Abstract This study evaluated the effects of supplying altrenogest from day 6-12 of pregnancy on the endometrial glandular epithelium, corpora lutea (CL) morphology, and endometrial and CL gene expression. A total of 12 crossbred females (Landrace × Large White) were used. The females were assigned to 4 treatments according to a random design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with two categories (sow or gilt) and two treatments (non-treated and treated with altrenogest). On day 6 of pregnancy, animals were allocated to one of the following groups: non-treated (NT, n = 6; 3 sows and 3 gilts), and (T, n = 6; 3 sows and 3 gilts) treated daily with 20 mg of altrenogest, from day 6-12 of pregnancy. All animals were euthanized on day 13 of pregnancy. All CLs were individually weighed, and their volume were determined. The endometrial glandular density (GD), mean glandular area (MGA), and vascular density (VD) were determined by histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. Endometrium samples were collected and analyzed by qRT-PCR to evaluate the abundance of transcripts for VEGF and IGF-I. Females in the T group had higher MGA (P < 0.05) compared to the NT group. There was no effect of treatment on GD or VD for both experimental groups. Sows in the T group had augmented expression of IGF-I (P < 0.05). Progestagen had no detrimental effect on CL morphology. In conclusion, altrenogest improves the uterine environment during the peri-implantation period in pigs without compromising corpora lutea development.

ABSTRACT The present experiment was carried out to evaluate the economic viability of supplementing boar diets with organic selenium aiming to increase the number of seminal doses of sexually mature boars. Twelve boars were divided into three groups: control group received 0.3 mg kg−1 Se from sodium selenite (n = 4), inorganic group received 0.5 mg kg−1 Se from sodium selenite (n = 4), and organic group received 0.5 mg kg−1 Se from Sel-PlexTM (Alltech, Inc., n = 4). The experiment was conducted within 10 weeks and analysis was performed fortnightly. No interaction was observed between treatments and weeks for any of the variables analyzed. Boars fed diet supplemented with 0.5 mg kg−1 of organic selenium exhibited a 23% increase in the seminal doses, which resulted in a 37% reduction in the cost of diet per dose produced by boars in this group compared with boars in the inorganic group. It should be pointed out that the total revenue produced by the organic group was 26% higher than the inorganic group. The feeding of organic Se increases the number of seminal doses and reduces the average cost of the diet, demonstrating to be cost-effective.

This work aimed to study the probiotics association in 144 piglets from birth to 62 days old. In lactation, the design was completely randomized with two treatments, CTL, 1 mL of distilled water and ProbA, 5g in 15 ml of distilled water, both orally, and in the nursery in randomized block design, with 2x3 factorial arrangement of treatments, ProbA ProbB: 30g/ton of ProbB in the ration; CTL ProbB: 30g/ton of ProbB in the ration; ProbA ProbA, CTL CTL; ProbA CHA (challenged); CTL CHA. At 35 days of age the animal of the nursery were inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium orally. There was no effect of the parameters evaluated during the maternity. In nursery, the feed conversion was favorable to the ProbA. In the evaluation of fecal score, the challenged group had more diarrhea and increased elimination of S. typhimurium. Results showed the positive action of probiotics when applied at birth by the direct influence on the formation of the intestinal microbiota.

O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de investigar efeitos zootécnicos e econômicos da associação de probióticos adicionados à dieta de leitões no aleitamento e na creche. Foram utilizados 144 leitões do nascimento até os 62 dias de idade. No aleitamento o delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado com dois tratamentos: Controle e Probiótico A. Na creche, foram blocos casualizados com arranjo fatorial de tratamentos 2x3: Probiótico A e Probiótico B; Controle e Probiótico B; Probiótico A e Probiótico A; Controle e Controle; Probiótico A e animais desafiados; e Controle e animais desafiados. Aos 35 dias de idade 48 animais da creche foram inoculados com Salmonella Typhimurium via oral. Avaliou-se peso médio, consumo médio de ração, o ganho de peso médio e a conversão alimentar. Para a análise econômica, calcularam-se os custos das dietas durante a creche e o desempenho da receita de comercialização dos animais. O consumo de ração utilizado na análise corresponde àquele ocorrido no período total de 21 a 62 dias de idade. Na maternidade não foi observado efeito nos parâmetros avaliados. Na creche, a conversão alimentar foi favorável ao tratamento Probiótico A Probiótico A. Na avaliação econômica o tratamento Controle Probiótico B apresentou menor custo em relação aos demais, podendo, assim, representar uma alternativa satisfatória.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotics association added to piglets diets in lactation and nursery. A total of 144 piglets from birth to 62 days old were raised. The design with two treatments (Control and Probiotic A) was totally randomized in lactation. In the nursery, randomized blocks with factorial arrangement 2x3 were defined: Probiotic A and Probiotic B; Control and Probiotic B; Probiotic A and Probiotic A; Control and Control; Probiotic A with challenged animals; and Control and challenged animals. At 35 days from birth 48 animals of the nursery were orally inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium. Average weight, feed consumption, average weight gain and feed conversion were assessed. For economic analysis, the costs of diet during the nursery and income of animal's sale were calculated. Feed consumption considered for analysis was the one related to the period of 21 to 62 days of life. No effect was observed on evaluated parameters in the maternity. Positive effect was observed on feed conversion for Probiotic A and Probiotic A treatment in nursery. In economic evaluation, Control and Probiotic B treatment showed lower cost compared to other ones, thus representing a satisfactory alternative.

