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Background: Transabdominal ultrasonography in sheep allows real-time diagnosis and monitoring of pregnancy as well as measurement of the size of placentomes, which are structures that connect the fetal and maternal portions, that increase as pregnancy progresses. Progesterone is involved in the maintenance of gestation, with high levels noted during pregnancy. In this context, it is hypothesized that measurements of placentome and progesterone could help in monitoring pregnancy in sheep. Therefore, the main objectives of this study included evaluating whether placentome size and fecal progesterone levels are associated with gestational age in ewes and whether measurement of the placentome and progesterone could be used as an estimate of gestational age. Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 63 pregnant adult (between 2 and 5 years of age) Santa Inês ewes were monitored in the city of Boa Vista, Roraima. All ewes were kept in the paddock with Panicum maximun cv. tanzania, mineral salt, and water ad libitum, supplemented with 200 g/animal/day of soybean residue. Ewes were subjected to ultrasonography every 21 days from day 42 of pregancy until term to monitor pregnancy. Ultrasonography was performed using a linear probe to measure the placentome, including length × width in centimeters. Also every 21 days, fecal samples were collected for measurement of progesterone level. Feces were collected directly from the rectal ampulla, stored individually in plastic bags, and frozen at -20ºC until processing. In the laboratory, these feces samples were freeze-dried and subjected to hormonal extraction with 80% methanol. Then, the levels of fecal progesterone metabolites were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Data was tabulated and submitted to statistical analyses, including descriptive stastistic, correlation, KruskalWallis test and Tukey's test. The levels of fecal progesterone metabolites increased significantly between the 3rd and 4th months of pregnancy, with a decrease close to delivery. Placentome size increased significantly between the 2nd and 3rd months of pregnancy. Placentome measurements did not correlate with progesterone levels and showed a weak correlation with gestational age. Therefore, we concluded that the measurements of placentome size and a single evaluation of fecal progesterone metabolites were not considered efficient methods for estimating gestational age. Discussion: Measurement of progesterone level in fecal samples is a non-invasive hormone monitoring method that provides values like that of blood levels and is less stressful for the animals at the time of sample collection. The wide physiological variation makes it difficult or even useless to use fecal progesterone, when is measured only once per animal, as an indicator of the presence of pregnancy. Despite this limitation, serial sampling is useful for monitoring of hormones during the pregnancy period and is an important tool for research purposes. Placentome size measurements correlated weakly with gestational age and did not correlate with progesterone level. Thus, the presence of placentomes is indicative of the presence of pregnancy but was considered inefficient for determining gestational age in sheep.

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Background: Digestive disturbances in ruminants are associated with forage shortages during periods of dry weather. Foodsavailable at this time are generally of poor quality and low digestibility, which makes it necessary to pursue alternativefood sources where available. Grain-heavy diets; concentrated rations rich in rapidly fermenting carbohydrates; and whey,tubers and fruits high in starch and glucose, contribute to ruminal acidosis. Here we report a case of ruminal acidosis dueto excessive ingestion of the mango fruit (Mangifera indica), “manguita” cultivate, by an adult bovine.Case: In the municipality of Boa Vista, Roraima, during December, a Dutch female bovine adult, weighing approximately600 kg, was observed showing signs of apathy for two days with diarrhea. The animal had a rumenostomy with flexiblecannula in the left paralumbar fossa and was in the final third of gestation. During clinical examination, the animal was inseason, and an increase in the volume of the left dorsal region and changes in physiological variables were observed (lightlypale mucosa, capillary filling time of 4 s, heart rate [HR] of 82 beats per min; respiratory rate (f) of 30 moments per min;absence of ruminal movements and rectal temperature [RT] of 39.5°C). Upon removal of the cannula lid, a considerableamount of liquid and a large quantity of mango (Mangifera indica), “manguita” cultivate, were observed. Blood sampleand ruminal fluid were collected and ruminal contents weighing approximately 40 kg were evacuated. Physical-chemicalanalysis of the ruminal liquid (pH = 4.0, brown color, aqueous consistency and characteristic fruit odor) resulted in adiagnosis of ruminal acidosis. Treatment included administration of fluid therapy (Lactate Ringer; 2 mL/kg/h), hepatoprotector (1 mL/20 kg), antimicrobial (Ampicillin Sodium; 10 mg/kg/IV and Sulfadoxine; 30 mg/kg/IV) and non-steroidalanti-inflammatory (Meloxicam; 0.5 mg/kg/IV) drugs, associated with evacuation...(AU)

