Volumen 20 Número 2 by Fabiana Caldara

ABSTRACT
Objectives. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of sows’ of different parities and th... more ABSTRACT
Objectives. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of sows’ of different parities and the supplement of coconut oil for piglets, on the development of litter. Materials and methods. A total of 51 sows of different parities and their 642 piglets were used in the trial. Each piglet was weighed and identified at birth in a sequential order. They were randomly distributed in two treatments (CG=control group and TG=test group). TG piglets had the first access to a dosage of 3.0 ml of coconut oil 12 hours after birth, and the second at 36 h after the first. Piglets were weighed at 21 days. In order to analyze the effect of the coconut oil supplement as a function of the weight at birth, piglets were grouped according to their weight (0.600 to 0.900 kg; 1.000 to 1.499kg; 1.500 to 1.999 kg; and 2.000 to 2.499 kg). Results. Sows parity affected the number and weight of born piglets. Sows in 4th, 5th and 7th parity had a larger litter than those from the 2nd parity. Sows from 2nd and 3rd parity had a lower number of piglets but heavier litter. No effect of the coconut oil supplement on neonatal piglets’ performance was found. Conclusions. The coconut meal was neither beneficial to neonatal piglets nor to those with low weight at birth, which usually present low body energy.

ABSTRACT
Objective. A study was carried out to evaluate the performance and the plasma urea nitro... more ABSTRACT
Objective. A study was carried out to evaluate the performance and the plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) of male pigs of medium genetic potential for lean meat deposition in carcass, which underwent immunocastration. Materials and methods. Forty-five seventy-days old Large White x Landrace crossbred were used. The pigs were distributed in a randomized design in three treatments: castrated males, females and immunocastrated males. Each treatment group was replicated three times with five pigs per replicate. The trial period was of 70 days, divided into phases of growing (70 to 110 days old) and finishing (111 to 140 days old). The pigs were weighed four times: at the beginning of the trial, at the first immunocastration vaccine dose (80 days old), at the second immunocastration vaccine dose (110 days old) and just before slaughter (140 days old). Blood samples were taken on the same day that the animals were weighed. Results. Between 80 and 110 days old, there was an increase in PUN value, only for castrated males and females. No differences were found in weight gain between the studied groups within the periods. Immunocastrated males had lower feed intake than females and these had a lower feed intake than castrated males. To 110 days old, immunocastrated animals showed feed conversion ratio similar to females and better than castrated males. However, after the second dose of the vaccine, feed conversion was similar between groups. Conclusions. The benefits of immunocastration are prominent in animals with low to medium genetic potential
Papers by Fabiana Caldara

Animals
The rearing environment of pigs can cause a high level of stress due to the lack of stimuli and t... more The rearing environment of pigs can cause a high level of stress due to the lack of stimuli and the impossibility of carrying out natural behaviors. Music therapy is a way to enrich the environment and promote stress relief. Few studies in swine using environmental enrichers focus on functional benefits, such as stress resilience, improved biological functions, or mental status. The effect of environmental enrichment on neurobiological processes is particularly poorly understood in farm animals. Thus, our study sought to elucidate the influence of music in piglets exposed to music therapy in the intrauterine and extrauterine phase on neuroplasticity, evaluating the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Behavioural responses were also evaluated using fear tests related to stress resilience. The productive performance of these piglets was analysed to relate the possible reduction in stress levels to greater productivity gains. Forty-eight sows were used at 90 days of ges...

Agrarian, 2012
Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar a inclusão de diferentes níveis de própo... more Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de avaliar a inclusão de diferentes níveis de própolis na dieta e seu efeito na morfometria da mucosa intestinal de 120 poedeiras semipesadas com 55 semanas de idade, da linhagem Isa Brown®. O delineamento experimental adotado foi inteiramente casualizado com quatro tratamentos (0, 1, 2 e 3% de própolis in natura na dieta) e três repetições de 10 aves cada. Na ocasião foram avaliadas as medidas de peso do intestino, fígado, pâncreas, moela e proventrículo e estimadas as porcentagens de cada órgão em relação ao peso corporal das aves. Para a avaliação da morfometria da mucosa foram coletados segmentos de duodeno, jejuno e íleo, de oito aves por tratamento. Através da microscopia óptica foram mensuradas altura e largura das vilosidades, bem como a profundidade de cripta. Os dados foram avaliados por ANOVA e as médias comparadas por teste de Tukey (p

