This study investigates the association of semen traits with boar fertility. The fertility outcome (farrowing rate - FR and total piglets born - TB) of 14 boars was obtained from a field trial conducted during 10 week of breeding period on a commercial farm using multiparous sows (n = 948) through single-sire mating with 2 × 10(9) motile sperm cells per artificial insemination (AI) dose. Sperm motion parameters, evaluated with computer-assisted semen analysis system in raw and stored semen at 17°C for 240 h, in addition to morphological sperm defects, measured on the collection day, were included in the analysis to determine which semen traits were important to discriminate the fertility potential of ejaculates from these boars. The data underwent multivariate cluster, canonical and discriminant analyses. Four clusters of boars were formed based on fertility outcome. One boar, with the lowest FR and TB values (89.7% and 11.98), and two boars, with the highest FR and TB values (97.8% and 14.16), were placed in different clusters. The other boars were separated in two distinct clusters (four and seven boars), including boars with intermediate TB (12.64 and 13.22) but divergent values for FR (95.9% vs 91.8%). Semen traits with higher discriminatory power included total motility, progressive motility, amplitude of lateral head displacement and cytoplasmatic droplets. Through multivariate discriminant analysis, more than 80% of the 140 ejaculates were correctly classified into their own group, showing that this analysis may be an efficient statistical tool to improve the discrimination of potential fertility of boars. Nevertheless, the validation of the relationship between fertility and semen traits using this statistical approach needs to be performed on a larger number of farms and with a greater number of boars.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of different temperature control systems on the voluntary feed intake (VFI), percentage of weight loss (PWL) and performance of lactating sows as well as on the weight of their piglets. Two systems were used: traditional temperature control system (TTCS) with curtain management and an evaporative snout cooling system (ESCS RESUMO O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a influência de diferentes sistemas de controle de temperatura sobre o consumo voluntário de ração (VFI), porcentagem de peso perdido (PWL) e desempenho de fêmeas lactantes e de suas leitegadas. Dois sistemas foram utilizados no estudo: o sistema tradicional de controle de temperatura (TTCS), com manejo de cortina e o sistema de resfriamento adiabático evaporativo (ESCS). O estudo foi realizado no verão de 2011. Após o parto e ao desmame, 241 fêmeas foram pesadas e foi avaliado o PWL durante a lactação. Fêmeas TTCS perderam mais peso (5,3±0,9%; P<0,05) do que as fêmeas ESCS (2,2±0,9%). VFI foi medido em intervalos de quatro dias em 32 fêmeas primíparas e 39 multíparas. Fêmeas ESCS tiveram maior VFI (5,8±0,2kg -1 dia; P<0,05) do que fêmeas TTCS (4,8±0,2 kg dia -1 ). Primíparas (4,4±0,2kg dia -1 ) tiveram menor VFI

Pesq. Vet. Bras. 34 (7) The objective of the study was to identify the frequency of macroscopic and microscopic lesions and bacterial agents involved with pericarditis in slaughter pigs in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The samples were collected in slaughterhouses with Federal Inspection Service (SIF) between February and October, 2010. Condemnation due to pericarditis in the examined animals was 3.9% (299/7,571). Ninety one cases of pericarditis were examined and by histopathology 89% were chronic and 47% of the corresponding lungs showed chronic pleuritis, but there was no significant association between both lesions. The bacterial agents isolated from the hearts were Streptococcus spp., Pasteurella multocida, Haemophilus parasuis and Streptococcus suis. Bacterial DNA from Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae were the most frequently detected by PCR. There was significant association between isolation of P. multocida and Streptococcus spp. in the hearts and corresponding lungs. The results suggest that lung infection could act as a port of entry to the colonization of the adjacent pericardium. In spite of the fact that M. hyopneumoniae was the agent more frequently identified by PCR in the heart and corresponding lung, there was no significant association of the agent in the organs. This suggests that the infections were independent events. The other agents investigated did not show significant association between isolation or DNA detection in heart and corresponding lungs. Another important finding was the presence of coinfection between bacterial agents in 2% of the hearts and by PCR were identified bacterial DNA of two or more agents in 16.5% of the hearts. These results suggest that coinfections in cases of pericarditis need further investigation.

