Modificações na técnica de mini-FLOTAC para amostras de fezes bovinas e ovinas para facilitar a rotina de campo

ABSTRACT. We evaluated and compared carcass traits and meat quality in Nellore cattle and F1 crosses between Nellore and Araguaia, where 17 individuals were from the Nellore group and 19 were ½ Nellore and ½ Araguaia crosses. All animals belonged to the same birth season and were raised in pasture systems under the same nutritional, environmental, and management conditions. When the animals reached slaughter weight, they were taken to an industrial slaughterhouse where food was not provided for 24 h (free access to water); they were then stunned, bled, the leather was removed, and they were eviscerated. The carcasses were weighed (hot weight), kept in chilled storage for approximately 24 h at 4°C, and weighed again to obtain the chilled carcass weight. Carcass yield, carcass length, carcass width, leg length, N.V. Costa et al. 5380©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 14 (2): 5379-5389 (2015) thigh perimeter, loin eye area (LEA), retail cuts, cooling loss, pH, fat depth, marbling rate, intramuscular fat, color, and shear force were analyzed and sensory analysis of the meat was conducted. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed for the following variables: slaughter weight, hot and chilled carcass weights, carcass and leg lengths, thigh perimeter, LEA, retail cuts, and lightness (L*), where the ½ Nellore ½ Araguaia individuals showed higher means for all of these traits, except leg length and L*. Therefore, crossbreeding between Nellore and Araguaia did not affect the meat's sensory characteristics, but contributed to an improvement in carcass traits, providing an alternative for farmers that aim for good meat quality, with a higher meat percentage.

Gastrointestinal parasites are a significant challenge in sheep farming, and periparturient ewes are one of the most susceptible categories in sheep flocks. This study aimed to verify whether the injection of B vitamins at the acupuncture point governing vessel 14 (GV14) can influence the parasitic load or host parasite interaction in naturally infected ewes during the peripartum period. Four weeks before parturition, 25 ewes were divided into five treatment groups: (1) Dose Control: 0.2 mL of B complex via IM; (2) Drug Control: 2 mL Complex B via IM; (3) Acupoint Control: 0.2 mL of Water at GV14 point; (4) Control; (5) Test group: 0.2 mL of B complex at the GV14 point. Treatments were performed at weeks -3, -1, 2, 4, and 6 about the parturition time. Fecal samples to estimate the parasitic load by fecal egg counts (FEC) and total blood samples for hemogram examination were performed seven days after the treatment, coinciding with weeks -2, 3, 5, and 7 about the parturition time. The number of peripheral eosinophils was higher in group 3 than in group 1 (p <0.05). Although groups 3 and 5 had lower mean values of FEC and higher hematological values at the time of weaning, these differences were not statistically significant (p> 0.05) according to the F test. However, all animals in groups 3 and 5 maintained low parasitism levels until the end of the experiment. Further studies should be performed with larger sample sizes and minor changes to the experimental protocol to elucidate the role of GV14 acupoint stimulation in the host-parasite relationship.