Animal behavior studies employ various methodologies to collect the frequency of activities durin... more Animal behavior studies employ various methodologies to collect the frequency of activities during observations. The use of video recording technologies as a way to facilitate the observation of several animals at the same time, eliminate doubts among observers, and optimize the observation time contributes to proper analysis of data. The intervals between observations in behavioral studies vary according to the animal species and purpose of the study. This research aimed to study the behavior of pigs in the growth phase using different observation intervals (continuous, 5, and 10 min). In a pen with 46 animals, 14 female and male pigs were identified, which were observed using the focal animal sampling method for 5 h. The treatments were the observations intervals, namely: T1 = continuous, T2 = every 5 min, and T3 = every 10 min. It was seen that, among the behaviors analyzed during the experiment, the different observation intervals did not impact the time the animals spent in the activities.

Work, 2021
BACKGROUND: Poultry activity exposes workers to accidents and unhealthy conditions with physical,... more BACKGROUND: Poultry activity exposes workers to accidents and unhealthy conditions with physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychological risks. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to list risk factors in poultry farms in operational, behavioral, and environmental aspects. METHODS: We evaluated poultry farm workers through quantitative and qualitative analysis applying a semi-structured online questionnaire containing 58 questions to identify risks in the workplace and health implications. RESULTS: Most facilities were air-conditioned, workers performed their activities in a totally closed environment, with low light (1 to 10 lux), for more than 40 h/wk. Regarding accidents, 61%of workers claimed to have suffered some type of accident, 34%claimed to not use personal protection equipment, and 41%felt unable to perform their activities at some time due to health problems; handling animals and animal waste were the most significant biological risks; dust and ammonia corresponded to ...

Animal Science Journal, 2021
The objective is to evaluate different bedding materials, including dehydrated grass, on performa... more The objective is to evaluate different bedding materials, including dehydrated grass, on performance and carcass yield and verify the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of materials. The completely randomized experiment comprised 1,080 chicks in a 3 × 2 factorial design with three levels of dehydrated grass (0%, 25%, and 50%) and two bedding materials (rice husks and shavings). Total microorganism count and physicochemical characteristics, surface temperature of birds, and performance of birds were analyzed up to 42 days of age, when birds were slaughtered, and carcass yield was evaluated. The inclusion of grass showed a higher microbiological count after 1 day, stabilizing with materials after 28 days. The inclusion of 50% of dehydrated grass resulted in a higher surface bed temperature at 42 days. Inclusions above 25% of grass have a lower density and a greater water retention capacity, pH, moisture, and total nitrogen, in addition to a lower FDA in its structure. The highest ammonia emissions occurred with the inclusion of 25% of grass. The inclusion of dehydrated grass did not affect performance and carcass yield, favoring feed conversion at the initial stages. The inclusion of grass can replace up to 25% of shavings without harming physicochemical parameters of materials and birds' performance.

Engenharia Agrícola, 2018
The large majority of broiler houses use two types of systems: dark-house system-DHP, and tunnel ... more The large majority of broiler houses use two types of systems: dark-house system-DHP, and tunnel with curtain system-ATC. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association and the prevalence of locomotion issues in the broiler commercial farming systems (DHP and ATC). For assessing the thermal environment and the litter quality, a completely random design was adopted using two factors (broiler houses, DHP and ATC) with 12 repetitions. To study the surface temperature of the broiler breast, and the locomotion ability (gait score) a completely randomized design was adopted in a double factorial scheme 2 x 2 (two houses typology vs. sex) with 24 repetitions. To verify whether the type of house and the sex were associated to broiler locomotion problems due to the lack in walking ability, and the presence of medular compression (spondylolisthesis) the logistic regression was applied to the analysis: odds ratio and relative risk. The chance of the poultry to present inability of walking was 3.80 times higher in the male population. The risk factor associated with the lack of walking ability of the poultry was correlated to the tunnel house with curtains, presenting a relative risk 1.58 times higher when compared to the dark-house with walls. There was not the relative risk of medular compression (spondylolisthesis) neither was found an association between the poultry' sex and the type of house. The reduction in the male broiler locomotion ability might be associated with the rearing in the housing tunnel with curtains.

