Abstract The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of increasing levels of corn straw replacement of sorghum silage on average daily gain, loin eye area, subcutaneous fat thickness, weight of commercial cuts, leg tissue composition, and physico-chemical characteristics of the meat from F1 Santa Inês × Dorper lambs maintained in a feedlot system. Treatments consisted of 0, 33, 66 and 100% corn straw replacement of sorghum silage. There were thirty-six 150-day-old male lambs. Corn straw replacement of sorghum silage in lamb feed reduced the average daily gain and weight of the ribs, besides promoting a quadratic influence on leg fat content. However, there was no influence on commercial carcass cuts, leg muscle index, leg tissue composition, and physico-chemical characteristics of the meat. Thus, corn straw can be used as alternative feedstuff for sheep rations to improve the production of high-quality sheep meat in semi-arid regions.

Abstract Crude glycerin is a byproduct of the biodiesel industry and has been widely used in ruminant diets as a source of energy, usually in place of corn, primarily during periods of drought in tropical regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of including levels of the crude glycerin of low purity (0, 6, 12 and 18%) replacing corn in the diets of goats on the carcass characteristics, tissue composition, meat cuts yield and physicochemical parameters of meat. Forty males castrated without defined racial pattern goats an initial average weight of 19.70 ± 2.30 kg were slaughtered after 86 days. Diets content 0 and 6% crude glycerin promoted similar responses to the analyzed variables, except for pH and breast weight. No differences were observed to total digestible nutrients, slaughter body weight, commercial cut yield leg tissue composition and physicochemical parameters of meat. Crude glycerin can be included up to 12% without losses on carcass weight and meat cuts, leg composition, and meat quality. The inclusion of crude glycerin containing 63.06% glycerol and 45.57% lipids could be effective in partial replacement of corn in diets for confined goats in tropical areas.

RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes tempos de desidratação do descarte de tomate (0, 4, 24, 60 e 96 horas) adicionado nas silagens de casca de mandioca sobre a densidade, perdas fermentativas, recuperação de matéria seca, composição química e qualidade sensorial. O material foi ensilado por 60 dias em silos de cloreto de polivinila (PVC). Houve redução linear de 0,406 kg ton-1 de matéria fresca na produção de efluente nas silagens. Máxima perda de matéria seca (MS) (p <0,01) de 7,00% foi encontrada com 8,10 h de desidratação do descarte de tomate. Houve comportamento quadrático (p <0,01) para os teores de proteína bruta (PB) e carboidratos não fibrosos (CNF), com mínimo de 9% de PB e máximo de 66,0% de CNF com 3,53 e 7,35 h de desidratação do descarte de tomate, respectivamente. A classificação "satisfatória" foi observada nas silagens com 4, 24 e 96 h de desidratação do descarte de tomate na avaliação sensorial das características associadas à conservação. A casca da mandioca ensilada com descarte de tomate submetido ao tempo de desidratação de 7,35 horas é suficiente para promover um conteúdo adequado de carboidratos não fibrosos, associado a menores perdas no processo fermentativo.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different dehydration times of the tomato waste (0, 4, 24, 60 and 96 hours) added in the cassava peel silages on the density, fermentative losses, dry matter recovery, chemical composition, and sensorial quality. The material was ensiled for 60 days in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) silos. There was a linear reduction of 0.406 kg tonne-1 of fresh matter in the effluent production in the silages. A maximum dry matter (DM) loss (p<0.01) of 7.00% was found with 8.10 h of dehydration of the tomato wastes. There was a quadratic behavior (p<0.01) for crude protein (CP) and non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC), with minimum content of 9% CP and maximum content of 66.0% NFC with 3.53 h and 7.35 h of dehydration of the tomato wastes, respectively. The "satisfactory" classification was observed to the silages with 4, 24 and 96 h of dehydration of tomato waste in the sensory evaluation of the characteristics associated with the conservation. Cassava peel ensiling with tomato waste submitted to dehydration time of 7.35 hours is enough to promote an adequate non-fibrous carbohydrates content, associated with lower losses in the fermentation process.

