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Um experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de definir o intervalo de tempo de registro do comportamento de ovinos Santa Inês. Utilizaram-se 18 ovinos machos, não-castrados, com peso corporal médio inicial de 22,62 kg. Os animais foram alojados em baias individuais e distribuídos ao acaso em seis tratamentos, constituídos de dois volumosos (capim-elefante amonizado ou não com 5% de uréia) e três concentrados (com 0% de farelo de cacau ou torta de dendê; com 40% de farelo de cacau; ou com 40% de torta de dendê em substituição ao milho e ao farelo de soja), fornecidos na proporção de 60:40 (volumoso:concentrado). O registro das atividades foi realizado durante dois períodos de 24 horas, no final do período experimental, registrando-se o tempo despendido em alimentação, ruminação, ócio e efetuando-se a discretização dessas séries. Foram testados os intervalos de observações de 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 e 30 minutos. Os tempos despendidos em alimentação, ruminação e ócio não diferiram em nenhum dos intervalos estudados, entretanto, na discretização das séries temporais, ou seja, no número de períodos e no tempo médio gasto por período, apresentaram diferenças significativas. Os tempos de alimentação, ruminação e ócio em ovinos Santa Inês podem ser obtidos com observações em intervalos de até 30 minutos. Para a discretização das séries temporais, recomenda-se o uso da escala de cinco minutos.

Among the parasites that affect pigs, Ascaris suum stands out for causing the greatest losses to livestock production systems. This parasite can be monitored during the slaughter of animals through the identification of "milk spots" or white patches on the liver caused by its larval migration. However, infection in the herd is usually subclinical, which is why the presence of this parasite in industrial pig production has been overlooked. The aim of the study was therefore to evaluate the occurrence of milk spots on the liver of animals slaughtered in the micro-region of Ponte Nova in the Zona da Mata -Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to associate these lesions with the time of year, herd size and source of origin of the animals. An evaluation was made of 1,069 lots, totaling 108,073 animals, based on data extracted from the Federal Inspection Service. The animals were slaughtered during the period of January 2011 to June 2013. Out of the total number of slaughtered animals, 10,535 (9.75%) tested positive for these lesions. Therefore, veterinarians and producers should be warned about the inefficiency of the deworming protocols that are used, and the need to develop and/or review control strategies for this parasite in production systems.

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) can reduce or limit sheep production. Currently there is a clear deficiency in the action of drugs for the control of these parasites. Nematophagous fungi are natural enemies of GIN. Fungal combinations have potential for reducing GIN populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency combinations of nematophagous fungi in sodium alginate matrix pellets for the biological control agents of gastrointestinal sheep nematode parasites in the field. The nematophagous fungi (0.2mg of fungus per kg of body weight), Arthrobotrys conoides, A. robusta, Duddingtonia flagrans, and Monacrosporium thaumasium were used. The treated groups were administered mycelium combinations in the following combinations: group 1 (D. flagrans+A. robusta); group 2 (M. thaumasium+A. conoides). The control group did not receive any fungal pellets. We used three groups with eight Santa Inês sheep each. Each animal was treated with approximately 1g of pellet per 10kg of live weight. During the experimental period, we evaluated: number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG), infective larvae (L) per kg of dry matter, larvae recovered from coprocultures, packed cell volume, total plasma protein concentration of sheep, and environmental conditions. Group 2 EPG (M. thaumasium+A. conoides) differed from the control group in September and October. The number of L3/kg of dry matter recovered from animals of groups 1 and 2 at distances of 0-20 and 20-40cm from the fecal pats was lower than the control group. The packed cell volume and total plasma proteins of treated animals were similar to those of the control group. The combination of treatment groups (D. flagrans+A. robusta and M. thaumasium+A. conoides) reduced the number of L/kg of pasture. Therefore, treatment of nematophagous fungal combinations have the potential to manage free-living stages of GIN in sheep.

The biocontrol is proven effective in reducing in vitro and in situ free-living stages of major gastrointestinal helminths, allowing progress in reducing losses by parasitism, maximizing production, and productivity. This study aimed at evaluating the predatory activity of fungal isolates of Duddingtonia flagrans and Clonostachys rosea species and its association on infective larvae (L3) of H. contortus in microplots formed by grasses and maintained in a protected environment. All groups were added with 10 mL of an aqueous suspension with 618 H. contortus L3 approximately. Group 1 was used as control and only received the infective larvae. Groups 2 and 3 received D. flagrans chlamydospores and C. rosea conidia at doses of 5 × 106. Group 4 received the combination of 5 × 106 D. flagrans chlamydospores + 5 × 106 C. rosea conidia. D. flagrans and C. rosea showed nematicidal effectiveness reducing by 91.5 and 88.9%, respectively, the population of H. contortus L3. However, when used in combination efficiency decreased to 74.5% predation of H. contortus L3. These results demonstrate the need for further studies to determine the existence of additive effects, synergistic or antagonistic, between these species.

Research in the area of sanitation in ruminant production has focused on discovery of potential agents for biological control of helminths with nematophagous fungi and has provided evidence of success. The antagonistic potential of the fungus Arthrobotrys cladodes var. macroides on infective larvae of bovine gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, an in vivo test of the resistance to digestive processes and viability of the fungus was carried out using a formulation based on sodium alginate administered orally in cattle. Production of conidia and chlamydospores was high. In in vitro tests, the number of infective nematode larvae was reduced 68.7% by the fungus in the treated group compared to the control group. The interaction between the fungus and the nematodes was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Plates containing fecal samples collected after oral administration of 100 g of pellets containing the A. cladodes fungus showed that the fungus survived passage through the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants, grew on agar, formed traps and preyed on L larvae of gastrointestinal parasites. The results of the present study provide a new opportunity for alternative, environmentally safe control of ruminant nematodes.