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 2018
The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of environmental enrichment on the beha... more The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of environmental enrichment on the behavior of pigs in nursery and growth phases. (i) Ninety animals (females, 65 days, 25 kg) were divided into three treatments (T1- Pen enriched with objects made of destructible material by the animal, T2- Pen enriched with objects made of non-destructible material by the animal, T3- Pen without environmental enrichment objects - control treatment) - in a completely randomized design and reference of the animals by objects of enrichment of different colors (red, blue or yellow). (ii) males, 25 days old, 7 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments (cloves, garlic, alternating aromas and absence of control smells) and six replicates each. (iii) determine the appropriate ratio between the number of enrichment objects and the animals present in the animals (n = 138; females; 65 days; 25 kg) were distributed in three treatments, in a completely randomized experim...
Meat Science, 2019
A total of 172 pigs were randomly allocated to two stunning treatments: carbon dioxide (CO 2) and... more A total of 172 pigs were randomly allocated to two stunning treatments: carbon dioxide (CO 2) and electrical stunning at a commercial abattoir. The Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle was used to evaluate the effects of stunning methods on pork quality and financial losses of carcasses and viscera condemnation was also determined following by sanitary inspection. There was no effect due to stunning method on quality parameters (P>0.137) of pH 24, drip or thaw loss, lipid oxidation, myofibrillar fragmentation index, shear force or PSE / DFD meat incidence. The LL muscle of the electrically stunned pigs had a higher L * value (P <0.05), higher cooking loss (P <0.001) and lower pH 45 (P <0.05) compared to those stunned with CO 2. CO 2 stunned

Revista MVZ Córdoba, 2015
ABSTRACTObjective. A study was carried out to evaluate the performance and the plasma urea nitrog... more ABSTRACTObjective. A study was carried out to evaluate the performance and the plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) of male pigs of medium genetic potential for lean meat deposition in carcass, which underwent immunocastration. Materials and methods. Forty-five seventy-days old Large White x Landrace crossbred were used. The pigs were distributed in a randomized design in three treatments: castrated males, females and immunocastrated males. Each treatment group was replicated three times with five pigs per replicate. The trial period was of 70 days, divided into phases of growing (70 to 110 days old) and finishing (111 to 140 days old). The pigs were weighed four times: at the beginning of the trial, at the first immunocastration vaccine dose (80 days old), at the second immunocastration vaccine dose (110 days old) and just before slaughter (140 days old). Blood samples were taken on the same day that the animals were weighed. Results. Between 80 and 110 days old, there was an increase in PUN...

Revista MVZ Córdoba, 2015
ABSTRACTObjectives. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of sows’ of different parities and the... more ABSTRACTObjectives. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of sows’ of different parities and the supplement of coconut oil for piglets, on the development of litter. Materials and methods. A total of 51 sows of different parities and their 642 piglets were used in the trial. Each piglet was weighed and identified at birth in a sequential order. They were randomly distributed in two treatments (CG=control group and TG=test group). TG piglets had the first access to a dosage of 3.0 ml of coconut oil 12 hours after birth, and the second at 36 h after the first. Piglets were weighed at 21 days. In order to analyze the effect of the coconut oil supplement as a function of the weight at birth, piglets were grouped according to their weight (0.600 to 0.900 kg; 1.000 to 1.499kg; 1.500 to 1.999 kg; and 2.000 to 2.499 kg). Results. Sows parity affected the number and weight of born piglets. Sows in 4th, 5th and 7th parity had a larger litter than those from the 2nd parity. Sows from 2nd and ...

Engenharia Agrícola, 2016
The global animal production is increasing as expected to meet world demand for food, especially ... more The global animal production is increasing as expected to meet world demand for food, especially for meat products. This research aimed to investigate the effect of two types of roofs (clay and fiber-cement tiles) in a tropical area on the thermal comfort of farrowing sows and piglets. Twelve sows and forty-eight piglets were observed during summer in the Southeast region of Brazil. Climate variables, thermal comfort and surface temperature (sows and piglets) were assessed. The type of roofs clearly affected the piglets' surface temperature during all studied periods, but the results were not similar in the sows' surface temperature. Temperature and humidity index found was high in the building with fiber-cement tiles. The pen location in the housing also influenced the piglet surface temperature. Controlling temperature fluctuation in piglet housing is crucial; therefore, providing adequate rearing environment in tropical condition might help pig productivity as well as farmer profitability.

Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 2016
The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of immunocastrated male pigs compared wi... more The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of immunocastrated male pigs compared with females and castrated males during the period before and after full immunization. A total of 30 animals were divided into three treatments, with ten animals in each (females, barrows, and immunocastrated males). The experiment was divided into three periods: 70 to 80 days of age (period 1), 81 to 110 days of age (period 2), and 111 to 140 days of age (period 3). The behavior of animals during these stages was evaluated. Immunocastrated males showed a higher rate of aggressive and sexual behavior during period 2, which decreased after the second vaccine dose. Both barrows and immunocastrated males presented high locomotion in period 1, reducing the frequency of this activity in period 3. All analyzed animals had a higher level of activities such as drinking, playing, and sexual behavior in period 1 than in the other periods, decreasing during the experiment. The remaining behavioral responses did not differ between the studied categories. Immunocastrated males had higher proportions of undesirable behaviors (aggressive and sexual) related to the surgically castrated males and females, and these were reduced after the second vaccine dose. Immunocastration is effective in the reduction of behaviors such as agonistic and sexual at the same levels observed in females and surgically castrated males. However, immunocastrated pigs are more subject to these undesirable behaviors before full immunization.

Revista Brasileira de Engenharia de Biossistemas, 2015
O estudo foi realizado com objetivo de avaliar os parâmetros fisiológicos de poedeiras alojadas e... more O estudo foi realizado com objetivo de avaliar os parâmetros fisiológicos de poedeiras alojadas em diferentes densidades de alojamento e períodos. Foram utilizadas 150 poedeiras Dekalb White com 20 semanas de idade alojadas em um galpão convencional com gaiolas metálicas com duas subdivisões de 50x45x40 cm2 e distribuídas em três tratamentos: 8 aves por gaiola (562,5 cm2/ave); 10 aves por gaiola (450 cm2/ave) e 12 aves por gaiola (375 cm2/ave), com cinco repetições cada. Avaliaram-se parâmetros fisiológicos (frequência respiratória, temperatura cloacal e temperatura superficial) e condições ambientais (temperatura ambiente e umidade relativa) durante três ciclos de 28 dias. Adotou-se um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com arranjo fatorial 3x3 (três densidades de alojamento e três períodos). Os resultados demonstraram que a densidade de alojamento não prejudicou a frequência respiratória e a temperatura superficial, porém, a temperatura cloacal diferiu significativamente, sendo...

Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental, 2015
ABSTRACTLight is an important environmental factor for birds, allowing not only their vision, but... more ABSTRACTLight is an important environmental factor for birds, allowing not only their vision, but also influencing their physiological responses, such as behavioral and reproductive activity. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the impact of different colors of monochromatic light (LED) sources in laying hens production during the second laying cycle. The study was conducted in an experimental laying house during 70 days. A total of 300 laying hens Isa Brown® genetic strain, aged 95 weeks, in the second laying cycle were used in the study. The artificial light sources used were blue, yellow, green, red and white. The light regimen was continuous illumination of 17 h per day (12 h natural and 5 h artificial) in a daily light regimen of 17L:5D (light: dark). The Latin Square design was adopted with five treatments (five colors) divided into five periods, and five boxes, with six replicates of ten birds in each box. The production and egg quality were evaluated. The differ...

