Abstract The physicochemical quality parameters of meat from finishing lambs supplemented with quebracho tannin extract (QTE) were evaluated. Lambs were assigned to four treatment groups: CON—animals fed basal diet (BD); QTE 1% (T1%)—BD + tannins at 1% dry matter intake (DMI); QTE 3% (T3%)—BD + tannins at 3% DMI; and QTE 6% (T6%)—BD + tannins at 6% DMI. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum samples were vacuum packaged and stored at 4 °C for 28 days. The samples were evaluated weekly for proximate composition, pH, color, myoglobin forms, cooking loss, shear force, lipid (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances—TBARS), and protein (carbonyl and thiol) oxidation. Chemical composition and pH did not vary among treatments. The meat from lambs fed with higher proportion of QTE (T6%) presented lower redness, chroma, and oxymyoglobin content, and higher yellowness, hue angle, cooking loss, shear force, TBARS, and carbonyl content than the meat from the other groups. Our findings indicate that higher dose of QTE may exert pro-oxidative effects in lamb meat, negatively affecting its quality.

Resumo O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar dados sobre a eficácia de anti-helmínticos em rebanhos ovinos no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, e discutir a interpretação do teste de redução da contagem de ovos nas fezes (TRCOF) para cada gênero de nematoide. A contagem de ovos fecais (OPG) e coprocultura pré e pós-tratamento foram realizadas para avaliar a eficácia e a prevalência geral do parasito, respectivamente. Um teste de eficácia adicional foi realizado na Fazenda # 1 após um ano do teste inicial. Resistência anti-helmíntica grave foi encontrada, não havendo sensibilidade no TRCOF em nenhuma das 22 fazendas avaliadas. No entanto, na análise das larvas infectantes observou-se que algumas drogas foram eficazes contra certos gêneros parasitários; por exemplo, o levamisol foi mais eficaz contra Haemonchus spp. e a moxidectina contra Trichostrongylus spp. No TRCOF adicional realizado na Fazenda 1, a moxidectina e o nitroxinil foram ineficazes separadamente, mas quando aplicados em combinação, foram altamente eficazes devido à sua eficácia contra Haemonchus spp. (nitroxinil) e Trichostrongylus spp. (moxidectina), respectivamente. O TRCOF visando às espécies de nematoides parasitas prevalentes nas fazendas pode possibilitar a escolha de anti-helmínticos mais eficazes.

Abstract The aim here is to present data on the efficacy of anthelmintics in sheep flocks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and to discuss the interpretation of the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) for each nematode genus. Fecal eggs counts and pre- and post-treatment coprocultures were performed, the former to evaluate the efficacy of and the latter to determine the overall parasite prevalence. An additional efficacy test was performed at Farm # 1 a year after the initial test. Severe anthelmintic resistance was found for the flocks, with no FECRT sensitivity at any of the 22 farms evaluated. However, an analysis of the infective larvae showed that some drugs were effective against certain parasitic genera; i.e., levamisole was more effective against Haemonchus spp. and moxidectin against Trichostrongylus spp. In the additional FECRT performed at Farm # 1, moxidectin and nitroxynil were ineffective separately, but when applied in combination they were highly effective due to their efficacy against Haemonchus (nitroxynil) and Trichostrongylus (moxidectin), respectively. The use of the FECRT targeting the parasitic nematode species prevalent on farms may make it possible to choose more effective anthelmintics.

Abstract The shelf life extending effect of different modified atmospheres packages (MAP): vacuum (MAP-1), 69.6% N2 + 30% CO2 + 0.4% CO (MAP-2) and 70% O2 + 30% CO2 (MAP-3) on lamb meat at two slaughter ages (4 and 8-month-old) was assessed. pH decreased as slaughter age (SA) increased, and increased during longer storage time (ST), with no MAP effects. Lamb meat stored in MAP-1 and MAP-3 showed greater drip loss than that stored in MAP-2. Shear force was not influenced by SA and MAP treatments, but decreased during ST. Meat from 8-month-old lambs packaged in MAP-3 at longer ST resulted in lipid oxidation increase. MAP-2 enhanced color saturation and lamb meat redness, whereas MAP-3 showed lowest redness and chroma values, and highest aerobic psychrotropic count. Meat from 4-month-old lamb stored in MAP-3 presented shortest shelf life based on psychrotropic bacteria growth. The association of higher SA with high O2 MAP proved to compromise oxidative stability of lamb meat, adversely affecting its shelf life. Vacuum and CO packaging showed similar effects on lamb meat preservation; however, CO had advantage in maintaining fresh red color of meat.

