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ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the growth of Criollo foals from birth to 800 days of age using Brody, Gompertz, Logistic, and Von Bertalanffy nonlinear models. The data utilized consisted of weight, height, chest circumference, and shin circumference taken from 75 foals kept in southern Brazil. Morphometric traits analyzed showed mean values ranging from 63 to 325 kg for weight, 0.92 to 1.32 m for height, 0.88 to 1.58 m for chest circumference, and 0.12 to 0.18 m for shin circumference. For the evaluated traits, all applied nonlinear models achieved convergence. The results indicated that the Brody model provided the best adjustments for weight, height, and chest circumference. Gompertz model was found to be the most suitable for describing the growth curve of shin circumference. The animals exhibited an increase in weight during the evaluated period. Height showed the most rapid increase until approximately 365 days of age, followed by a decrease, and a more homogeneous growth pattern thereafter. Chest circumference exhibited more uniform growth in animals from 365 days of age onwards, with slower growth and greater variability observed from 400 days of age. Shin circumference showed greater growth in the first months of age, remaining stable thereafter. We observed that 94 and 5% of the animals in the studied population did not meet the minimum values for height and chest circumference, respectively, according to the breed standards from 24 months of age. Our results can assist in selection and future studies with the Criollo breed.

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho de métodos para estimativa da evapotranspiração de referência (ETo) nas escalas diária e decendial em sete municípios do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram utilizados dados meteorológicos diários de janeiro de 2015 a dezembro de 2020, para estimar a ETo por Penman-Monteith como padrão e para 32 métodos a serem avaliados com o uso de seis indicadores (índices de confiança e de concordância, coeficientes de correlação e de determinação, erro quadrático médio e erro médio). Os métodos baseados na radiação de Ritchie, Stephens-Stew, Souza-Silva, Valiantzas-3 e Hargreaves são indicados em todos os municípios para estimar a ETo diária e decendial. Baseado no índice de confiança, todos tiveram um ‘ótimo’ desempenho e apresentaram uma variação na estimativa inferior a 1 mm e tendência em subestimar a ETo. Na ausência de dados de radiação, há possibilidade de estimar a ETo diária usando alguns métodos baseados na temperatura do ar, como o de Romanenko, apenas para o município de Bagé. Na escala decendial, pode-se recorrer ao método aerodinâmico de Brockamp, nos municípios de Bagé e do Rio Grande e nos métodos fundamentados na temperatura de Hargreaves-Samani 1 e 2 e de Baier-Rob em todos os municípios, exceto de Santa Rosa.

ABSTRACT: In beef cattle breeding programs, various selection criteria have been proposed and employed with the aim of improving traits related to carcass composition and the quality of the final product, meat. However, the importance of genotype by environment interaction (G×E) for such traits is still not well understood. Our objectives were: 1) to investigate the importance of G×E on ultrasound carcass traits, growth and visual scores and 2) to estimate the genetic correlation of ultrasound carcass traits with growth and visual scores taking into account the G×E in Hereford and Braford cattle. A multiple-trait reaction norm model was fitted to the field records of 37,948 animals. With the exception of postweaning average daily weight gain (ADG), the G×E can lead to important changes in the ranking of estimated breeding values of sires across environments for all traits. Thus, models that consider heterogeneity of genetic variances along an environmental gradient may be considered more appropriate for genetic evaluations of animals reared under conditions similar to the present study. Based on estimates of genetic correlation, the quality of visual scores or ADG as indicators of carcass quality assessed by ultrasonography is dependent on the production environment.

ABSTRACT Data from 83,088 Hereford and Braford cattle were used to compare parameters and breeding values obtained using linear and threshold models for visual scores of limb conformation (LCW and LCY), breed traits (BTW and BTY), sexual traits (STW and STY), eye pigmentation (EPW and EPY), and navel size (NSW and NSY) at weaning and yearling, respectively. Additionally, principal component analysis was applied to investigate the relationship among the estimated breeding values. Higher direct heritability were estimated using the threshold model (ranging from 0.134±0.021 to 0.194±0.023) compared with the linear model (ranging from 0.085±0.008 to 0.120±0.009). Rank correlations between breeding values predicted using linear and threshold models ranged from 0.61 to 0.88 (LCW), 0.53 to 0.91 (BTW), 0.66 to 0.87 (STW), 0.80 to 0.96 (EPW), 0.87 to 0.95 (NSW), 0.70 to 0.92 (LCY), 0.49 to 0.93 (BTY), 0.56 to 0.95 (STY), 0.88 to 0.97 (EPY), and 0.80 to 0.95 (NSY). The low genetic variability of the studied traits suggests a small genetic gain in the morphology and adaptation. According to the results obtained in the rank correlation, the percentage of coincident animals and the cross-validation analyses, it is recommended to use the threshold model for limb conformation, breed, and sexual traits. For eye pigmentation and navel size scores, both models can be used. In practical terms, the producer will be able to carry out his own selection, considering other traits that are not currently incorporated in the selection indexes, but that can lead to simultaneous gains in the morphology and adaptation of Hereford and Braford cattle.

