RESUMO -Foram avaliadas as proporções dos componentes não-carcaça e as características de carcaça de 35 cordeiros Suffolk, abatidos com idades médias de 90, 130 ou 170 dias, alimentados com silagem de milho e ração concentrada (19,6% de PB). O aumento da idade de abate acarretou incremento linear dos pesos de abate e de carcaça e diminuição linear na proporção de alguns componentes não-carcaça, como sangue, cabeça, patas e vísceras cheias, o que resultou em aumento linear do rendimento de carcaça. As proporções dos componentes da carcaça foram alteradas pelo aumento da idade de abate, observando-se aumento linear na porcentagem de gordura, diminuição linear na de ossos e nenhuma alteração na de músculos. Os cortes efetuados nas carcaças mostraram diminuição linear da porcentagem de traseiro, nenhuma alteração na de dianteiro e aumento linear na de costilhar, com o aumento da idade de abate. As medidas de carcaça e compacidade mostraram aumento linear com o aumento da idade de abate. A idade de abate de cordeiros Suffolk criados intensivamente para produzir carcaças adequadas ao mercado consumidor da região Centro-Sul do Brasil fica entre 110 e 130 dias de idade.Palavras-chave: gordura, músculo, osso, ovinos, rendimento Carcass Characteristics of Suffolk Lambs Slaughtered at Different AgesABSTRACT -The effect of slaughter age on non-carcass components and carcass characteristics was evaluated in 35 Suffolk lambs slaughtered at average age of 90, 130 or 170 days, fed corn silage and concentrate (19.6% CP). As the slaughter age increased, animal live weight and carcass weight linearly increased, and some non-carcass components as blood, head, legs and full viscera percentage linearly decreased, leading to a linear increase in carcass yield. As the slaughter age increase, it was observed change in the proportion of carcass components with a linear increase of fat percentage, a linear decrease in bones percentage and no change in the muscle percentage. A linear decrease in the hindquarter, a linear increase in the ribs and no change in the forequarter carcass cuts was observed with increasing slaughter age. Higher slaughter age led to a linear increase in carcass measures and compactness. The slaughter age of Suffolk lambs, to produce suitable carcasses for retail, is between 110 and 130 days of age.

RESUMO -Sessenta e nove cordeiros filhos de ovelhas das raças Ideal ou Corriedale cobertas com machos das raças Suffolk, Ile de France, ou da mesma raça materna, foram usados para avaliar o seu desempenho e as características de carcaça. Os animais permaneceram em pastagem até o desmame (60 dias), foram confinados por 90 dias e alimentados com ração à base de silagem de milho e concentrado. Foi usado delineamento completamente casualizado em esquema fatorial. O uso de machos de corte sobre fêmeas lanígeras não causou efeito sobre o peso ao nascer e ao desmame das crias, porém aumentou o peso e a compacidade das carcaças, sem alterar as proporções de traseiro e costilhar. A espessura de gordura subcutânea não foi influenciada pelo genótipo, apresentando-se maior para fêmeas. A área de olho de lombo não apresentou diferença entre genótipos. As medidas de carcaça mostraram diferença entre genótipos, sendo as do cruzamento com Suffolk mais compridas, seguidas pelos mestiços de Ile de France.Palavras-chave: carcaça, cordeiros, raças de corte, rendimento Use of Meat Sheep Sire Breed on Fine Wool Ewe Flocks to Produce Fast-growing Lambs for SlaughterABSTRACT -Sixty-nine lambs from the crossbreeding Corriedale or Polwarth ewes with Suffolk, Ile de France rams or from the same ewe breed were used to evaluate their performance and carcass characteristics. Lambs were maintained under grazing until weaning time (60 days), then were confined for 90 days and fed corn silage and concentrate based diet. A completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement was used. The use of meat type rams on fine wool ewes did not affect lamb birth and weaning weight, however increased the carcass weight and compacting, without effect on forequarter and ribs. Subcutaneous fat thickness was not affected by the genotype and it was greater for females. Loin eye area did not show difference between genotypes. Carcass measurements showed differences between genotypes, being the ones from Suffolk mating the longest, followed by the crossbred from Ile de France.

