The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of pasture height at pre-grazing of Massai grass on the quality of available forage, forage intake and the performance of lambs raised for meat production. The treatments consisted of four pre-grazing canopy heights (35, 40, 45 and 50 cm). Pastures were managed by the intermittent stocking method and 32 sheep were used. Dry matter intake (DMI) was estimated by Lipe® indicator. Green forage allowance was not affected by pre-grazing heights. There was no effect of heights on the chemical composition of the stem or the leaf blades, except for crude protein content of leaf blades, which showed an inverse linear effect. Grazing time had a quadratic response in function of canopy height. The minimum point was at 42.6 cm, with 502.9 min/day. DMI increased linearly with increasing pasture height. Average daily weight gain (ADG) and stocking rate (SR) responded linearly to pre-grazing heights. Weight gain per hectare was not affected by height as a result of the compensation between SR and ADG. The increase from 35 to 50 cm in Massai grass canopy height reduces its nutritional value and individual performance and increases DMI of sheep intended for meat production.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção diária, a qualidade microbiológica e físico-químicas do leite das cabras participantes de Torneios Leiteiros no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. Foram analisadas 111 amostras de leite de 106 cabras (39 Saanen, 6 Toggenburg e 61 mestiças) agrupadas em categorias pela ordem de parto (primíparas e pluríparas) e estágio de lactação [inicial (0 a 30 dias), pico (30 a 45 dias) e pós-pico (mais de 45 dias)], utilizando o delineamento inteiramente casualisado. As cabras pluríparas apresentaram maiores médias de produção no início (4,41 kg/dia) e no pico (5,42 kg/dia) de lactação. Entre raças não houve diferença para produção media (4,62 kg/dia), ponto de congelamento (-0,488º C), pH (6,64), densidade (1,030 g/L), gordura (3,60%), proteína (2,90%), lactose (4,89%), extrato seco desengordurado (8,41%) e extrato seco total (12,06%). As análises microbiológicas revelaram a presença de mesófilos e coliformes fecais, sem diferença entre as ordens de parto ou entre raças. Cabras pluríparas apresentaram maiores produções de leite, mas não diferiram das primíparas quanto à composição, características físicas e microbiota do leite. As amostras de leite dos três genótipos (Saanen, Toggenburg e mestiças) analisados mostraram características físico-químicas, microbiológicas e de produção semelhantes.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the average daily production, the physicochemical components and microbiological agents in milk of primiparous and multiparous dairy goats that participate in dairy tournaments in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Analyses were carried out on 111 samples of goat milk from 106 goats (39 Saanen, 6 Toggenburg and 61 crossbred) grouped into categories by number of parity (primiparous and multiparous) and stage of lactation [initial (0 to 30 days), peak (30 to 45 days) and decrease (over 45 days)]. The data were analyzed in a completely randomized design. The multiparous goats had higher average production at the beginning (4.41 kg/day) and peak (5.42 kg/day) of lactation. Between breeds there was no difference for average production (4.62 kg/day), freezing point (-0.488º C), pH (6.64), density (1.030 g/L), fat (3.60%), protein (2.90%) lactose (4.89%), dry extract (8.41%) or total solids (12.06%). Mesophiles (log CFU/mL) and fecal coliforms (log MPN/mL) were found in milk from goats, but no difference was observed between the orders of parity or between breeds. Multiparous goats had higher milk production, but did not differ from the primiparous goats regarding the composition, physical characteristics and microbiology of milk. The milk of 3 breeds (Saanen, Toggenburg and crossbred) presented similar physico-chemical, microbiological and production characteristics.

As amostras analisadas eram de oito marcas comerciais diferentes de leite pasteurizado comer-cializado na Cidade de Natal, RN. Para cada marca foram coletadas amostras de três diferentes datas de processamento, totalizando vinte e quatro amostras, sendo uma marca do tipo A, três do tipo B e quatro do tipo C. Foram realizadas análises microbiológicas (bactérias aeróbias mesófilas, coliformes totais e coliformes termotolerantes) e físico-químicas, estas através do aparelho de análise ultrassônica de leite, Ekomilk Total®, sendo determinadas: gordura, extrato seco desengordurado, densidade, proteína, ponto crioscópico e lactose. As amostras do leite tipo A apresentaram resultados fora dos padrões nas análises microbiológicas e físico-químicas. O leite pasteurizado tipo B obteve duas marcas com contagens microbiológicas em desacordo com a legislação. O leite pasteurizado tipo C foi o que apresentou os melhores resultados nas análises, embora três marcas tenham apresentado valores de coliformes totais acima do determinado pela legislação.

