The objectives were to evaluate the effects of differential timing of supplementation of different Ca salts (CS) of fatty acids (FA) on FA profiles of cotyledonary-caruncular tissues, metabolic status, uterine health, pregnancy, pregnancy losses after 2 artificial inseminations (AI), and milk yield. Holstein cows (n=1,380) were assigned randomly to be fed either CS of palm oil (PO) or safflower oil (SO) from 30 d prepartum until 30 d postpartum (dpp) and further randomized to receive either CS of PO or fish oil (FO) from 30 to 160 dpp. Supplementation of CS of FA was at 1.5% of dietary dry matter. Tissues (n=23) and blood (n=32) were collected from a subsample of cows. Blood was collected daily from parturition to 10 dpp and three times weekly thereafter until 30 dpp for analyses of PGF2α metabolite, nonesterified FA, β-hydroxybutyric acid, blood urea nitrogen, and glucose. Cows were evaluated once between 8 to 10 dpp for cervical discharge type. At 43 dpp, cows received 2 injections of PGF2α 14 d apart, followed 14 d later by injections of GnRH at 7 d before and 56 h after an injection of PGF2α with AI at 16 h after the second GnRH injection. All cows received intravaginally a controlled internal drug-releasing device, containing 1.38 g of progesterone, at 18 d after the first AI followed 7 d later by removal of the device and injection of GnRH. Nonpregnant cows at 32 d after AI were injected with PGF2α, followed 56 h later with a GnRH injection and second AI 16 h thereafter. Cows diagnosed pregnant after both AI were re-examined at 60 d of pregnancy to determine pregnancy losses. Milk weights were recorded monthly for all cows. Caruncular n-6:n-3 FA ratio was greater in cows fed SO. Plasma concentrations of metabolites and frequency of cervical discharge type did not differ between PO- and SO-fed cows. Plasma PGF2α metabolite was greater in SO-fed cows at 4 and 7 dpp. Pregnancy per AI at 32 and 60 d post first AI was not affected by diets, but pregnancy loss was less in FO-fed cows. At second AI, pregnancy was greater in FO-fed cows at 32 d and in SO-FO-fed cows at 60 d post AI. Pregnancy loss after second AI was not affected by diets. Overall pregnancy per AI was greater in cows fed SO followed by FO at 60 d of pregnancy and pregnancy loss was reduced in FO-fed cows. Monthly milk yield was greater (0.7 kg/d) in SO-fed cows. In conclusion, strategic feeding of CS of FA during transition and breeding periods can benefit fertility and milk production of lactating dairy cows.

The objectives were to evaluate the effects of differential supplementation of Ca salts (CS) of fatty acids (FA) on plasma acute phase proteins and both FA composition and function (i.e., activity and cytokine production) of neutrophils, during the peripartum and breeding periods. Holstein cows were assigned randomly to receive either CS of palm (PO) or safflower (SO) oils from 30 d prepartum until 35 d postpartum (dpp) and CS of PO or fish oil (FO) from 35 to 160 dpp. Supplementation of CS of FA was at 1.5% of dietary dry matter. Cows (n=32) were sampled three times weekly from parturition to 35 dpp for analyses of plasma concentrations of haptoglobin and fibrinogen. Cows (n=47) were sampled for neutrophil phagocytic and oxidative burst activities toward Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and neutrophil abundances of L-selectin and β(2)-integrin assessed by flow cytometry at 32 d prepartum, within 7h after parturition, and 4 and 7 dpp. Profiles of FA in neutrophils and cytokine production (i.e., tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF-α, and IL-1β) were assessed prepartum (n=14), 35 (PO vs. SO; n=26) and 85 dpp (PO vs. FO; n=28). Plasma concentrations of haptoglobin and fibrinogen were greater for cows fed SO compared with PO. The percentage of neutrophils with phagocytic and oxidative burst activities was not affected by transition diets, but activities per neutrophil were greater in SO compared with PO diets at 4 (phagocytosis and oxidative burst) and 7 dpp (oxidative burst). Neutrophil abundance of L-selectin, but not β(2)-integrin, was greater in SO compared with PO at 4 and 7 dpp. Neutrophil productions of TNF-α and IL-1β were increased at 35 dpp in SO compared with PO diets, but production of TNF-α was attenuated in FO compared with PO at 85 dpp. Neutrophil ratios of n-6:n-3 FA were greater at 35 dpp in the SO diet and less at 85 dpp in FO compared with PO diets. In conclusion, cows supplemented with CS of SO had improved innate immunity (i.e., acute phase response and neutrophil function) to better cope with the bacterial challenges in the postpartum period. Conversely, CS of FO attenuated neutrophil cytokine production.

