Resumo Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do tipo de ordenha e de ambiente na qualidade do leite cru por meio da identificação da Contagem de Células Somáticas - CCS nas amostras obtidas das propriedades rurais da mesorregião do sul goiano e correlacioná-la com diferentes tipos de ordenha, bem como com os componentes do leite e o período do ano. A pesquisa desenvolveu-se em 229 fazendas associadas à Cooperativa de Catalão, divididas por tipo de ordenha: manual e mecânica. Em cada propriedade foi coletada amostra mensal no tanque de expansão, no total de 8244 amostras. A ordenha mecânica obteve maior número de amostras com CCS > 500.000 células/mL. Existiu correlação positiva entre CCS e teor de gordura e sólidos totais - ST, porém houve uma correlação negativa entre CCS e teores de proteína e lactose. No período da chuva tem-se uma elevação de CCS se comparado ao período da seca, e com a elevação do Índice de Temperatura e Umidade - ITU ocorreu uma redução nos teores de gordura e ST. Pode-se concluir que a ordenha manual mostrou-se mais viável para obtenção do leite com parâmetros de CCS exigidos pela legislação e que CCS e componentes do leite sofrem interferência da época do ano.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the type of milking and the environment on raw milk quality by identification of Somatic Cells Count - CCS in the samples obtained from farms in the mesoregion of south goiano and correlate it with the different types of milk, milk components, and time of year. The research was developed in 229 farms associated with the Catalão Cooperative, divided for types of milking: manual and mechanical. A monthly sample was collected in each property in the expansion tank, totaling 8244 samples. Mechanical milking presented the highest number of samples with CCS > 500.000 cells / mL. There was a positive correlation between CCS and fat and total solids - TS, but there was a negative correlation between CCS and protein and lactose. During the rainy season CCS increased compared to dry season. Also, the rise of temperature and humidity index - THI caused a reduction in fat and TS. In conclusion, hand milking was more feasible to obtain the milk CCS parameters required by the legislation and CCS and milk components suffer interference from the time of the year.

Objetivou-se neste estudo comparar as concentrações séricas de triiodotironina (T3) e tiroxina (T4) em suínos de linhagem comercial no início e término da fase de crescimento-terminação, correlacionando-os com o desempenho produtivo, características de qualidade de carcaça e da carne. As amostras sanguíneas de 48 animais foram coletadas no início e no final da fase de crescimento-terminação por punção da veia jugular externa, sempre no mesmo horário (8-10h). As determinações séricas dos hormônios tireoideanos foram feitas por enzimaimunoensaio. Foram feitas avaliações de desempenho e de qualidade de carcaça e de carne. No início e final do alojamento, as concentrações séricas de T3 foram de 1,85 e 1,32nmol L-1, respectivamente, e para T4 de 100,33 e 86,53nmol L-1, respectivamente. Houve correlação negativa e baixa entre T3 final e ganho de peso médio diário, peso final e espessura de toucinho. T4 inicial correlacionou-se negativamente e moderadamente com peso inicial. Os valores de T3 e de T4 em suínos no início da fase de crescimento-terminação são maiores que na terminação. Os hormônios tireoideanos estão associados com o peso inicial e final, espessura de toucinho na última lombar, pH45min e pH24h de suínos em crescimento-terminação.

The objective of this study was to compare serum concentrations of the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) in pigs on commercial line beginning and end of growing-finishing phase, correlating them with productive performance and quality characteristics of carcass and meat. Blood samples were collected from 48 animals at the beginning and end of growing-finishing phase by puncturing the jugular vein, around the same time (08:00 to 10:00a.m.). Measurements of serum thyroid hormones were made by enzyme-immunoassay. It was evaluated the performance and quality of carcass and meat. At the beginning and end of the housing, serum T3 concentrations were 1.85 and 1.32nmol L-1, respectively, and T4 of 100.33 and 86.53nmol L-1, respectively. There was negative correlation between T3 and low-end and average daily weight gain, final weight and backfat thickness. Inicial T4 was moderately and moderately negatively correlated with initial weight. The values of T3 and T4 in pigs early in the growing-finishing phase are larger than in termination. The thyroid hormones are associated with the initial and final weight, backfat thickness at the last lumbar, pH45min and pH24h of growing-finishing pigs.

