Dutch Breeds Research Articles

Pathologic Changes in and Immunophenotyping of Polymyositis in the Dutch Kooiker Dog.

Earlier, we described a breed-specific inflammatory myopathy in Dutch Kooiker dogs (Het Nederlandse Kooikerhondje), one of the nine Dutch breeds. The disease commonly manifests itself with clinical signs of difficulty walking, muscle weakness, exercise intolerance, and/or dysphagia. In nearly all dogs' creatine kinase (CK) activity was elevated. Histopathology reveals the infiltration of inflammatory cells within the skeletal muscles. The objective of this study was to further investigate and characterize the histopathological changes in muscle tissue and immunophenotype the inflammatory infiltrates. FFPE fixed-muscle biopsies from 39 purebred Kooiker dogs were included and evaluated histopathologically according to a tailored classification scheme for skeletal muscle inflammation. As in other breed-related inflammatory myopathies, multifocal, mixed, and predominantly mononuclear cell infiltration was present, with an initial invasion of viable muscle fibres and the surrounding stroma leading to inflammation, necrosis, and tissue damage. Immunophenotyping primarily revealed lymphohistiocytic infiltrates, with CD3+ T-cells being the predominant inflammatory cell type, accompanied by CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells. The concurrent expression of MHC-II class molecules on myofibres suggests their involvement in initiating and maintaining inflammation. Additionally, CD20+ B-cells were identified, though in lower numbers compared to T-cells, and IBA-1-positive macrophages were frequently seen. These findings suggest a breed-specific subtype of polymyositis in Kooiker dogs, akin to other breeds. This study sheds light on the immune response activation, combining adaptive and innate mechanisms, contributing to our understanding of polymyositis in this breed.

The Comparative Study on Effect of Breed and Gender on Some Carcass Traits of New Zealand White and Dutch Rabbit Breeds

This study was designed to observe the effect of breed on some carcass traits of New Zealand White and Dutch rabbit breeds. In this study, 2 males and 8 female Breeder Rabbits from New Zealand White and Dutch rabbit breeds were purchased from a local farmer and allowed for breeding purposes by the ratio of 1:4 Male to Female in different cages. From the first filial generation, 80 kits were randomly selected after weaning at 21-25 days and grouped into A, B, C, and D. Groups A and C included males of New Zealand White and Dutch breeds, whereas B and D included females. Their live weight at 80 days was observed, and lastly, they were slaughtered to observe the effect of breed on carcass traits. Dutch breed males showed significantly higher (P<0.05) weaning weight, live weight, slaughter weight, carcass weight, boneless weight, bone weight and dressing percentage compared to New Zealand White males, while Dutch females also exhibited higher traits compared to New Zealand White females. The results indicated that Dutch rabbits had higher birth weight, weaning weight, live weight, slaughter weight, carcass weight, boneless weight, bone weight, and dressing percentage as compared with New Zealand White breeds.

Influence of The Use of Blend Natural Additives From Probiotics, Prebiotics and Dry Sugarcane Yeast in The Diet of Cows on The Production and Quality Of Beef Milk

Objective: To evaluate the effect of supplementation of a commercial additive based on a blend of probiotics, prebiotics and dry sugar cane yeast (Nutrimais® Company Product +Milk®), on the production and quality of cows' milk. Theoretical structure: Natural additives used in the diet of lactating cattle have a synergistic effect and may interfere with milk production and quality, but studies on these additives in the field are scarce. Methods: The experiment was carried out in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 46 cows of the Dutch breed were divided into two control groups without supplementation and treated group supplemented with 8g/day of the additive +Milk®. Milk samples for urea nitrogen analysis and milk somatic cell count were collected weekly for 12 weeks. Production in day-1 liters was evaluated. Results and conclusion: The use of this additive provides increased productivity and significant reduction of somatic cell count in the milk of cows of the Dutch breed. Implication of research: This study addresses information on the use of a commercial additive and its effects on milk production and quality, providing data to ensure the expected effect and clarify the benefits of including this additive in the diet of animals. Originality/value: The results of the study have crucial implications for strategies to manipulate the nutrition of dairy cows with a view to increasing productivity and improving the immunity of animals through the inclusion of a natural supplement available on the market.