Revista Brasileira de Engenharia de Biossistemas, 2013
A análise de sinais sonoros mostra-se como um bom indicativo para estimar bem-estar de animais. A... more A análise de sinais sonoros mostra-se como um bom indicativo para estimar bem-estar de animais. A análise da vocalização dos animais permite o acesso de forma não invasiva ao estado e à condição dos animais. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar as condições de alojamento de matrizes suínas lactantes usando o registro de sinais sonoros do ambiente onde as porcas estiveram alojadas. A análise do ambiente acústico constou da interpretação do nível de ruído e o entendimento da vocalização e sua associação com estresse. Um software foi desenvolvido com a finalidade de computar os sinais, utilizando redes neurais. Para o treinamento da rede, foram selecionadas de forma aleatória, duas reprodutoras em baias individuais e uma reprodutora em baia coletiva com um microfone conectado a um computador e foram calculadas as formas de ondas dos sons emitidos pela porca durante a amamentação e o espectro de frequência. Através dos resultados não foi possível afirmar que a instalação provocou mu...
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Volumen 20 Número 2 by Fabiana Caldara
Objectives. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of sows’ of different parities and the supplement of coconut oil for piglets, on the development of litter. Materials and methods. A total of 51 sows of different parities and their 642 piglets were used in the trial. Each piglet was weighed and identified at birth in a sequential order. They were randomly distributed in two treatments (CG=control group and TG=test group). TG piglets had the first access to a dosage of 3.0 ml of coconut oil 12 hours after birth, and the second at 36 h after the first. Piglets were weighed at 21 days. In order to analyze the effect of the coconut oil supplement as a function of the weight at birth, piglets were grouped according to their weight (0.600 to 0.900 kg; 1.000 to 1.499kg; 1.500 to 1.999 kg; and 2.000 to 2.499 kg). Results. Sows parity affected the number and weight of born piglets. Sows in 4th, 5th and 7th parity had a larger litter than those from the 2nd parity. Sows from 2nd and 3rd parity had a lower number of piglets but heavier litter. No effect of the coconut oil supplement on neonatal piglets’ performance was found. Conclusions. The coconut meal was neither beneficial to neonatal piglets nor to those with low weight at birth, which usually present low body energy.
Objective. A study was carried out to evaluate the performance and the plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) of male pigs of medium genetic potential for lean meat deposition in carcass, which underwent immunocastration. Materials and methods. Forty-five seventy-days old Large White x Landrace crossbred were used. The pigs were distributed in a randomized design in three treatments: castrated males, females and immunocastrated males. Each treatment group was replicated three times with five pigs per replicate. The trial period was of 70 days, divided into phases of growing (70 to 110 days old) and finishing (111 to 140 days old). The pigs were weighed four times: at the beginning of the trial, at the first immunocastration vaccine dose (80 days old), at the second immunocastration vaccine dose (110 days old) and just before slaughter (140 days old). Blood samples were taken on the same day that the animals were weighed. Results. Between 80 and 110 days old, there was an increase in PUN value, only for castrated males and females. No differences were found in weight gain between the studied groups within the periods. Immunocastrated males had lower feed intake than females and these had a lower feed intake than castrated males. To 110 days old, immunocastrated animals showed feed conversion ratio similar to females and better than castrated males. However, after the second dose of the vaccine, feed conversion was similar between groups. Conclusions. The benefits of immunocastration are prominent in animals with low to medium genetic potential
Papers by Fabiana Caldara
Objectives. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of sows’ of different parities and the supplement of coconut oil for piglets, on the development of litter. Materials and methods. A total of 51 sows of different parities and their 642 piglets were used in the trial. Each piglet was weighed and identified at birth in a sequential order. They were randomly distributed in two treatments (CG=control group and TG=test group). TG piglets had the first access to a dosage of 3.0 ml of coconut oil 12 hours after birth, and the second at 36 h after the first. Piglets were weighed at 21 days. In order to analyze the effect of the coconut oil supplement as a function of the weight at birth, piglets were grouped according to their weight (0.600 to 0.900 kg; 1.000 to 1.499kg; 1.500 to 1.999 kg; and 2.000 to 2.499 kg). Results. Sows parity affected the number and weight of born piglets. Sows in 4th, 5th and 7th parity had a larger litter than those from the 2nd parity. Sows from 2nd and 3rd parity had a lower number of piglets but heavier litter. No effect of the coconut oil supplement on neonatal piglets’ performance was found. Conclusions. The coconut meal was neither beneficial to neonatal piglets nor to those with low weight at birth, which usually present low body energy.
Objective. A study was carried out to evaluate the performance and the plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) of male pigs of medium genetic potential for lean meat deposition in carcass, which underwent immunocastration. Materials and methods. Forty-five seventy-days old Large White x Landrace crossbred were used. The pigs were distributed in a randomized design in three treatments: castrated males, females and immunocastrated males. Each treatment group was replicated three times with five pigs per replicate. The trial period was of 70 days, divided into phases of growing (70 to 110 days old) and finishing (111 to 140 days old). The pigs were weighed four times: at the beginning of the trial, at the first immunocastration vaccine dose (80 days old), at the second immunocastration vaccine dose (110 days old) and just before slaughter (140 days old). Blood samples were taken on the same day that the animals were weighed. Results. Between 80 and 110 days old, there was an increase in PUN value, only for castrated males and females. No differences were found in weight gain between the studied groups within the periods. Immunocastrated males had lower feed intake than females and these had a lower feed intake than castrated males. To 110 days old, immunocastrated animals showed feed conversion ratio similar to females and better than castrated males. However, after the second dose of the vaccine, feed conversion was similar between groups. Conclusions. The benefits of immunocastration are prominent in animals with low to medium genetic potential