vaccinated animals showed a significant reduction in fluke length and width, wet weights and egg output. A significant diminution in the total biomass of parasites recovered was also observed in group 1. Levels of anti-phage total IgG increased rapidly within 2 weeks of the first immunization and were always significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in the infected control group. The fluke burden in group 1 was significantly correlated with IgG1 and total IgG. The vaccinated sheep with phage clones produced significantly high titres of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies indicating a mixed Th1/Th2 response.

Effect of climate factors on conception rate of lactating dairy cows in Mexico.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between conception rate (CR) and climate variables. Data consisted of 24,380 inseminations of Holstein dairy herd in Hidalgo, Mexico. Weather records, including daily temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), rainfall, wind speed, and solar radiation, were obtained from a nearby weather station. Means for each climatic variable from 2 days before artificial insemination (AI) to the AI day were calculated for each conception date represented in the study. A significant negative correlation was observed between the CR and mean and minimum T, mean and minimum RH, mean and minimum temperature-humidity index (THI), and rainfall. The overall mean CR was 34.3%. The CR in lactating dairy cows followed a seasonal pattern, lower CRs were observed in summer months than during winter (32.1% vs. 36.9%; P<0.01). The variables that had the greatest influence on CR were minimum and maximum T, minimum RH, minimum THI, wind speed, and rainfall.

Los tratamientos sincronizadores de estros, utilizando progestágenos en combinacion con estrógenos, inducen conducta estral en ovejas ovariectomizadas / Estrous synchronization treatments using progestogens combined with estrogens induce estral behaviour in ovariectomized ewes

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar si los tratamientos sincronizadores de estros utilizando progestágenos (acetato de melengestrol, MGA, o norgestomet) en combinación con estrógenos, inducen conducta estral en ovejas ovariectomizadas. Diez ovejas ovariectomizadas recibieron cuatro tratamientos diferentes en dos ocasiones, dejando transcurrir 20 días entre cada uno de ellos. Una oveja fue eliminada del estudio después del tercer tratamiento. Tratamiento 1, las ovejas recibieron 0.22 mg de acetato de melengestrol (MGA) mezclado en el alimento durante nueve días. Tratamiento 2, igual que el tratamiento 1 más la administración intramuscular de 0.5 mg de cipionato de estradiol al inicio del tratamiento. Tratamiento 3, recibieron un implante sc de norgestomet (3 mg) en la oreja, el cual permaneció durante nueve días. Tratamiento 4, igual que el tratamiento 3, más 1 ml de una solución que contenía 2.5 mg de valerato de estradiol y 1.5 mg de norgestomet al inicio del tratamiento. Después del retiro del progestágeno se observaron a los animales para detectar la presentación de estros tres veces al día durante los siguientes seis días. Se consideró el inicio del estro cuando la hembra aceptó por primera vez la monta. En el tratamiento 2 (MGA + estradiol) 52 por ciento de las ovejas presentaron estro a las 68 ñ 32.7 h (media ñ desviación estándar). En el tratamiento 4 (norgestomet + estradiol) 88 por ciento mostraron estro a las 36.7 ñ 19.2 h. En los tratamientos 1 (MGA) y 3 (norgestomet) 10 por ciento animales presentaron conducta estral a las 37 ñ 7.0 y 24 ñ 0, respectivamente. Se concluye que los tratamientos sincronizadores de estros con progestágenos en combinación con una inyección inicial de estrógenos inducen conducta estral en ovejas ovariectomizadas.