ABSTRACT Little is known about milk fatty acid (FA) profile of cows fed diets based on sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) bagasse. This study aimed to evaluate FA profile and nutritional quality indexes of milk fat of cows fed sugarcane bagasse and concentrate in the Brazilian northeast semiarid region. Multiparous Girolando cows were allocated in four diets based on different levels of sugarcane bagasse (30%, 38%, 46%, and 54% total DM) added to concentrate. Fatty acids C18:1 trans-11 (lowest value for 46% inclusion) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) cis-9, trans-11 (lowest value for 46% inclusion) in milk fat presented a quadratic pattern (P < 0.05). This trend was also observed for C18:1 cis-9 (P < 0.05), but at a lower magnitude. There was a reduction in concentration of C18:1 trans-10 (0.320 to 0.148 g 100 g-1 total FA) and CLA trans-10, cis-12 (0.008 to 0.004 g 100 g-1 total FA) according to the levels of sugarcane bagasse increase. The greater inclusion of bagasse and consequent reduction in the proportion of concentrate, notably corn, cause an increase in concentration of medium-chain saturated FA and a linear reduction of C18:3 n-3 and C18:2 n-6, with a consequent increase in the indexes of atherogenicity (2.82 to 3.2) and thrombogenicity (3.39 to 3.84) and a decrease in ratio of hypo/ hyper-cholesterolemic (0.44 to 0.37) and ω-6:ω-3 (12.44 to 8.80) in milk fat. Results indicate that different levels of sugarcane bagasse change the FA content in cows’ milk when bagasse is an exclusive roughage source in the diet. The greater inclusion of sugarcane bagasse reduces the quality of milk fat of dairy cows. The lowest level of sugarcane bagasse inclusion tested (30%) promotes greater milk yield and healthier milk fat

ABSTRACT Grasses and legumes are two groups of plants physic and chemically different (amount of crude protein and fiber, mostly), very used in animal feed, whose differences can determine variation in intake, digestibility and animal behavior. We aimed to evaluate performance, feeding behavior and the serum biochemical profile of sheep. The treatments were four levels of substitution of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon [L. ] Pers.) hay for alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay (0, 330, 660 and 1000 g kg-1 DM). The randomized block design was used being two blocks and four treatments with 10 replicates). There were no effects on the performance of animals. On the other hand, there was a positive linear effect (P < 0.05) for intake of DM, organic matter, crude protein (CP), total carbohydrates, and non-fibrous carbohydrates. However, the use of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) showed linear decrease with the increase in alfalfa hay (P < 0.05). CP and NDF decreased linearly (P < 0.05) with the replacement of Bermuda grass hay for alfalfa hay. There were decreasing linear effects (P < 0.05) when compared to the time of ingestion and chewing of feed, and increasing linear effects regarding total resting time. Estimated passage rate, density of particles and blood glucose showed a positive linear effect (P < 0.05), while weight of gastrointestinal contents decreased according to alfalfa levels (P < 0.05). The replacement of Bermuda grass hay by alfalfa hay to promote improvement in the performance is not recommended.

OBJETIVO: Aprofundar a análise molecular da mutação intrônica IVS30+1G>T do gene tireoglobulina (TG) e relatar a clínica de pacientes portadores da mutação, acompanhados por 11 anos. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados dois irmãos com hipotireoidismo congênito grave com bócio fetal e bócio neonatal, portadores da mutação IVS30+1G>T. Foram coletadas amostras de tecido nodular e não-nodular. Avaliou-se a expressão de genes específicos da tireóide por PCR em tempo real e imunohistoquímica. RESULTADOS: A expressão de genes específicos da tireóide foi menor no tecido não-nodular que no tecido normal controle. Expressões de TPO e NIS foram extremamente baixas no tecido nodular. Verificou-se lúmen folicular aumentado com grandes vesículas de retículo endoplasmático, e detectou-se forte marcação de TG no citoplasma e fraca no lúmen folicular. No tecido não-nodular observou-se forte positividade de NIS intracelular e, TPO e TSHR na membrana plasmática. O acompanhamento em longo prazo dos pacientes mostrou adequado desenvolvimento, apesar de um deles ter recebido tratamento tardio. CONCLUSÕES: A mutação IVS30+1G>T não só promove alterações no retículo endoplasmático, como alterações na expressão de genes específicos da tireóide. A evolução clínica destes pacientes reforça o conceito da influência do meio ambiente, como o aporte nutricional de iodo, no fenótipo final.

OBJECTIVE: To extend the molecular analysis of the IVS30+1G>T intronic thyroglobulin (TG) mutation, and to report the eleven year follow-up of the affected patients. METHOSD: Two siblings with severe congenital hypothyroidism with fetal and neonatal goiter, harboring the IVS30+1G>T mutation were included. Nodular and non-nodular thyroid tissue specimens were collected. Specific thyroid genes expression was evaluated by real-timePCR and by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In non-nodular tissue specific thyroid genes mRNA were reduced when compared to normal thyroid sample. In the nodule, TPO and NIS expression was very low. Microscopic examinations showed very large follicular-lumina and swollen vesicles of endoplasmatic-reticulum. Strong cytoplasmatic and low follicular-lumen TG immunostaining were detected. Intracellular NIS, membrane TPO and TSHR immunostaining had higher positivity in non-nodular sample. Both patients had a long-term adequate developmental outcome, besides one patient have been lately-treated. CONCLUSIONS: IVS30+1G>T mutation not only lead to very enlarge endoplasmatic-reticulum, but also to alterations of specific thyroid genes expression. The clinical evolution of patients harboring these mutations strengthen the concept of the influence of environment, like iodine nutrition, to determine the final phenotypic appearance.