Eight different commercial brands of milk sold in Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, were sampled and evaluated. Each brand was sampled based on 3 different processing dates, and a total of 24 samples were collected for 1, 3, and 4 brands of type A, B, and C milk, respectively. Analyses were carried out for microbiological measures (total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total coliforms and thermo-tolerant coliforms) and physicochemical (Ekomilk Total® ultrasonic milk testing device) determinations were made for fat, nonfat dry extract, density, protein, cryoscopy point, and lactose. The results showed that type A pasteurized milk was the worst in terms of microbiological and physical-chemical properties. Two brands of type B pasteurized milk had microbiological counts violating the law. The type C milk had the best results in this trial although 3 out of 4 brands presented total coliform values above the Brazilian legislation.

It has been suggested that iron overload may be carcinogenic. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of plasma and prostate carotenoid concentration on oxidative DNA damage in 12-week-old Wistar rats treated with intraperitoneal (ip) ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) (10 mg Fe/kg). Plasma ß-carotene and lycopene concentrations were measured as a function of time after ip injection of carotenoids (10 mg kg-1 day-1 ß-carotene or lycopene) in rats. The highest total plasma concentration was reached 3 and 6 h after ip injection of lycopene or ß-carotene, respectively. After 5 days of carotenoid treatment, lycopene and ß-carotene were present in the 0.10-0.51 nmol/g wet tissue range in the prostate. Using a sensitive method to detected 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) by HPLC/EC, the level of 8-oxodGuo in rat prostate DNA was significantly higher (6.3 ± 0.6 residues/10(6) dGuo) 3 h after Fe-NTA injection compared with control rats (1.7 ± 0.3 residues/10(6) dGuo). Rats supplemented with lycopene or ß-carotene for 5 days prior to Fe-NTA treatment showed a reduction of about 70% in 8-oxodGuo levels to almost control levels. Compared with control rats, the prostate of Fe-NTA-treated animals showed a 78% increase in malondialdehyde accumulation. Lycopene or ß-carotene pre-treatment almost completely prevented lipid damage. Epidemiological studies have suggested a lower risk of prostate cancer in men reporting a higher consumption of tomato products. However, before associating this effect with tomato sauce constituents, more information is required. The results described here may contribute to the understanding of the protective effects of carotenoids against iron-induced oxidative stress.

We determined if the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) exerts tonic control of basal and stimulated sodium and water intake. Male Wistar rats weighing 300-350 g were microinjected with phosphate buffer (PB-DRN, N = 11) or 1 µg/0.2 µl, in a single dose, ibotenic acid (IBO-DRN, N = 9 to 10) through a guide cannula into the DRN and were observed for 21 days in order to measure basal sodium appetite and water intake and in the following situations: furosemide-induced sodium depletion (20 mg/kg, sc, 24 h before the experiment) and a low dose of dietary captopril (1 mg/g chow). From the 6th day after ibotenic acid injection IBO-DRN rats showed an increase in sodium appetite (12.0 ± 2.3 to 22.3 ± 4.6 ml 0.3 M NaCl intake) whereas PB-DRN did not exceed 2 ml (P < 0.001). Water intake was comparable in both groups. In addition to a higher dipsogenic response, sodium-depleted IBO-DRN animals displayed an increase of 0.3 M NaCl intake compared to PB-DRN (37.4 ± 3.8 vs 21.6 ± 3.9 ml 300 min after fluid offer, P < 0.001). Captopril added to chow caused an increase of 0.3 M NaCl intake during the first 2 days (IBO-DRN, 33.8 ± 4.3 and 32.5 ± 3.4 ml on day 1 and day 2, respectively, vs 20.2 ± 2.8 ml on day 0, P < 0.001). These data support the view that DRN, probably via ascending serotonergic system, tonically modulates sodium appetite under basal and sodium depletion conditions and/or after an increase in peripheral or brain angiotensin II.