Niche partitioning and competition between different rabbit breeds using stable isotopes

Stable isotope analysis (SIA) is an evolving method for determining diet, understanding food web and resolving biogeochemical issues in the ecosystem. This study aims to trace out ecological niche preferences/partitioning and competition among the lagomorphs, including two different breeds of European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), New Zealand rabbit and American Dutch rabbit, using SIA. Thirty-two samples of tooth enamel were analysed, which were collected from different districts of Punjab, Pakistan, including Okara, Sahiwal and Kasur. Among these samples, 16 belonged to the New Zealand breed (08 male and 08 female rabbits) and 16 to the American Dutch breed (08 male and 08 female rabbits). Significant (P<0.001) intergender differences in the isotope content of δ13C in the enamel for New Zealand and American Dutch rabbit were found. The European rabbits showed significant differences for both genders in the stable isotope of oxygen in the enamel (δ18O) values (P=0.05). Nitrogen stable isotope results showed no significant intergender differences between American Dutch and New Zealand rabbits (P=0.24). The stable isotope results for δ13C, δ15N, and δ18O indicate that the trophic niche partitioning of both breeds overlaps, which can potentially cause competition for resources, whereas the water intake may differ among different genders, which may reflect differential gender-related activities. The archaeological and fossilised data of lagomorphs is present, but there is no significant literature available for living lagomorphs (rabbits). In general, this study provides a basic and first dataset for δ13C, δ15N, and δ18O of living lagomorphs, which can serve as a comparative dataset for future studies.

Milk Composition and Productivity of Holstein Cows in Ryegrass Grazing and Crude Glycerin in The Diet

Objective: The aim of this project was to evaluate the effect of crude glycerin addition in the diet, milk composition and milk yield in dairy milking cows on different stages of lactation. Theoretical framework: It is necessary to balance the supply of protein and energy in the diet of lactating cows. Within this context, a by-product of the Biodiesel industry, called crude glycerin, is low cost and has a high energy value for ruminants, since its main component is glycerol, which ruminants have the capacity to use as a precursor gluconeogenic (Chung et al., 2007). Methods: The experiment was performed with Holstein cows (n=18), divided in two groups of treatment: 1) Basal diet without crude glycerin addition, 2) Diet with 10% of crude glycerin addition in the dry matter. Individual milk samples were collected for the analysis of the percentage of Fat, Protein, Lactose, Total Solids and Somatic Cell Count (Cs mL-1), as well as milk production (liters -1 and corrected for 4% fat). Results and conclusion: It was concluded that the addition of crude glycerin in the diet had no significant effect on the milk production and composition of cows of the Dutch breed. Originality/value: The study results have crucial implications for cow nutrition strategies. Implication of the research: The study results have crucial implications for strategies in the Nutrition of the cows.