In beef cattle, the selection for higher weights at young ages has been questioned with the argument that this criterion may increase the adult weight of cows, resulting in higher costs. Therefore, selection criteria should be employed to increase weights at young ages with minimal impact on the adult weight of cows. Additionally, the relationship between measures of cow production efficiency and other well-established selection criteria in breeding programs remains poorly understood. The objective of this study was to longitudinally evaluate the relationship between the weaning index (WIndex) as a measure of efficiency and growth traits of the cows. Possible changes over time in WIndex due to selection applied for yearling weight (YW) were also investigated. The WIndex was proposed to maximize genetic response in the weaning weight of the calf while maintaining genetic gain in BW of the cow at zero. A random regression model was adopted to estimate correlations between WIndex, BW, hip height (HH), and body condition score (BCS) using records of Nelore cows from three lines. Genetic trends were calculated for the control line (NeC) and lines selected for greater YW (NeS and NeT). The age of 3 years was the most critical for the weaning efficiency of the cows. At this stage, young cows are still growing and wean lighter calves than their adult counterparts. The genetic correlation estimates between WIndex and BW (−0.58 to 0.04), HH (−0.05 to −0.34), and BCS (−0.51 to −0.17) were close to zero or negative. BW and HH were strongly correlated genetically across all ages (0.73–0.76). In general, HH exhibited a weak and negative genetic relationship with BCS. The genetic correlation between BW and BCS was stronger for advanced ages (0.45–0.68). In lines selected for YW, important increases in WIndex were observed. However, NeS has been selected since the 1980s until the present for YW, and thus, it showed a more pronounced trend of increasing BW and, consequently, a more modest trend of increasing WIndex compared to NeT. In contrast, WIndex exhibited a trend close to zero for NeC. In this context, monitoring HH and BCS can be useful to avoid losses in the weaning efficiency of cows. Furthermore, we suggest that one way to mitigate efficiency losses in calf production could involve stabilizing the BW of cows and increasing the weaning weight of calves using the WIndex.

This current study is to identify the most appropriate dose against intra and extrahepatic toxic agents as well as hematosuppressive agent in rats. The animals were divided into six groups (n ​= ​10). Group 1 was placed on basal diet. Group II, III and IV were placed on a basal diets supplemented with 9.9%, 19.8% and 30%, respectively of MCF-ADSPC. Group V was placed on basal diet fed with unfermented Adasonia digitata seeds (UF-ADS) for 56 days. The results revealed 9.9% MCF-ADSPC as better dose to augment weight growth and total protein in rats. Similarly, MCF-ADSPC generated slight increase of WBC and centrophils count at lowest dose (9.9%) and highest dose (30%), respectively better than UF-ADS. The levels of PCV, RBC, haemoglobin, neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophils, basophils and monocytes showed no significant difference. Whereas, 19.8% MCF-ADSPC showed a better protection against hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, intestinal mucosa, abnormal cholesterol level and splenomegaly in relation to 9.9%, 30% MCF-ADSPC and UF-ADS. Conclusively, MCF-ADSPC nutriment at 19.8% dose protected functional endpoints of intra and extrahepatic tissues than UF-ADS in a rat model.

