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The aim of the research was to evaluate the productive and reproductive performances of ewes as a function of the supplementation offered to suckling lambs. The lambs were divided into two experimental treatments. Treatment (1) suckling lambs kept in pastures of Brachiaria-grass receiving mineral supplementation; and treatment (2) suckling lambs kept in pastures of Brachiaria-grass receiving concentrate supplementation in creep-feeding. Regardless of the nutritional treatment offered to the lambs, all matrices (female lambs and ewes) received 350 g of supplementation daily. Ewes from treatment-1 presented average 49 days to return to estrus. Ewes from treatment-2 presented, on average, 36 days to return to estrus. The body condition score (BCS) at weaning showed a significant difference between treatments. Ewes from treatment-1 presented a mean BCS of 1.75. Ewes from treatment-2 presented a mean BCS of 2.39. The other productive variables of lambs, such as weaning weight (kg), age at weaning (days), total weight gain (kg), and average daily gain of lambs, presented a significant difference between the nutritional treatments. Variables such as return to estrus and BCS were positively influenced by supplementation offered to lambs, which directly impacts the production efficiency and profitability of the production system. The lamb supplementation promotes indirect gains in the body condition score of ewes at weaning and, consequently, in the time to return of estrus in 13 days. Protein-energy supplementation in creep feeding to suckling lambs is recommended to improve the body condition score at weaning and decrease the return to estrus (days) of ewes. This nutritional tool is recommended to improve the supply of leaves and provide the best conditions for the selection and use of nutrients present in the leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Biotechnology applied for equine semen increases the levels of reactive oxygen species and reduces the natural antioxidant defence, by both dilution and removal of seminal plasma. Therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of adding coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and α-tocopherol (α-TOH) to the cooling extender, singly or in combination, on sperm parameters, and their effectiveness in preventing lipid peroxidation (LPO) of equine semen during cooling at 5°C for 72 h. Ten adult stallions of proven fertility were used, using two ejaculates each, subjecting them to the treatments with the following concentrations: α-TOH: 2 mm; CoQ10: 40 μg/ml; and CoQ10 + α-TOH: 40 μg/ml + 2 mm for control (C) without the addition of antioxidants and for vehicle control (EtOH) with 100 μl ethanol. The CoQ10 group had a higher percentage of total motility (69.1 ± 16.2%) compared to control (62.1 ± 16.2%) and EtOH (58.1 ± 18.6%). CoQ10 + α-TOH and α-TOH groups were most effective in preventing LPO compared to controls (1765.9 ± 695.9, 1890.8 ± 749.5, 2506.2 ± 769.4 ng malondialdehyde/10(8) sptz, respectively). In conclusion, CoQ10 and α-TOH were effective during the cooling process of equine semen at 5°C for 72 h, providing increased levels of total motility, as well as lower LPO., (© 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)