This study projects the economic impacts of COVID-19 outbreak on the Brazilian economy using a dynamic interregional computable general equilibrium model. We considered two scenarios. The first scenario has two channels of transmission over the economic system: a negative shock of labour supply due to the rates of morbidity and mortality caused by the pandemic, and a

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Brazil confirmed targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 2008, including an 80% reduction in deforestation in the Amazon by 2020. With this in mind, we investigated the trade-off between environmental conservation and economic growth in the Amazon. The aim of this study is to project the economic losses and land-use changes resulting from a policy to control deforestation and the rise in land productivity that is necessary to offset those losses. We developed a Dynamic Interregional Computable General Equilibrium Model for 30 Amazon regions with a land module allowing conversion between types of land. The results have shown that the most affected regions would be soybeans and cattle producers as well as regions dominated by family farms. To offset these impacts, it was estimated that an annual gain of land productivity of approximately 1.4% would be required.

The objective of this study was to ascertain the influence of different dietary fiber sources and the usage of xylanase on diet of commercial layers and their influence on productive performance, egg quality, and digestive organ biometry. A total of 864 Lohmann ® White hens was fed diets with three different fiber sources (wheat bran, soybean hull, or coffee husk) with or without xylanase inclusion (concentration of 160,000 BXU/g) in a 3×2 factorial arrangement, with six replicates of 24 birds each, from 25 to 44 weeks of age. There were no interactions between dietary fiber and xylanase inclusion. The enzyme supplementation did not influence any parameters evaluated. There were dietary fiber effects on body weight gain, viability, egg weight, eggshell quality, yolk pigmentation, and liver and gizzard relative weights. Wheat bran, soybean hull, and coffee husk can be used in laying hen diets without detrimental effect on productive performance. The enzyme used had no effect on the performance and eggshell quality of laying hens.

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 ResumoCom o objetivo de averiguar a relação entre crescimento econômico e aquecimento global, este trabalho analisa uma curva de Kuznets ambiental por meio de uma abordagem econométrica espacial. Estimou-se uma CKA para emissões de CO2 per capita contra a renda per capita e seu termo ao quadrado, controlando, para exportações per capita, o consumo de energia per capita, uma dummy indicando os países que ratificaram o Protocolo de Kyoto. Os resultados sugerem que existem evidências de uma CKA na forma de "U" invertido, isto é, o crescimento reduz o impacto ambiental da atividade econômica. Porém, a incorporação do termo cúbico para a renda revela que as emissões eventualmente voltam a aumentar em níveis muito elevados de crescimento, fazendo que a CKA global estimada apresente o formato de "N". Outra descoberta foi a evidência de que os países que ratificaram o Protocolo reduziram significativamente suas emissões de CO2 per capita. Palavras-ChaveCurva de Kuznets Ambiental, emissões de CO2 per capita, econometria espacial, Protocolo de Kyoto AbstractWith the aim of checking the relationship between income growth and global warming, the present study analyzes a global environmental Kuznets curve for a sample of 187 countries through a spatial econometric approach. An EKC for conventional per capita CO2 emissions was run on per capita income and its square value, controlling for per capita exports, per capita energy consumption, a dummy variable indicating the countries that ratified the Kyoto Protocol. The results suggested that there is evidence of an inverted U shaped EKC, that is, growth reduces the environmental impact of economic activity. However, the incorporation of a cubic term for per capita income shows that emissions eventually return to increase at a very high level of growth, leading the estimated EKC has an N shape. Furthermore, another finding was that there are evidences that countries that ratified the Kyoto Protocol reduced significantly their per capita CO2 emissions.