Intake, digestibility, ingestive behavior, production, and composition of goat milk supplemented with detoxified castor bean meal added urea as a replacement of soybean meal.

This study evaluated the castor bean meal detoxified with calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] added urea replacing soybean meal in the diet of lactating goats from milk production and composition, intake, digestibility, and ingestive behavior. Eight Alpine multiparous goats weighting 44.3 ± 5.3 kg and at approximately 60 days of lactation were confined and randomly distributed in 4 × 4 double Latin squares, with four inclusion levels of detoxified castor meal: control (0), 25, 50, and 75 g/kg dry matter (DM) total. Detoxified castor bean meal replacing soybean meal (P > 0.05) in goats diet did not affect intake and digestibility of DM, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total carbohydrates, non-fibrous carbohydrates and total digestible nutrients, times spent for eating, and efficiency ratios of rumination and eating. However, the times spent for rumination and idling showed a quadratic trend decrease (P < 0.01) from the level of 50.0-g/kg DM. The milk production, and the milk production correction showed a quadratic trend increase and feeding efficiency a quadratic decrease (P = 0.03) due inclusion of detoxified castor bean meal replacing soybean meal up to the level of 25.0 g/kg. The fat, protein, lactose, total solids, nonfat solids, and milk urea nitrogen content (g/day) presented a quadratic increase (P < 0.05) by detoxified castor meal inclusion. Detoxified castor bean meal added urea in the Alpine goats diet could be included up to the 25.0 g/kg level replacing soybean meal in the diet because improve milk production and composition and feeding efficiency of goats without negatively effect on intake, digestibility and ingestive behavior.

Diferentes momentos de aplicação de gonadotrofina coriônica equina em protocolo de inseminação artificial em tempo fixo para vacas de leite / Different times of application of equine chorionic gonadotropin in fixed-time artificial insemination protocols for dairy cows

Avaliaram-se diferentes momentos de aplicação da gonadotrofina coriônica equina (eCG) em protocolos de inseminação artificial em tempo fixo (IATF) para vacas de leite. Foram utilizadas 76 fêmeas, as quais receberam, no dia zero (D0) do protocolo, dispositivos intravaginais de progesterona, sendo esses retirados no D9, e os animais foram, então, distribuídos aleatoriamente em três tratamentos: T1 - aplicação de eCG no momento da retirada dos dispositivos; T2 e T3 - aplicação de eCG 48h e 24h antes da retirada dos dispositivos, respectivamente. No D10 os animais receberam 1mg de GnRH, e a IATF foi realizada 52 horas após a retirada do implante. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) para intervalo entre a retirada do implante à ovulação (72,56±3,92h), o diâmetro do maior folículo no D9 (10,88±1,49mm), o diâmetro do folículo ovulatório (15,15±1,16mm) e do segundo maior folículo (7,49±0,52mm), a taxa de crescimento folicular (1,38±0,04mm/dia), a taxa de ovulação (96,67%), o intervalo entre diâmetro final e inicial do folículo dominante (73,49±3,84h), a área de corpo lúteo (2,27±0,43cm²), a porcentagem de CL no ovário direito (53,00%) e no esquerdo (26,33%) e a taxa de gestação (33,33%). O momento da aplicação da eCG não influenciou na eficiência do protocolo. Recomenda-se a utilização da eCG no momento da retirada do implante por otimização do manejo.(AU)

Different times of application of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) in Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination (FTAI) protocols for dairy cows were evaluated. A total of 76 females were used, which received intravaginal progesterone devices on day zero (D0) of the protocol, which were withdrawn on D9, and the animals were then randomly distributed in three treatments: T1- application of eCG at the time of device withdrawal; T2 and T3 - application of eCG 48h and 24h before withdrawal of the devices, respectively. On D10 the animals received 1mg of GnRH and the FTAI was carried out 52 hours after the removal of the implant. There was no difference (P>0.05) for interval from implant removal to ovulation (72.56±3.92h), diameter of the largest follicle of D9 (10.88±1.49mm), diameters of ovulatory follicle (15.15±1.16mm) and of the second largest follicle (7.49±0.52mm), follicle growth rate (1.38±0.04mm/day), ovulation rate (96.67%), interval between final diameter and initial diameter of dominant follicle (73.49±3.84h), corpus luteum area (2.27±0.43cm²), percentage of CL in right ovary (53.00%) and in left ovary (26.33%) and pregnancy rate (33.33%). The time of the application of eCG did not influence the efficiency of the protocol. We recommend the use of eCG at the time of the removal of the implant for management optimization.(AU)

Óleo de peixe associado ao ácido ascórbico no diluidor para criopreservação de sêmen caprino / Fish oil associated to ascorbic acid in diluter for cryopreservation goat semen

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da inclusão de óleo de peixe associado ao ácido ascórbico no diluidor para criopreservação de sêmen caprino. Dois machos da raça Boer foram submetidos à coleta de sêmen pelo método de vagina artificial, sendo os ejaculados avaliados quanto aos aspectos físicos e morfológicos. Após avaliação, formou-se um pool, seguido do fracionamento em cinco grupos: G1 - diluidor citrato-gema e G2, G3, G4 e G5 - diluidor citrato-gema acrescido de 1,0; 2,0; 3,0 e 4,0% de óleo de peixe e 0,05% de ácido ascórbico, respectivamente. Após descongelamento, foram realizadas avaliações físicas do sêmen e os testes complementares de termorresistência lento (TTR), hiposmótico (HO), integridade acrossomal e compactação da cromatina espermática. Houve comportamento linear crescente (P<0,05) para motilidade pós-descongelamento. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) para vigor pós-descongelamento (2,00±0,24). No TTR não houve diferença (P>0,05) para motilidade e vigor espermáticos entre os tempos cinco e 180min, com médias inicial e final de 62,17±12,13 e 14,29±10,55 para motilidade e de 2,00±0,52 e 0,49±0,44 para vigor. Não houve diferença (P>0,05) para o HO, com porcentagem média de espermatozoides reativos de 23,5±5,96%. Houve comportamento linear crescente para acrossoma íntegro e decrescente para acrossoma irregular (P<0,05). Não houve diferença (P>0,05) na compactação da cromatina, com 97,06±1,17% de cromatina íntegra. A inclusão até 4% de óleo de peixe acrescido de ácido ascórbico no diluidor melhorou motilidade e integridade de acrossoma após a criopreservação.(AU)

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of fish oil inclusion associated with ascorbic acid in the thinner for goat semen cryopreservation. Two male Boers underwent semen collection through the artificial vagina method, ejaculates being then assessed for physical and morphological aspects. After evaluation, a pool was formed, followed by the split into five groups: G1 - yolk-citrate extender and G2, G3, G4 and G5 - yolk-citrate extender plus 1.0; 2.0; 3.0 and 4.0% fish oil and 0.05% ascorbic acid, respectively. After thawing, physical evaluations of semen were assessed and additional testing slow heat resistance (TTR), hiposmotic (HO), acrosome integrity and compression of sperm chromatin. There was linear increase (P<0.05) post-thaw motility. No difference was obtained for post-thaw vigor and there was no influence of the association of fish oil and ascorbic acid in TTR. Plasma membrane integrity, by hyposmotic test (HO), presented a mean of reactive spermatozoa of 23.5±5.96% (P>0.05). There was linear increase for intact acrosome and decreasing acrosome irregular (P<0.05). In the analysis of the chromatin compaction, approximately 3% of damages (P>0.05) were observed. The inclusion of 4% fish oil plus ascorbic acid in diluter improved motility and acrosome integrity after cryopreservation.(AU)