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Background: Digestive disturbances in ruminants are associated with forage shortages during periods of dry weather. Foodsavailable at this time are generally of poor quality and low digestibility, which makes it necessary to pursue alternativefood sources where available. Grain-heavy diets; concentrated rations rich in rapidly fermenting carbohydrates; and whey,tubers and fruits high in starch and glucose, contribute to ruminal acidosis. Here we report a case of ruminal acidosis dueto excessive ingestion of the mango fruit (Mangifera indica), “manguita” cultivate, by an adult bovine.Case: In the municipality of Boa Vista, Roraima, during December, a Dutch female bovine adult, weighing approximately600 kg, was observed showing signs of apathy for two days with diarrhea. The animal had a rumenostomy with flexiblecannula in the left paralumbar fossa and was in the final third of gestation. During clinical examination, the animal was inseason, and an increase in the volume of the left dorsal region and changes in physiological variables were observed (lightlypale mucosa, capillary filling time of 4 s, heart rate [HR] of 82 beats per min; respiratory rate (f) of 30 moments per min;absence of ruminal movements and rectal temperature [RT] of 39.5°C). Upon removal of the cannula lid, a considerableamount of liquid and a large quantity of mango (Mangifera indica), “manguita” cultivate, were observed. Blood sampleand ruminal fluid were collected and ruminal contents weighing approximately 40 kg were evacuated. Physical-chemicalanalysis of the ruminal liquid (pH = 4.0, brown color, aqueous consistency and characteristic fruit odor) resulted in adiagnosis of ruminal acidosis. Treatment included administration of fluid therapy (Lactate Ringer; 2 mL/kg/h), hepatoprotector (1 mL/20 kg), antimicrobial (Ampicillin Sodium; 10 mg/kg/IV and Sulfadoxine; 30 mg/kg/IV) and non-steroidalanti-inflammatory (Meloxicam; 0.5 mg/kg/IV) drugs, associated with evacuation...

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Objetivou-se com este trabalho mensurar a respirometria e a emissão de metano entérico por ovinos alimentados com o capim-elefante cortado aos 56, 84 e 112 dias de crescimento. Foram utilizados 18 carneiros adultos sem raça definida, com peso médio de 34,7 ± 6 kg alojados em gaiolas de estudo de metabolismo. A mensuração dos gases foi realizada através de uma câmara respirométrica de fluxo aberto. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado, com seis repetições, e as médias foram comparadas pelo teste SNK (P<0,05). Os animais alimentados com o capim colhido após 56 dias de rebrotação consumiram mais oxigênio e produziram mais dióxido de carbono e metano. As produções de calor variaram 87,19 a 143,57 Kcal/kg 0,75/dia. O coeficiente respiratório foi semelhante entre os tratamentos, com valor médio de 0,98. A produção de metano variou entre 11,74 e 22,51 g/dia, havendo redução com o aumento da idade da planta forrageira. Quando expressa em g/kg0,75/dia, a produção deste gás foi superior para animais que receberam o capim-elefante-verde cortado aos 56 dias de idade (1,53 g/kg 0,75/dia). A emissão de metano (g) por quilo de matéria seca (MS) e de fibra insolúvel em detergente neutro (FDN) consumido para o capim colhido mais novo (56 dias) foi superior à do capim colhido no estádio mais avanço de maturação (112 dias). Porém, as emissões de metano em gramas por quilo de MS digestível (27,2 g/kg) e FDN digestível (44,4 g/kg) foram semelhantes para os capins colhidos nas diferentes idades de corte. A emissão diária de metano (g/kg 0,75/dia) foi maior em animais alimentados com a planta forrageira colhida mais nova, enquanto que se expressa em gramas por quilo de MS ou FDN digestível a emissão deste gás não sofreu influência do capim-elefante no momento do corte.

The aim of this work was to determinate the respirometry and enteric methane emission from sheep fed fresh elephant grass cut at 56, 84 and 112 days of regrowth. Eighteen crossbred sheep (34.7 ± 6 kg) individually housed in metabolic crates were used in this experiment. The gases measurements were accomplished with an open circuit respirometric chamber. The experimental design was completely randomized with three treatments (grass regowth age) and six repetitions (sheep). The data were subjected to ANOVA and means were compared by SNK test (P<0.05). The animals fed with elephant grass harvested at 56 days of regrowth had higher oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Heat production ranged from 87.19 to 143.57 Kcal/kg 0.75/day. The respiratory quotients were similar (P>0.05) among treatments, averaging 0.98. Methane emissions ranged from 11.74 to 22.51 g/day. When expressed in g/kg 0.75/day, methane emissions were higher for sheep fed fresh elephant grass with 56 days of regrowth (1.53 g/kg 0.75/day). Methane emissions expressed in g/kg of dry matter (DM) intake or neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake were higher (P<0.05) for the grass harvested with 56 days of regrowth compared to the grass harvested in more advanced stage of maturity (112 days). However, methane emissions in g/kg of digestible DM (27.2 g/kg) and digestible NDF (44.4 g/kg) were similar among treatments. While daily methane emissions (g/kg 0.75/day) were higher in sheep fed fresh elephant grass harvested with 56 days of regrowth, it was not affected by regrowth age when expressed as g/kg of digestible DM or digestible NDF.

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