The objectives of this study were to analyze body measurements of 40 crossbred bulls grazing low quality forage with different supplementation strategies, to estimate interrelationships among those measurements and carcass and body compositions, and to develop systems of equations to predict body fat using body and carcass measurements. Eight animals were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment, and the remaining animals were slaughtered at 90 or 220 d. The biometric measures (BM) were obtained the day before the slaughter and included hook width, pin width, pelvic girdle length, rump depth, rump height, abdomen width, body length, height at withers, rib depth, girth, and body diagonal length. Other measurements included full, shrunk, and empty BW; internal physical and chemical fats; body volume; body area; carcass weight; 9th- to 11th-rib section weight and composition; fat thickness; subcutaneous fat; intermuscular fat; carcass chemical fat; and empty body physical and chemical fats. The relationships between BM and body components were evaluated, and equations to predict body area, body volume, subcutaneous fat, and carcass and body physical and chemical fat were developed. Biological interpretations of the parameter estimates of equations were similar to those found in the literature such as a ratio of 1 kg of subcutaneous fat to 1.6 kg of intermuscular fat and a deposit of 72 to 76% of body fat in the carcass. The first system used to predict carcass and empty body physical and chemical fat was devised using in vivo information, whereas the second system used BW and the 9th- to 11th-rib fat weight. Our results indicated the combination of BW, carcass traits, and BM was precise and accurate in estimating carcass and body fat composition of backgrounding bulls. The second system had better adequacy statistics [r(2) > 0.92, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) > 0.957, and root mean square error (RMSE) < 14.4% of the average observed value] compared with the first system. The first system had acceptable adequacy statistics (r(2) > 0.767, CCC > 0.866, and RMSE varying from 15.8 to 22.3% of the average observed value). For both systems, the simultaneous F-test of the linear regression of observed on model-predicted values indicated intercepts were equal to zero, and slopes were equal to 1 (P > 0.246). We concluded that BM can improve the accuracy and precision of the predictions of body composition of grazing animals.
This study compared reproductive performance of cows vaccinated against the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus before timed AI or during early pregnancy (Exp. 1), as well as rectal temperature (RT) and plasma concentrations of the acute-phase protein haptoglobin in cattle vaccinated or not against the FMD virus (Exp. 2). Cattle utilized in Exp. 1 and 2 originated from herds with no historical occurrences of FMD and that received vaccination against the FMD virus biannually. In Exp. 1, 604 lactating, multiparous, nonpregnant Nelore cows were randomly assigned on d -31 of the experiment to receive 1) vaccination against the FMD virus on d ≥ 31 (VACPRE; = 291) and 2) vaccination against FMD virus on d 30 (VACGEST; = 313). From d -11 to 0, all cows were assigned to an estrus synchronization + timed AI (d 0) protocol. Pregnancy status to AI was verified on d 30 and 90 via transrectal ultrasonography. A treatment × day interaction was detected ( < 0.01) for pregnancy rates to AI, which were similar ( = 0.17) between VACPRE and VACGEST on d 30 (61.8% vs. 56.2%, respectively; SEM = 2.8) but greater ( < 0.01) for VACPRE on d 90 (59.4% vs. 46.9%, respectively; SEM = 2.8). Pregnancy loss from d 30 to 90 was greater ( < 0.01) in VACGEST compared with VACPRE (16.5% vs. 3.9%, respectively; SEM = 2.2). In Exp. 2, 40 pregnant Nelore females (20 nulliparous and 20 multiparous cows; BCS = 4.73 ± 0.12) were ranked by parity and assigned to receive (VAC; = 20) or not receive (NOVAC; = 20) vaccination against the FMD virus. Blood samples were collected and RT was recorded before (h 0) and 24, 72, 120, and 168 h after treatment administration. Treatment × day interactions were detected ( < 0.01) for RT and plasma haptoglobin. The RT was greater ( < 0.01) in VAC compared with NOVAC at 24 h after treatment administration and was similar ( ≥ 0.31) between treatments at all other sampling hours. Plasma haptoglobin concentration was similar ( = 0.98) between VAC and NOVAC before treatment administration ( = 0.48) and greater ( < 0.01) in VAC at 24, 72, 120, and 168 h after treatment administration. In summary, vaccinating beef cows against the FMD virus resulted in a 4-fold increase in pregnancy loss when the vaccine was administered 30 d after timed AI compared with 31 d before timed AI. These outcomes can be associated with inflammatory and acute-phase reactions elicited by the FMD vaccine, which are known to impair pregnancy maintenance in cattle.
