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One of the cornerstones of the National Program for Control and Eradication of Bovine Brucellosis and Tuberculosis in Brazil is the voluntary accreditation of free herds. We developed a stochastic cost-benefit analysis model for two types of dairy herds (high yield Holstein-Zebu crossbred females and lower productivity smaller scale herds) to identify the technical and economic constraints of this process. The initial prevalence of infected animals and the impact of the disease in the structure and performance of the herd were derived from secondary data. Information on the costs and benefits of herd sanitation were compiled into a cost-benefit model at the herd level. The last step consisted of a scenario simulation to evaluate the impact of alternative policies to the certification process. For each scenario, we calculate the probability over time of a Benefit-Cost Ratio greater than 1 and of an Internal Rate of Return above 1% (the discount rate used in the model). Results show that larger and more intensive dairy farms, and also herds affected by brucellosis compared with tuberculosis-positive herds, are more likely to achieve financial gains from the certification investment. The compensation for culled animals is important in the initial phase of herd sanitation and the premium payment on milk would help farmers to achieve a return on the investment over time. The model can be adapted to different and dynamic production, epidemiological and economic settings.

Summary: Reproductive biotechnologies such as cooling and freezing semen are employed in order to obtain genetic enhancement in domestic animal breeds. However, cryopreservation of donkey semen, as in several other domestic mammalian species, has not yet reached a standard procedure that provides satisfactory and repeatable results, as in bulls. Despite there are over 43 million donkeys worldwide, there are only few studies about donkey semen preservation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive potential of hypo-osmotic test and the supra vital staining in raw semen to be used as indicators for donkey semen freezability. Ejaculates were collected twice per week from 10 fertile donkey stallions. Volume, appearance (color and density), concentration, total motility, morphology, sperm viability (supra vital staining -eosin-nigrosin-EN) and plasma membrane integrity (hypo-osmotic swelling test -HOST) were evaluated in raw semen. After dilution the samples were centrifugated and sperm pellets were resuspended in a freezing extender to a concentration of 50 ×10 6 cells/mL. Aliquots were packed into 0.5 mL straws and placed in the refrigerator (5°C) for 20 min. Subsequently these straws were kept above liquid nitrogen for 20 min, then plunged into nitrogen and stored in a holding tank. Post-thaw analyzes consisted in computerized analysis of sperm movement characteristics, sperm viability (EN), plasma membrane integrity (HOST and fluorescent probe) and acrosome membrane integrity using fluorescent probe. High correlation was found between EN (0.93) and HOST (0.69) in raw semen when compared with total motility after frozen-thawed semen. Low correlation was found between EN and HOST when compared with plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity in post-thawed with fluorescent probes. Since sperm motility is one of the key parameters to evaluate the quality of frozen semen, hypo-osmotic test and supra vital staining can be considered good predictive indicators in raw semen for donkey semen freezability.Keywords: Equus Asinus, cryopreservation, eosin-nigrosin, plasma membrane integrity, semen, reproduction Citation: Arruda de Oliveira R., Batista Silva Teixeira A., Almeida Pignataro T., Freitas M. L., Castro Alves Teixeira H., de Oliveira Carvalho J., Alves Nune Dode M., Pivato I., Budik S. (2017) Evaluation of Hypo-osmotic swelling test and supra vital staining technique as indicators for donkey semen freezability. Pferdeheilkunde 33,[159][160][161][162][163][164]

In order to obtain a successful outcome in artificial insemination programs, a few precautions must be taken with regard to male breeders. It is established that environmental factors can change the hormonal secretion, the cell differentiation that occurs in the testicles, as well as sperm maturation and transport in the epididymis. In view of adverse nutritional factors, reproductive organs can present degeneration and disorders in different degrees and intensities, affecting the animal fertility. The term nutraceutical describes products derived from foods, which may provide additional health benefits, beyond the basic value found in diets. Among the main nutraceuticals used in male reproduction, there are omega-3, arginine, B-complex vitamins, L-carnitine, β-carotene and antioxidants. The aim of this paper is to present the main substances used as nutraceuticals, in order to improve semen quality, obtaining most favorable outcomes of stallions in the use of natural breeding or artificial insemination.Keywords: artificial insemination, fertility, nutrition, semen, spermatogenesis.resumo Para um sucesso em programas de inseminação artificial, algumas precauções devem ser tomadas em relação aos reprodutores machos. Sabe-se que fatores ambientais podem alterar a secreção hormonal, a diferenciação celular que ocorre nos testículos, assim como o transporte e a maturação espermática no epidídimo. Um déficit nutricional pode levar a degeneração e distúrbios dos órgãos reprodutivos em diferentes graus e intensidade, afetando a fertilidade. O termo nutracêutico descreve produtos derivados dos alimentos, que podem fornecer benefícios adicionais a saúde, além dos valores básicos encontrados na dieta. Entre os vários nutracêuticos utilizados na reprodução, temos o ômega-3, arginina, vitaminas do complexo B, L-carnitina, β-caroteno e antioxidantes. Objetivou-se com essa revisão apresentar as principais substâncias utilizadas como nutracêuticos, com a finalidade de melhorar a qualidade seminal, obtendo resultados favoráveis dos garanhões com a monta natural ou a inseminação artificial.Palavras-chave: inseminação artificial, fertilidade, nutrição, sêmen, espermatogênese.

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