The aim of this study was to perform a proteomic analysis to isolate and identify proteins from the swine sperm nuclear matrix to contribute to a database of swine sperm nuclear proteins. We used prechilled diluted semen from seven boars (19 to 24 weekold) from the commercial line Landrace x Large White x Pietran. The semen was processed to separate the sperm heads and extract the chromatin and nuclear matrix for protein quantification and analysis by mass spectrometry, by LTQ Orbitrap ELITE mass spectrometer (Thermo-Finnigan) coupled to a nanoflow chromatography system (LC-MS/MS). We identified 222 different proteins in the sample; a total of 159 (71.6%) were previously described as present in the somatic or sperm nuclei of other species, 41 (18.5%) did not have a previously reported nuclear presence and 22 (9.9%) had not been characterized. The most abundant family of proteins corresponded to ribosomal (13.1%), followed by cytoskeleton (12.2%), uncharacterized (9.9%), histones (5.4%), proteasome subunits (3.6%) and heat shock (1.8%). The other proteins clustered in other families accounted for 54% of the total proteins. The protein isolation of the nuclear matrix of the swine spermatozoa was satisfactory, thus demonstrating that the protocol used was efficient. Several proteins were identified and described. However, it was not possible to identify some protein structures. Therefore, this study helps to establish a starting point for future proteomic studies comparing fertile and sub-fertile animals.

The lesser mealworm control is mostly made by insecticides, as the association of chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and citronellal. The traditional insecticide application method (TRADM) depends on many liters of water and, with the objective of reducing water consumption, the aim was to compare TRADM with atomizer-equipment method (ATOMM). Four and three houses from farm A and B were used, respectively. Houses 1, 3 and 7 were treated with TRADM (1 liter of insecticide diluted in 500 liters of water) and houses 2, 4, 5 and 6 with ATOMM (1 liter of insecticide diluted in 9 liters of water). Twenty-four hours before and 30 (for farm A) and 45 days (for farm B) after the insecticide application, the number of insects was counted in each house (using 18 mapped traps/house). Farms were not considered different (p>0.05) and comparison was made between the houses. Houses were different (p<0.001) in the pre-treatment count, but they were equal in the second count (p=0.97). The insecticide application increased the number of traps without any insect (p<0.0001). In conclusion, the application method of chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and citronellal insecticide using atomizer equipment presented similar results than using the traditional application method. Both methods were effective in reducing the infestation of all houses, not making any difference if the dilution of the product was in 500 liters or in 9 liters of water; thus, it is possible to spend less water to run this management.

In boar studs, morphological analyses are used to evaluate sperm quality and thereby categorize ejaculates as either approved or rejected. Normally, morphological characteristics correlate with chromatin disorders, but studies to date have only considered the average of abnormalities; cells were not segregated as normal or abnormal. The aim of this study was to assess whether the presence of cytoplasmic droplets was associated with morphometric characteristics and chromatin instability of spermatozoa heads. Morphological analyses were performed on semen from 11 boars using phase contrast microscopy (200 cells per sample). Normal cells were differentiated from those with cytoplasmic droplets and both types were evaluated separately. Photomicrographs were acquired of normal spermatozoa (Group NOR, N = 1,207) as well as spermatozoa with proximal and distal cytoplasmic droplets (Group DROP, N = 725). Sperm-head morphometry and chromatin structure were evaluated using the toluidine blue technique. Spermatozoa heads in the DROP group were longer (8.37 ± 0.60 × 8.31 ± 0.53; P = 0.025), narrower (4.16 ± 0.21 × 4.19 ± 0.19; P = 0.03), and more symmetric on the sides (0.973 ± 0.012 × 0.971 ± 0.011; P = 0.007) than were spermatozoa heads of the NOR group. The DROP group also had a greater average ellipticity (0.335 ± 0.034 × 0.329 ± 0.031; P = 0.0004), a greater percentage of decondensed chromatin (2.71 ± 3.87 × 2.28 ± 1.38; P < 0.0008), and a greater chromatin heterogeneity (4.66 ± 1.40 × 4.40 ± 1.42; P < 0.0001). A greater frequency of semen collection results in a shorter period of cell maturation and this probably affected the degree of chromatin condensation and the cytoplasmic droplet migration, with concomitant effect on the head morphometry measurements. In conclusion, compared with normal spermatozoa, those with cytoplasmic droplets show altered morphometric characteristics, such as longer and narrower spermatozoa heads. They likewise have greater chromatin instability, resulting in a higher percentage of decondensed chromatin and more heterogeneous chromatin.