Response to Selection for Body weight and Linear Body Traits in Breeds of Rabbit

An assessment of the selection response of body weight and linear body traits in breeds of rabbit in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria was conducted. A population of 48 matured rabbits consisting of three breeds; New Zealand white, Chinchilla and Dutch was used in the experiment. Each breed represented a treatment group and was used to generate 288 rabbits in a nested design. The populations were selected at six weeks of age in all the generations. The growth traits considered were; body weight, ear length, nose to shoulder, body length, length of back leg, thigh length, and heart girth and thigh circumference. Data generated were subjected to analysis of variance using the SAS software. The New Zealand White had a higher body weight of 1157.92±22.75g and 1229.35±24.07g in generations one and two respectively, and heart girth of 20.09±0.14cm, thigh length of 15.93±0.09cm, body length of 44.52±0.48cm and thigh circumference 10.96±0.09cm in generation one. The length of back legs and heart girth in generation two were better expressed in Chinchilla and Dutch breeds, respectively. The selection response range was 19.45 - 22.20kg and 13.59 - 14.95kg in males and females respectively for body weight while the linear body traits ranged from 0.01 - 0.30cm and 0.01 - 0.28cm for males and females respectively in New Zealand white. For chinchilla, responses to selection for body weight were 9.45-10.33kg and 1.85 - 14.54kg for males and females respectively while linear body traits ranged from 0.01- 0.33cm for both males and females. The response to selection for body weight in Dutch ranged from 7.48 - 27.40kg and 18.38 - 18.66kg for males and females respectively, whereas for the linear body traits the range was 0.01 - 0.34cm and 0.02 - 0.40cm for males and females respectively. It was observed that the Dutch genotype had the best selection progress for body weight and linear body traits and therefore recommended for improvement of body weight and linear body traits

Fixing Collinearity Instability in Body Weight Estimation Based on Morpho-biometrical Traits of Rabbits Bucks

Morpho-biometric studies were conducted on 32 growing rabbit bucks comprising Chinchilla, New Zealand white and Dutch breeds to identify the estimation of body weight collinearity. The body weight and biometric traits taken were analyzed using statistical package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. Body weight and zoometrical factors had positive and highly significant bivariate relationships. The body weight and height at the withers showed the best relationship (0.826; p<0.01), whilst the foreleg and ear length showed the lowest correlation (0.542; p<0.05). Since none of the body measurements were greater than 10.00, the variance inflation factors (VIFs) displayed non-collinearity issues in all of the measurements. Tolerance (T) values greater than 0.10 in all of the same measurements served as confirmation of this. No collinearity was also evident in the eigenvalues of the correlation matrix, condition indices, or variance proportions. Body length was kept as the most crucial attribute for prediction among the variables. This study showed that there is no collinearity among selected morphometric traits. Stepwise multi-regression models showed that the best predictor of body weight was based on a combination of wither height, chest circumference, waist circumference, waist length, hind limb length, and head circumference (R2 and adjusted R2 =0.84). This research has the practical application that morphological indices can be utilized in the field to estimate body weight for selection and to estimate market values for rabbit bucks.

Estimation of inbreeding, between-breed genomic relatedness and definition of sub-populations in red-pied cattle breeds

Currently, enhancing the collaboration between related breeds is of main importance to increase the competitivity and the sustainability of local breeds. One type of collaboration is the development of an across-breed reference population that will allow a better management of local breeds. For this purpose, the genomic relatedness between the local target breed and possible breeds to be included in the reference population should be estimated. In Europe, there are several local red-pied cattle breeds that would benefit from this kind of collaboration. However, how different red-pied cattle breeds from the Benelux are related to each other and can collaborate is still unclear. The objectives of this study were therefore: (1) to estimate the level of inbreeding of the East Belgian Red and White (EBRW), the Red-Pied of the Ösling (RPO) and Dutch red-pied cattle breeds; (2) to determine the genomic relatedness of several red-pied cattle breeds, with a special focus on two endangered breeds: the EBRW and the RPO, and (3) based on the second objective, to detect animals from other breeds that were genomically close enough to be considered as advantageous in the creation of an across-breed reference population of EBRW or RPO. The estimated inbreeding levels based on runs of homozygosity were relatively low for almost all the studied breeds and especially for the EBRW and RPO. This would imply that inbreeding is currently not an issue in these two endangered breeds and that their sustainability is not threatened by their level of inbreeding. The results from the principal component analysis, the phylogenetic tree and the clustering all highlighted that the EBRW and RPO breeds were included in the genomic continuum of the studied red-pied cattle breeds and can be therefore considered as genomically close to Dutch red-pied cattle breeds, highlighting the possibility of a collaboration between these breeds. Especially, EBRW animals were closely related to Deep Red and Improved Red animals while, to a lesser extent, the RPO animals were closely related to the Meuse-Rhine-Yssel breed. Based on these results, we could use distance measures, based either on the principal component analysis or clustering, to detect animals from Dutch breeds that were genomically closest to the EBRW or RPO breeds. This will finally allow the building of an across-breed reference population for EBRW or RPO for further genomic evaluations, considering these genomically closest animals from other breeds.