BackgroundApproximately 4% of European patients are diagnosed with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), a clinical condition commonly associated with poorer prognosis. Systemic therapy is the recommended initial treatment and when inoperability criteria prevails, radiotherapy (RT) should be used for tumour downstaging. This study intends to evaluate the impact of neoadjuvant radiotherapy (NART) in the treatment of inoperable LABC.MethodsA retrospective study of female patients, submitted to the NART between January 2014 and December 2018 at our institution. The evaluation of pathological response (pR) was made based on Pinder criteria. Primary endpoint: pR. Secondary endpoints: overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). OS and PFS were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences between groups were compared using Student’s t-test, ANOVA (Analysis of variance) and χ2 test. The statistical analyses were performed using Stata (V.13).ResultsA total of 76 patients were included, 18% with breast complete response. The 5 years OS was 54% and PFS was 61%. Subgroup analysis showed that pR >90% is correlated with a better OS (p=0.004). Basal-like intrinsic subtype is correlated with worse OS and PFS (p<0.05). No relation was found between response and age, intrinsic subtype, treatment performed and clinical T stage.ConclusionOur study confirms that NART is an effective downsizing treatment in inoperable LABC, allowing for a surgical resection regardless of the systemic treatment performed. Response to NART is independent of the intrinsic subtype and pR >90% is correlated with a better OS. Prospective studies to explore predictive response biomarkers are necessary in order to improve patient selection and optimisation of the treatment.

Cordeiros da raça Suffolk, desmamados aos 60 dias e confinados, foram alimentados com silagem de milho, silagem de sorgo granífero ou feno de Coast cross (Cynodon dactylon L. Pears) e ração concentrada (3,5% do peso vivo), com o objetivo de avaliar seu desempenho, a proporção dos componentes-não-carcaça e o rendimento e características das suas carcaças. Foi utilizado um delineamento completamente casualizado em esquema fatorial (três alimentos volumosos e dois sexos). Os animais alimentados com silagem de milho ou de sorgo mostraram maior (P<0,05) ganho médio diário de peso (295 e 294g) e menor (P<0,05) idade média de abate (119 e 118 dias) que os alimentados com feno (241g e 129 dias). Os machos mostraram maior (P<0,05) ganho de peso diário (301 e 252g) e menor (P<0,05) idade ao abate (117 e 127 dias) que as fêmeas. Os componentes não-carcaça, rendimento de carcaça e de seus cortes, a espessura da gordura subcutânea e grau de gordura não foram afetados (P>0,05) pelo tipo de alimento, contudo, os animais alimentados com silagem de milho apresentaram carcaças com maior (P<0,05) porcentagem de gordura (18,7, 16,7 e 17,5%) e compacidade (241, 232 e 231g/cm) que os demais e menor (P<0,05) proporção de músculo (59,5, 61,1 e 60,6%) que os alimentados com a silagem de sorgo. Cordeiras apresentaram carcaças com maior (P<0,05) proporção de gordura (19,0 e 16,3%) e menor (P<0,05) de ossos (21,0 e 22,9%), sem diferença significativa (P>0,05) na proporção de músculos (60,0 e 60,7%). A silagem de sorgo pode substituir a silagem de milho para cordeiros confinados, contudo o uso do feno de gramínea reduz o seu desempenho.

Grazing behaviour, ponderal growth and level of parasitic infestation were studied in Suffolk breed sheep, from 1994 to 1995, in Nova Odessa, São Paulo. Two management systems were compared: restricted grazing, where the animals were released to the pastures at 9:50 a.m. and confined at 5:30 p.m., and 24 hour grazing, where the animals were maintained all the time in the paddocks, but with access to shelters. Thirty-four adult ewes were used in the summer period (17 under restricted grazing and 17 full-time grazing), and 42 ewes in the winter period (21 with restricted grazing and 21 full-time grazing). Also, for both seasons, 12 tracer animals, six in each grazing system, were used to obtain worm counts from their digestive tracts. For three consecutive days, grazing behaviour, that is, whether grazing or not, was observed in January/February (summer) and July/August (winter) at 30 minute intervals from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., also whether the animals stayed in the sun or shade, irrespective of whether they were grazing or not. The level of parasitic infestation was evaluated under each system by eggs per gram countings (EPG) of the herd and the tracer animals, as well as by larvae count. It was concluded that restriction of grazing time by itself does not provide any effective control of parasitic infestation in sheep, however a better control was obtained in the summer period. Restricted grazing time was compensated by the greater activity of the animals during the hotter hours of the day, however, this behaviour affected the animal performance, resulting in lower weight gains. Greater forage availability in relation to estimated consumption may explain the similarity between the grazing times observed in both management systems, either in the summer or in the winter.