O objetivo da pesquisa foi comparar parâmetros relacionados ao movimento espermático de ejaculados aprovados e reprovados com alta ocorrência de gota citoplasmática distal. Foram selecionadas 169 amostras de morfologia espermática para serem utilizadas no estudo. Destas, 25 foram reprovadas devido à presença de mais de 10% de gota distal e 144 foram aprovadas em todos os parâmetros avaliados. A avaliação da morfologia espermática foi realizada, contabilizando 200 células por amostra, utilizando microscópio com aumento de 100x. Considerou-se aprovado o ejaculado que apresentou, de forma cumulativa, menos de 20% de células anormais, menos de 5% de defeitos de cabeça, acrossoma, colo e peça intermediária e menos de 10% de alterações de cauda e presença de gota proximal e distal. Características da motilidade espermática avaliada pelo sistema computadorizado foram coletadas de todos os ejaculados avaliados no estudo. Ejaculados reprovados devido à alta ocorrência de gota distal apresentaram menor velocidade em linha reta (p=0,04), menor motilidade total (p=0,035) e progressiva (p=0,004) quando comparados a ejaculados aprovados no exame morfológico. Os resultados indicam que a alta ocorrência de gota citoplasmática distal influencia nos parâmetros de movimento espermático de reprodutores suínos.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o efeito do método de exposição ao macho e da idade da leitoa, por ocasião da exposição, sobre o percentual de manifestação do primeiro estro, idade de início da puberdade e intervalo entre estímulo e puberdade. Leitoas Danbred F1 Landrace x Large White foram induzidas à puberdade com dois sistemas de exposição ao macho -Baia, estímulo feito pela introdução de macho na baia das fêmeas; Bear, estímulo feito pela colocação de fêmeas na área de permanência de machos -, em três idades de início do estímulo -150, 170 e 200 dias. Não houve diferença entre os sistemas de estimulação quanto à percentagem de leitoas em estro, idade à puberdade e intervalo entre estimulação e puberdade. Esse intervalo foi menor, quando a exposição das fêmeas foi feita aos 200 dias de idade, e a proporção de fêmeas que atingiram a puberdade aos 10, 20, 30 e 42 dias após o início da exposição foi maior. A indução da puberdade tem maior sucesso quando a exposição da fêmea ao macho é feita aos 200 dias de idade, independentemente do sistema de estimulação.Termos para indexação: estimulação à puberdade, idade ao primeiro estro, nulípara. Puberty induction in gilts at different ages in two management systemsAbstract -The objective of this work was to determine the effect of boar-exposure method and of gilt age at exposure on the percentage of first estrus manifestation, puberty age, and interval between stimulus and puberty. Danbred F1 Landrace x Large White gilts were induced to puberty with two different systems of boar exposure -Baia, stimuli done by putting a male inside the pens of gilts; Bear, stimuli done by putting the females in an area with males -, and three ages at the beginning of stimulation -150, 170 and 200 days. There was no difference between the stimulation systems for the percentage of gilts in estrus, puberty age, and the interval between stimulation and estrus onset. This interval was lower when stimulus started at 200 days, and the proportion of gilts which reached puberty at 10, 20, 30 and 42 days after the beginning of boar-exposure was higher. Puberty induction has higher success when the female exposure to the male is done at 200 days, regardless of the boar-exposure system.