BREEDING HERITAGE OF DAIRY CATTLE OF UKRAINE – UKRAINIAN WHITE-HEADED BREED

BREEDING HERITAGE OF DAIRY CATTLE OF UKRAINE – UKRAINIAN WHITE-HEADED BREED

Phenotypic correlation of body weight and morphometric measurements of two breeds of rabbit

A total of one hundred (100) matured rabbit of 4 to 6 months of age with weight ranging from 1.4 to1.8 kg comprising of New Zealand White (NZW) and Dutch (DUT) breeds were used for the study to evaluate phenotypic correlation of body weight and morphometric traits. They comprise of forty-nine (49) New Zealand White rabbits (13 males and 36 females) and 51 Dutch breed comprising of 21males and 30 females. The experimental design used for the study was completely randomized design and the statistical analysis used was analysis of variance. The body weight and the morphometric traits measured were determined using digital weighing scale and flexible tape in kilograms and centimeters respectively. The data measured were body weight (BW), body length (BL), nose to shoulder length (NSL), heart girth (HG), height at withers (HW), ear length (EL), leg length (LL), tail length (TL) and height of the rabbit (HR). Positive and highly significant (p<0.001) correlation was observed between body weight and body length (r=0.70**). This may indicate that selection for improvement of body weight may lead to an improvement in body length. Moderate and positive correlation (p<0.01) was observed between leg length (LL) and tail length (TL) r=0.26**, nose to shoulder length and tail length 0.36** respectively. Low correlation was observed between nose to shoulder length and leg length (r=0.19**). The results revealed that increase in LL may not necessarily lead to increase in NSL. The results of this study indicated positive and highly significant (p<0.001) correlations between some morphometric traits measured in Dutch and New Zealand White rabbits. This is an indication that increases in one trait may lead to an increase in the other corresponding trait for the positive correlation. Meanwhile, negative correlation was also observed in the study between body weight and height of rabbit (- 0.09), height at wither and tail length ( -0.11), heart girth and tail length (-0.08) and between heart girth and hearth at withers (-0.24). This implies that increase in one parameter led to decrease in the corresponding one. Therefore, selection for an increase in such a particular trait apparently leads to a decrease in the other corresponding trait.

