-This study was carried out to evaluate the influence of diets supplemented with glycerin as an alternative ingredient to corn on the performance and carcass characteristics of Santa Inês confined lambs. The study involved 27 lambs aged 90 days, having an average initial weight of 26.33 ± 0.15 kg. Lambs were randomly distributed into a control group and groups with diets containing 15 and 30% glycerin in the total feed. Diet was formulated with 40% roughage and 60% concentrate.The experimental design was completely randomized, and the production performance and carcass characteristics were analyzed by analysis of variance, and the subjective carcass characteristics, by general linear models. The daily average gain was 0.21, 0.24 and 0.23 kg/day; feeding conversion was 6.39, 5.73 and 5.92 kg of diet/kg BW for control animals, and those fed with 15 or 30% glycerin, respectively, without treatment differences. Lambs were slaughtered, weighing 34 to 36 kg, and average weight of the cold carcass and commercial carcass yield were evaluated. The results were, respectively, 15.97 kg and 49.18%, for control, 15.96 kg and 48.31% for animals fed with 15% glycerin, and 15.79 kg and 47.87% for those treated with 30% glycerin, with no treatment effects. Meat tenderness and cooking loss averages were not affected by diets, with 5.07 kg and 40.45%, 5.10 kg and 40.81%, and 5.27 kg and 39.04%, respectively, for control, and those fed with 15 or 30% glycerin. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that up to 30% of medium purity glycerin in the dry matter of the diet can be used to replace corn, without any negative effect on lamb performance or carcass characteristics.

-The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic divergence of forage peanut in relation to agronomic and chemical traits in both rainy and dry seasons. This experiment was conducted with genotypes from the Forage Peanut Active Germoplasm Bank located in Embrapa Acre. Eighteen genotypes of forage peanut were used: 12 genotypes of A. pintoi, four genotypes of the A. repens species and two interspecific hybrids of A. pintoi × A. repens. The design was of randomized blocks with five replicates. All traits were submitted to analyses of variance and later, study of genetic divergence was done through multivariate analysis techniques, in which the Tocher's optimization method and the nearest neighbor method were used. Dissimilarity measure used in cluster analysis was the generalized distance of Mahalanobis. No pattern was found in the cluster based on species used, according to the results. There is genetic variability for all traits except neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose and lignin in the rainy season and for pests in the dry season. The traits which presented most relative contribution in the study of genetic divergence of forage peanut were flowering, dry matter yield and average height in the rainy season and crude protein and average height in the dry season. The established cluster may help the breeder to choose parents and crossings to be selected in forage peanut breeding programs.

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Milene Puntel Osmari 1 MORAES, G. V. de; MATAVELI, M.; MOURA, L. P. P. de; SCAPINELLO, C.; MORA, F.; OSMARI, M. P. Inclusion of própolis in rabbits diets and sêmen characteristics. Arq. Ciênc. Vet. Zool. UNIPAR, Umuarama, v. 17, n. 4, p. 227-231, out./ dez. 2014. ABSTRACT:This experiment was carried out with the objective of evaluating different levels of powder propolis in rabbit diets and their effect on semen characteristics. A total of 36 New Zealand White male rabbits were used, randomly distributed into six groups, corresponding to six propolis levels (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.25 g propolis/kg of ration). Semen was collected twice a week, using an artificial vagina. Semen volume, progressive spermatic motility, spermatic vigor, spermatic concentration and spermatic morphology were analyzed. General linear models were used for statistical analysis. The inclusion of powder propolis in the diet increased normal spermatozoa percentage and reduced spermatozoa abnormalities. The powder propolis did not affect the progressive spermatic motility, spermatic vigor or spermatic concentration. The values were considered normal for rabbits. However, a small reduction in semen volume was observed, without any negative effect on the other semen characteristics evaluated. Thus, it is possible to observe better semen quality with the inclusion of 1.25 g powder propolis/kg in the diet for reproducer rabbits. KEYWORDS: Reproduction. Reproducer. Semen evaluation. INCLUSÃO DE PRÓPOLIS NA DIETA DE COELHOS E CARACTERÍSTICAS DO SÊMENRESUMO: Este experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar a influência de diferentes níveis de própolis em pó na ração de coelhos sobre as características do sêmen. Utilizaram-se 36 coelhos machos, adultos, Nova Zelândia Brancos, divididos aleatoriamente em seis grupos, consumindo cinco níveis de própolis (0; 0,25; 0,50; 0,75; 1,0 e 1,25 g de própolis/kg de ração). Coletou-se sêmen duas vezes por semana, utilizando vagina artificial. Verificou-se o volume, a motilidade espermática progressiva, o vigor espermático, a concentração espermática e a morfologia espermática. As análises estatísticas foram realizadas utilizando os modelos lineares generalizados. A adição da própolis na ração elevou a porcentagem de espermatozóides normais e reduziu os anormais. Todavia, foi observada uma pequena redução no volume do sêmen com o aumento do nível de própolis na dieta, sem afetar as demais características do sêmen. A motilidade progressiva, vigor espermático e concentração espermática não foram influenciados pelos diferentes níveis de própolis, valores considerados normais para coelhos. Conclui-se que a melhor qualidade do sêmen de coelhos reprodutores ocorreu com a adição de 1,25 g de própolis/kg de ração. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Avaliação de sêmen. Reprodução. Reprodutores. INCLUSIÓN DE PROPÓLEOS EN LA DIETA DE CONEJOS Y CARACTERÍSTICAS DEL SEMEN RESUMEN:Este experimento se llevó a cabo para evaluar la influencia de diferentes niveles de polvo de propóleos en la dieta de conejos, bajo las características...

Foram avaliadas as características quantitativas e qualitativas do sêmen de coelhos alimentados com rações contendo diferentes níveis de selenometionina e vitamina C (VC). Utilizaram-se 125 coelhos machos, alojados individualmente e distribuídos em um delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com vinte cinco tratamentos e cinco repetições. As colheitas de sêmen foram realizadas uma vez por semana, durante oito semanas. Os parâmetros avaliados foram: volume, cor, pH, motilidade espermática progressiva, vigor espermático e concentração espermática. Foi observado que a cor e a concentração espermática melhoraram à medida que foi adicionado VC na ração. Contudo, volume, pH, motilidade espermática progressiva e vigor espermático não foram significativos (p>0,05) nos tratamentos. O consumo de ração aumentou (p<0,05), de acordo com a elevação dos níveis de VC, mas não foi influenciado pelos diferentes níveis de selenometionina. Foi possível constatar que a vitamina melhorou a cor e a concentração espermática e aumentou o consumo de ração.