Estrogen has an important function in swine reproduction and growth. A Pvu II restriction enzyme polymorphism has been proven to be an important genetic variation in the estrogen receptor gene (ESR) and may be considered as a candidate gene for use in pig production but there is no data regarding the prevalence of this polymorphism in the Brazilian pig population. We used DNA samples from the following three purebred pig breeds: Large White (336 females and 26 males), Landrace (304 females and 27 males) and Pietrain (125 females and 11 males). The ESR genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP. For each breed, genotypes for the ESR gene were compared independently for expected progeny differences (EPD) in litter size (LS), average daily weight gain (DWG) (g/day) and back fat thickness (BT) as measured in mm by ultrasound. In the Large White breed, but not the other breeds, the ESR genotype was significantly (p < 0.05) associated to LS, DWG and BT. Large Whites genotyped as AA or AB had higher EPD values for the LS and BT traits compared to BB Large Whites, while AA Large Whites had higher DWG EPD values than BB Large Whites. Our results for the Large White population showed that the A allele has a beneficial effect on LS, DWG and BT expected progeny differences.

Fourty-six non-castrated, halothane-free, male Landrace pigs were genotyped by PCR-RFLP for the Rsa I polymorphism in the PIT1 gene and classified into AA and AB genotypes. Total RNA was extracted from the pituitaries and the relative quantities of growth hormone (GH) mRNA were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Pigs with the AB genotype had higher levels of GH mRNA than those with the AA genotype (p = 0.034; Kruskal-Wallis test). This result suggests that the Rsa I polymorphism may be involved in Pit-1 protein expression or function, which in turn may influence GH transcription and expression. Thus, the Rsa I PIT1 gene polymorphism in this pig line may be used as a molecular marker to identify higher GH expression and possibly select for carcass and performance traits affected by GH.

After the advent of the genome projects, followed by the discovery of DNA polymorphisms, basic understanding of gene expression is the next focus to explain the association between polymorphisms and the level of gene expression, as well as to demonstrate the interaction among genes. Among the various techniques for the investigation of transcriptional profiling involving patterns of gene expression, quantitative PCR is the simplest analytical laboratory technique. The objective of this work was to analyze two strategies of a competitive PCR technique for the quantification of the pig growth hormone (GH) gene expression. A pair of primers was designed targeting exons 3 and 5, and two competitive PCR strategies were performed, one utilizing a specific amplicon as a competitor, and the other utilizing a low-stringency PCR amplicon as a competitor. The latter strategy proved to be easier and more efficient, offering an accessible tool that can be used in any kind of competitive reaction, facilitating the study of gene expression patterns for both genetics and diagnostics of infectious diseases.

Molecular diagnostics are performed by using DNA from different body tissues. However, it is necessary to obtain genomic DNA of good quality. Due to the impossibility of collecting blood from slaughtered animals, DNA extraction from solid tissues is necessary. The objective of this study was to describe a protocol of DNA extraction from swine skin, adipose, brain, liver, kidney and muscle tissues. We obtained high molecular weight DNA of good quality, shown by agarose gel and amplification of two DNA fragments, 605bp and 891pb, by PCR. Spectrophotometric analysis of DNA concentration showed variation among the DNA from different tissues, with the liver and adipose tissues presenting the greatest and the smallest concentration, respectively. The described protocol has proven to be advantageous due to its simplicity, quickness, affordable reagents and absence of phenol, resulting in a high molecular weight DNA of good quality from several tissues.

Dois polimorfismos (GHC e GHD) no gene que codifica para o hormônio do crescimento foram determinados em um total de 96 animais de três raças de suínos (Pietrain, Large White e Landrace), através da PCR-RFLP. As freqüências alélicas observadas para GHC foram C1 0,42, C2 0,0, C3 0,06 e C4 0,52 para Landrace; C1 0,0, C2 0,03, C3 0,14 e C4 0,83 para Large White e C1 0,02, C2 0,25, C3 0,28 e C4 0,45 para Pietrain. Para GHD, as freqüências alélicas observadas foram D1 0,69 e D2 0,31 para Landrace; D1 0,25 e D2 0,75 para Large White e D1 0,72 e D2 0,28 para Pietrain.

Two polymorphisms (GHC and GHD) in the growth hormone gene were evaluated in the ninety-six (96) animals of three breeds of pigs (Pietrain, Large White, and Landrace), through PCR-RFLP. Allele frequencies observed for the GHC polymorphism were: C1 0.42, C2 0.0, C3 0.06 and C4 0.52 for Landrace; C1 0.0, C2 0.03, C3 0.14 and C4 0.83 for Large White and C1 0.02, C2 0.25, C3 0.28 and C4 0.45 for Pietrain. The GHD polymorphism presented the following allele frequencies:. D1 0.69 and D2 0.31 for Landrace; D1 0.25 and D2 0.75 for Large White and D1 0.72 and D2 0.28 for Pietrain.