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Chilodonelids are small ciliated protozoans found worldwide and can be dangerous in culture conditions. This study presents morphometric data on the ciliate Chilodonella that is found in cultured Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), native bait fish tuvira (Gymnotus aff. inaequilabiatus) and native pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) and includes a histopathological assessment of the changes that occur in the pacu. For parasitic diagnosis, skin and gill samples were scraped onto slides, dried at room temperature, stained with Giemsa or impregnated with silver nitrate, and the measurements were obtained from photomicrographs. In the diseased pacu, the first gill arch was collected and fixed in a 10% buffered formalin solution for histopathological analysis. Parasite specimens from the different collection sites were identified morphologically as C. hexasticha Kiernik (1909). Diseased fish exhibited depigmentation, skin ulceration, scale loss, excessive mucus production and gill lesions. Histopathological analysis of pacu gills displayed epithelial proliferation with mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, hemorrhages, and scattering necrosis. In Brazilian-farmed fish this is the first record of C. hexasticha, which has great pathogenic potential in cultured freshwater species. In addition, two new hosts are presented.

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RESUMO -Foram avaliados métodos alternativos de restrição alimentar qualitativa em comparação à técnica convencional de muda forçada. Utilizaram-se 480 galinhas Babcock de 78 semanas distribuídas em três níveis de restrição alimentar (100, 75 e 50%) e três percentuais de redução de peso corporal (15, 20 e 25%), cada um com cinco repetições de 32 aves. Quando as aves atingiram o percentual de redução de peso corporal, determinaram-se o volume globular, os percentuais de ovário, oviduto, moela, intestino e gordura abdominal e o comprimento de oviduto. A partir do 28 o dia e durante cinco períodos de 28 dias, observaram-se as características quantitativas e qualitativas de produção pós-muda. O maior período de restrição foi observado no nível de 50% e proporcionou menores percentuais de gordura abdominal (0,66%), ovário (0,60%), oviduto (0,77%) e comprimento de oviduto (32 cm). O percentual de produção de ovos foi maior no primeiro período para as aves submetidas aos métodos de 75 e 100% de restrição com 15 e 20% de redução de peso, respectivamente. Entretanto, para as aves com 50% de restrição e 25% de redução de peso, as maiores produções (86,80 e 83,20%) ocorreram no quarto e quinto períodos. A restrição alimentar qualitativa, em 50% da dieta com ração e casca de arroz, por ser menos agressiva, proporciona melhores condições de bem-estar e facilita o manejo da granja.Palavras-chave: bem-estar animal, galinha de postura, jejum alimentar, ovário, percentual de restrição qualitativa Alternative methods of feed restriction in the forced molt of laying hensABSTRACT -Alternative methods were assessed of qualitative feed restriction compared to the conventional forced molt technique. Four hundred and eighty Babcock hens were used distributed in three levels of feed restriction (100, 75 and 50%) and three body weight reduction percentages (15, 20 and 25%), with five replications of 32 hens. When the birds reached the body weight reduction percentage the packed cell volume, percentages of ovary, oviduct, gizzard, intestine, abdominal fat and oviduct length were determined. Starting on day 28 and during five 28-day periods the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of production after forced molt were measured. The largest restriction period occurred at 50% of restriction that resulted in the smallest percentages of abdominal fat (0.66%), ovary (0.60%), oviduct (0.77%) and oviduct length (32 cm). The egg production percentage was higher in the first period, for the 75 and 100% restriction methods with up to 15 and 20% body weight reduction, respectively. However, for the birds with 50% restriction and 25% body weight reduction, the highest productions (86.80 and 83.20%) occurred in the 4 th and 5 th periods. Qualitative feed restriction at 50% of the diet with feed and rice hulls, because it was less aggressive, resulted in better welfare conditions and facilitated farm management.Key Words: animal welfare, feed fasting, laying hens, ovary, qualitative restriction percentage IntroduçãoA técnica da muda forçada tem p...

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of formulations of sodium alginate matrix (pellets) of the nematode predatory fungi, Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001 isolate) and Arthrobotrys robusta (I-31 isolate), in the biological control of sheep gastrointestinal nematode infections. Thirty young Bergamacia ewes were allocated into three groups: In group 1 (control), the animals received 2 g/10 kg of live weight (l.w.) of pellets without fungus; in group 2, each animal received 2 g/10 kg of l.w. of pellets of D. flagrans (0.2 g of fungus/10 kg l.w.); and in group 3, each animal received 2 g/10 kg of l.w. of pellets of A. robusta (0.2 g of fungus/10 kg l.w.). The animals of each group were kept separately under rotational grazing. Pellets, with or without fungi, were mixed with 1 kg animal food and administered twice a week for 6 months. There was no significant difference in mean live weight and packed cell volume among groups (P > 0.05). Mean nematode fecal egg counts (FEC) did not significantly differ between the control and the remaining groups, except in one or two collections, when FEC was higher in the control group than in group 2 and group 3, respectively. The group that received A. robusta pellets needed less salvage anthelmintic treatments. Haemonchus contortus was the predominant species recovered from tracer lambs. The nematophagous fungi, D. flagrans and A. robusta, did not provide satisfactory results in the prophylaxis of parasitic gastroenteritis in sheep, under the conditions of the present study.

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930S. B. P adua et al.