This study utilized Bayesian inference in a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic markers associated with traits relevant to the adaptation of Hereford and Braford cattle breeds. We focused on eye pigmentation (EP), weaning hair coat (WHC), yearling hair coat (YHC), and breeding standard (BS). Our dataset comprised 126,290 animals in the pedigree. Out of these, 233 sires were genotyped using high‐density (HD) chips, and 3750 animals with medium‐density (50 K) single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chips. Employing the Bayes B method with a prior probability of π = 0.99, we identified and tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms (Tag SNPs), ranging from 18 to 117 SNPs depending on the trait. These Tag SNPs facilitated the construction of reduced SNP panels. We then evaluated the predictive accuracy of these panels in comparison to traditional medium‐density SNP chips. The accuracy of genomic predictions using these reduced panels varied significantly depending on the clustering method, ranging from 0.13 to 0.65. Additionally, we conducted functional enrichment analysis that found genes associated with the most informative SNP markers in the current study, thereby providing biological insights into the genomic basis of these traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumo Dentre os fatores ambientais que influenciam o crescimento vegetal, tem-se a temperatura do ar. A taxa de crescimento de uma planta pode ser determinada a partir de sua temperatura basal inferior (Tb), que corresponde à temperatura abaixo da qual a taxa de expansão foliar é desprezível ou ocorre de maneira reduzida. Este trabalho teve por objetivo determinar a Tb e a soma térmica (ST) da rúcula Rococó, durante o período compreendido entre a germinação e a colheita em sistemas de produção convencional e hidropônico. O experimento foi realizado em Florianópolis, entre abril de 2018 a março de 2020, totalizando cinco e sete safras conduzidas nos sistemas convencional e hidropônico, respectivamente. A Tb foi obtida pela média de três métodos, a saber: menor desvio padrão em dias, desenvolvimento relativo e coeficiente de regressão. Com o valor de Tb, determinou-se a soma térmica (ST), aplicando o método simplificado de graus-dia para cada uma das safras. A partir dos valores de ST determinados foi obtido uma média para estabelecer a ST da rúcula. Durante o período compreendido entre a germinação e colheita, considerando os sistemas de produção convencional e hidropônico, os valores obtidos de Tb foram respectivamente, 4,4 °C e 3,6 °C, enquanto os de ST foram 559 e 490 graus-dia acumulado.

O objetivo foi avaliar o risco de incêndio sazonal em área descampada e de floresta, para diferentes cenários climáticos. O local de coleta e estudo de dados foi no município de Águas Mornas, estado de Santa Catarina. Os dados horários foram coletados entre julho de 2017 a fevereiro de 2018, abrangendo as estações inverno, primavera e verão. O risco de incêndio foi determinado pelo Índice de Setzer e Fórmula de Monte Alegre. Observou-se a propensão de queimadas em relação aos cenários futuros, justamente pelo aumento da temperatura. A área descampada apresentou maior ocorrência de incêndio em relação a floresta. Nos cenários climáticos há um aumento no risco ‘médio’, ‘alto’ e ‘muito alto ou crítico’ e uma redução no risco ‘nulo ou mínimo’ e ‘pequeno ou baixo’.

MUC1 is a glycoprotein mucin expressed in apical cells of luminal tissues, such as mammary gland luminal cells, which the main function is protect the cell surface from the environment microorganisms. The aim of this study were to identify the polymorphism of MUC1 gene in Murrah breed and to analyze the association between molecular marker and somatic cell counting, milk yield, fat yield, fat percentage, protein yield, protein percentage, age at first calving and calving interval. A total of 179 primiparous Murrah buffaloes were genotyped by PCR technique. Milk-recording were performed periodically to determine fat and protein content and somatic cell count. Three alleles of different lengths were amplified and named allele 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The allele 2 was more frequent followed by allele 3. The MUC1 gene was highly associated with traits related to mastitis resistance and milk percentage. Also was demonstrated a mild association between MUC1 gene and milk protein synthesis and a moderate effect on reproductive trait. The MUC1 gene is polymorphic in water buffaloes of Murrah breed and might be a potential marker to marker-assisted selection for intramammary infection and some milk production traits.

OBJETIVO: Comparar a motivação para a prática esportiva de jovens atletas do atletismo em função do sexo, tempo de prática e grupo de competição. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, realizado com 30 alunos/atletas, sendo 19 do sexo masculino e 11 do sexo feminino, das categorias de provas de pista e campo, entre 9 e 17 anos. Foi utilizada a Escala de Motivação para o Esporte II (SMS II). Para análise dos dados foi utilizado os testes Shapiro-Wilk, Kruskal-Wallis e U de Mann-Whitney (p

Background: The use of medicinal plants is one of the oldest practices of humanity, its use is aimed at the treatment, cure and prevention of diseases. The plant Licania rigida Benth., popularly known as icticic, is used in folk medicine to treat flu, diarrhea, epilepsy and malaria, having some scientifically proven biological activities, such as its antioxidant, antimicrobial, bactericidal and systemic anti-inflammatory action. Methods: Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the topical anti-inflammatory activity of the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from the L. rigida leaves. Results: A possible topical anti-inflammatory action was observed in screening models such as acute and chronic ear edema. In addition, in the protocols for acute inflammation, the extract had an anti-hematogenic potential. Conclusions: The results are promising and can be a useful tool for more specific and effective studies on the anti-inflammatory effect in the construction of future drugs for improvement in cases of inflammation.