BackgroundIntestinal parasitic infections constitute a public health issue in developing countries, with prevalence rates as high as 90%, a figure set to escalate as the socioeconomic status of affected populations deteriorates. Investigating the occurrence of these infections among inmates is critical, since this group is more vulnerable to the spread of a number of infectious illnesses.MethodsThis cross-sectional, analytical, quantitative study was conducted in July 2015 at prison facilities located in Midwest Brazil to estimate the prevalence of parasitic infection among inmates. For detection of parasites, 510 stool samples were examined by ether centrifugation and spontaneous sedimentation.ResultsEight parasitic species were detected, with an overall prevalence of 20.2% (103/510). Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar were the most frequent pathogenic parasites. Endolimax nana was the predominant non-pathogenic species. Nearly half of the subjects (53/103; 51.4%) were positive for mixed infection. Logistic regression revealed that inmates held in closed conditions were more likely to contract parasitic infections than those held in a semi-open regime (OR = 1.97; 95% CI = 1.19–3.25; p = 0.0085). A higher prevalence of parasitic infections was observed among individuals who had received no prophylactic antiparasitic treatment in previous years (OR = 10.2; 95% CI = 5.86–17.66; p < 0.001). The other factors investigated had no direct association with the presence of intestinal parasites.ConclusionInfections caused by directly transmissible parasites were detected. Without adequate treatment and prophylactic guidance, inmates tend to remain indefinitely infected with intestinal parasites, whether while serving time in prison or after release.
This study was conducted to develop equations to predict carcass and body fat compositions using biometric measures (BM) and body postmortem measurements and to determine the relationships between BM and carcass fat and empty body fat compositions of 44 crossbred bulls under tropical grazing conditions. The bulls were serially slaughtered in 4 groups at approximately 0 d (n = 4), 84 d (n = 4), 168 d (n = 8), 235 d (n = 8), and 310 d (n = 20) of growth. The day before each slaughter, bulls were weighed, and BM were taken, including hook bone width, pin bone width, abdomen width, body length, rump height, height at withers, pelvic girdle length, rib depth, girth circumference, rump depth, body diagonal length, and thorax width. Others measurements included were total body surface (TBS), body volume (BV), subcutaneous fat (SF), internal fat (InF), intermuscular fat, carcass physical fat (CFp), empty body physical fat (EBFp), carcass chemical fat (CFch), empty body chemical fat (EBFch), fat thickness in the 12th rib (FT), and 9th- to 11th-rib section fat (HHF). The stepwise procedure was used to select the variables included in the model. The r(2) and the root-mean-square error (RMSE) were used to account for precision and variability. Our results indicated that lower rates of fat deposition can be attributed to young cattle and low concentration of dietary energy under grazing conditions. The BM improved estimates of TBS (r(2) = 0.999) and BV (r(2) = 0.997). The adequacy evaluation of the models developed to predict TBS and BV using theoretical equations indicated precision, but lower and intermediate accuracy (bias correction = 0.138 and 0.79), respectively, were observed. The data indicated that BM in association with shrunk BW (SBW) were precise in accounting for variability of SF (r(2) = 0.967 and RMSE = 0.94 kg), InF (r(2) = 0.984 and RMSE = 1.26 kg), CFp (r(2) = 0.981 and RMSE = 2.98 kg), EBFp (r(2) = 0.985 and RMSE = 3.99 kg), CFch (r(2) = 0.940 and RMSE = 2.34 kg), and EBFch (r(2) = 0.934 and RMSE = 3.91 kg). Results also suggested that approximately 70% of body fat was deposited as CFp and 30% as InF. Furthermore, the development of an equation using HHF as a predictor, in combination with SBW, was a better predictor of CFp and EBFp than using HHF by itself. We concluded that the prediction of physical and chemical CF and EBF composition of grazing cattle can be improved using BM as a predictor.
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