The effects of phytogenic feed additives on piglet performance and fecal score (FDD), as well as on lipid oxidation of pork meat were evaluated. One hundred and twenty crossbred weaned piglets were randomly assigned to six treatments according to a 2 × 3 factorial design with five replicates per treatment. Factors were: challenge with Salmonella Typhimurium at 35 days of age or no challenge, and three different additives (control (CTR), basal diet; phytogenic feed additives (PHY), basal diet plus 2000 ppm of phytogenic feed additives - Rosmarinus officinalis, Mentha piperita, Lippia sidoides and Porophyllum ruderale; and antimicrobial agent (ATB), basal diet plus 100 ppm of tylosin, 2000 ppm of zinc and colistin sulfate, 30 ppm in the pre-starter basal diet, 10 ppm in the starter basal diet I and II, and 5 ppm in growth and finishing basal diet). Body weight (BW) of the piglets of ATB was greater throughout the experimental period, without any differences detected between CTR and PHY. Nevertheless, from 96 to 106 days of age, the BW of the CTR group was greater than PHY. From 21 to 34 days of age, feed conversion of ATB was lower than CTR; however, PHY showed an intermediate result, which did not differ from either ATB or CTR. Challenged animals reduced feed intake from day 35 to 48 compared with unchallenged animals. Piglet performance and fecal score from 21 to 48 days of age were lower in piglets that received ATB compared with the other treatments. However, from 35 to 48 days of age, the FDD of PHY was lower than CTR. Lipid oxidation was not reduced in treated animals. Antimicrobial agent improved the growth performance of piglets until 63 days of age, and no difference was observed between the treatments from 64 to 131 days of age. Antimicrobial agent reduced FDD; the FDD of PHY was similar to that of ATB after 48 days. None of the treatments affected lipid oxidation of pork meat.

A indústria tem disponibilizado no mercado uma série de substâncias (nutracêuticos) com a intenção de otimizar a utilização de nutrientes em algumas vias metabólicas, influenciando positivamente o desempenho reprodutivo dos animais. No entanto, a resposta ao uso de nutracêuticos varia de acordo com o animal. Como o organismo é altamente complexo e, a fim de alcançar perfeita atividade do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-gonadal, uma interação ideal na base molecular é necessária, onde os nutracêuticos podem ter sua ação direta. O objetivo neste estudo foi revisar a função e resultados de pesquisas usando os principais nutracêuticos (β-caroteno, vitamina A, L-carnitina, ômegas 3, 6 e 9 e gama-orizanol) sobre as características reprodutivas de touros e garanhões.

The industry has made available in the market a series of substances (nutraceuticals) which intent would be to optimize the use of nutrients in some metabolic paths, influencing positively reproductive performance in animals. However, the response to the use of nutraceuticals varies according to the animal. As the organism is highly complex and in order to achieve a perfect activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, an ideal interaction in molecular basis is needed, where the nutraceuticals can have their direct action. The aim of this study was to review the function and research results using the main nutraceuticals (β carotene, vitamin A, L-carnitine, omegas 3, 6 and 9 and Gamma-oryzanol) on reproductive characteristics of bulls and stallions.

Avaliou-se o efeito da suplementação de vitamina A na dieta sobre as características seminais (volume, motilidade, pH, vigor e concentração espermática, número total de espermatozoides, percentual de espermatozoides vivos e anormalidades morfológicas) de reprodutores suínos no período de um ano (junho de 2004 a junho de 2005). Utilizaram-se dez reprodutores híbridos com 328,5 ± 2,12 dias de idade e 191,0 ± 12,0 kg distribuídos em duas rações, uma controle, com 10.000 UI de vit. A por kg de ração por dia, e outra com 16.000 UI de vit. A, fornecidas na quantidade de 2,5 kg/dia. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado com medidas repetidas no tempo. Não houve efeito significativo da suplementação de vitamina A na dieta nem de interação com o tempo nas características seminais estudadas. O tempo teve efeito significativo no pH, na concentração espermática, no número total de espermatozoides, no percentual de espermatozoides vivos, nas anormalidades morfológicas, na motilidade e no vigor espermático. Apesar da não-significância da suplementação de vitamina A, foi possível detectar diferenças numéricas no aumento da motilidade e de espermatozoides vivos, bem como na diminuição das anormalidades morfológicas, resultados que indicam ação da vitamina A.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin A feed supplementation on the following boar semen characteristics: volume, motility, vigor, seminal pH, spermatic concentration, total number of spermatozoa, percentage of living sperm cells and morphologic abnormalities. The experiment was carried out with 10 hybrid boars (328.5 ± 2.12 days of age and 191.0 ± 12.0 kg live weight). The boars were separated into two treatments and fed with two vitamin A levels: control, 10.000 UI/kg feed daily; and vitamin A, 16.000 UI. The boars received 2.5 kg feed daily. A randomized complete design was used with replication measurements in time. There was no significant effect of vitamin A supplementation on the characteristics studied, and nor on the time and treatment interaction. The was significant effect of time on pH, spermatic concentration, total number of spermatozoa, percentage of living sperm cells, morphologic abnormalities, motility and vigor. Although detect significant differences were not detected between both treatments, numerical differences were detected indicating that vitamin A influenced the average increase in motility and the percentage of living sperm cells and the reduction in the percentage of morphologic abnormalities. Data showed support the idea that vitamin A is intimately associated with spermatogenesis.