Resumo Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a quantidade de tecido linfoide associado à mucosa retal obtido pela técnica de biopsia retal e a possibilidade de se realizarem duas biopsias consecutivas, em diferentes intervalos de tempo, para monitoramento e diagnóstico ante mortem de scrapie. Para isso, foram estudados 56 ovinos e 32 caprinos. No dia zero, todos os animais foram submetidos a biopsias e, posteriormente, divididos em grupos. As colheitas foram realizadas aos dias sete, 14, 21 e 28 para os ovinos, e 14, 21 e 28 para os caprinos. De 176 amostras, 151 (85,8%) foram colhidas da mucosa retal e, em 25 (14,2%), houve falha de colheita. Considerando-se as amostras colhidas da mucosa retal (151), em 56,86% das amostras de ovinos e 51,61% de caprinos, no dia 0, havia ≥3 folículos linfoides (FL). Na segunda colheita, 58,97% das amostras de ovinos possuíam ≥3 FL e, para caprinos, 33,33%. Na comparação do número de FL entre a primeira e a segunda colheitas houve diferença (p<0,05) entre os dias 0 e 7 (com mais FL no dia 0) e 0 e 28 (com mais FL no dia 28) para ovinos, e entre os dias 0 e 28 (com mais FL no dia 0) para caprinos. Comparando-se as duas espécies, não houve diferença no número de FL nos dias 0, 14 e 21. No dia 28, a proporção de amostras com ≥3 FL foi maior nos ovinos (p<0,05) que nos caprinos. Concluiu-se que a técnica de biopsia retal compreende método útil para a obtenção de tecido linfoide associado à mucosa para avaliação imuno-histoquímica voltada ao monitoramento e diagnóstico ante mortem de scrapie em ovinos e caprinos. Porém, a colheita inadequada e a obtenção de número insuficiente de FL podem ocasionar a necessidade de repetição da técnica, o que pode ser realizado após 14 dias da primeira colheita, sem redução no número de FL.

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the amount of lymphoid tissue associated with the rectal mucosa obtained by rectal biopsy and the possibility of two consecutive biopsies at different time intervals, for monitoring and ante-mortem diagnosis of scrapie. Rectal mucosa samples were collected from 56 sheep and 32 goats in two steps. In the first step, on day 0, all animals were tested and, for the second step, the animals were divided into groups and each group was subjected to collection on different dates: for sheep 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after the first one and, for goats, on days 14, 21, and 28. From 176 samples, 151 (85.8%) were collected from the rectal mucosa, and in 25 (14.2%) there was a collection failure. Considering the rectal mucosa samples (151), 56.86% of the sheep samples and 51.61% of the goat samples, on day 0, had more then ≥3 lymphoid follicles (LF). In the second collection, 58.97% of the sheep samples showed ≥ 3 LF and 33.33% of the goat samples. Comparing the number of LF of the same animals between the first and second collections, there was a significant difference (p <0.05) between days 0 and 7 for sheep (with more FL on day 0) and days 0 and 28 (with more LF on day 28) and days 0 and 28 for goats (with more FL on day 0). There was no significant difference in the number of FL assessed on dates 0, 14, and 21 when comparing the different species, sheep and goats. On day 28, sheep samples showed a higher number (p <0.05) of LF than goats. It was concluded that rectal biopsy technique involves useful method for obtaining lymphoid tissue associate to mucosa for immunohistochemistry assessment to monitoring and ante-mortem diagnosis of scrapie in sheep and goats. However, inappropriate sampling or insufficient numbers of FL can generate the necessity to repeat the technique, which could be done 14 days after the first collection, without reduction in the number of the FL.