Use of odontotropic material in treatment of traumatic pulpitis in experiment

The problem of diagnosis and effective treatment of one of the most common complications of dental caries, such as pulpitis, including pediatric patients, is still quite relevant at the present time. Considering anatomy-physiological and age-related features of temporary and permanent teeth in children, the rapid and aggressive course of the carious process in poorly mineralized hard tissues due to the untimely and incomplete “maturation” of them, it is beyond any doubts that scientists and practitioners involved in pediatric dentistry deal with such complications in the clinic much more often than when dealing with adults. A particularly risky group are those who develop decompensated caries, according to classification by T.F. Vinogradova. Therefore, the search for more advanced methods of diagnosis and treatment of both acute and chronic inflammation of pulp, especially with the preservation of its viability, is logical and relevant in modern dentistry. Existing methods for the biological treatment of pulpitis have their positive aspects, but possible complications up to necrosis or pulp gangrene in remote terms indicate the need for improvement both the choice of a more effective method with clear indications for its use, and the technology and material of odontotropic direction. The aim of the work was to study the results of treatment of pulpitis in experimental animals by using tricalcium silicate cement for its further application in the clinic. An experimental study was conducted on 18 animals (9-month-old male rabbits, Dutch breed) in vivarium setting to obtain information on the morphogenetic mechanisms of regeneration of living tissues and cells of dental pulp in which traumatic pulpitis was induced artificially. By the nature of odontotropic material, four groups of experimental animals were divided into: group I (control) – traumatic pulpitis was treated without special odontotropic paste, group II - treatment of pulpitis with material based on calcium hydroxide, group III - material with trioxide aggregate, group IV - material with tricalcium silicate. Every two, four, and six weeks from the moment the animals were introduced into the experiment, the damaged teeth were removed and treated in a certain way and, after special treatment, were amenable to histological examination. In the pulp tissue, the state of its main components was studied: stroma, cellular elements and blood vessels of the microvasculature. After excretion of animals from the experiment on the 2nd and 6th weeks tissues of tooth were fixed in 10% formalin. Fixed in formalin tissue has been routine proceeding after decalcification in acetic acid with making histological slides which were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), according to van Gieson, Mallory, PAS-reaction was performed. The slides were studied with the microscope “Olympus BX-41” and followed interpretation by “Olympus DP-soft version 3.2”, which was used for morphometric study. Statistical comparison was performed using Mann-Whitney test for statistical analysis. The accepted level of significance was p<0.05. Studying the state of the pulp in the phase of acute traumatic pulpitis in dynamic observation for a month and half period, at the end of the second, fourth and sixth week the possibility of a stable restoration of the viability of the pulp as well as all its components was clearly proven. If at the beginning of a morphological study, pulp injury was accompanied by clear signs of aseptic inflammation, both cellular, vascular and stromal formations, then after a month and a half there were signs of a clear restoration of pulp viability in the biological treatment of artificial pulpitis of the second, third and fourth study groups. The most significant dynamic signs of microscopic formations of the pulp were noted in animals of the forth study group treated with odontotropic paste with tricalcium silicate. The ability of this paste to complete tissue restoration in a short time period was provn. Therefore, it should be noted that artificially induced pulpitis in experimental animals is accompanied by significant breakages in the viability of the main components of pulp tissue, such as stromal fibers, microvasculature vessels and cellular elements. Filling and odontotropic materials in pastes for capping of the damaged pulp, such as calcium hydroxide, trioxide aggregate and tricalcium silicate, have full potential for restoring the viability of injured pulp, but with varying degree of effectiveness. According to histological research, biological material with tricalcium silicate is the most effective one for restoration of the pulp in a short time period.

Genomics Confirm an Alarming Status of the Genetic Diversity of Belgian Red and Belgian White Red Cattle.

Simple SummaryGenetic diversity of livestock is vitally important as it enables the adaptation of future populations to changing environments. Therefore, preserving a sufficiently large genetic diversity is key. However, for many local cattle populations, little is known about their genetic diversity such as inbreeding level, effective size etc. We studied the genetic diversity of two local Belgian red cattle populations (Belgian Red and Belgian White Red cattle) using state-of-the-art genomic techniques. These tools assessed diversity at the population and individual level, and allowed the positioning of these two breeds in an international context of 52 other (European) cattle breeds. Accordingly, we contribute to the general knowledge of European red cattle, and more specifically we help the breeders, breed organization and the government to manage the genetic diversity of both breeds.Genetic diversity is increasingly important for researchers and society. Small and local populations deserve more attention especially, as they may harbor important characteristics. Moreover, small populations are at greater risk and their genetic management is often more challenging. Likewise, European red cattle populations are threatened, as they are outcompeted by more specialized cattle breeds. In this study, we investigate the genetic diversity of two local Belgian red cattle breeds: Belgian Red and Belgian White Red cattle. A total of 270 animals were genotyped via medium density SNP arrays. Genetic diversity was assessed using runs of homozygosity screening, effective population size estimation and Fst analyses. Genomic inbreeding coefficients based on runs of homozygosity were estimated at 7.0% for Belgian Red and 6.1% for Belgian White Red cattle, and both populations had a low effective population size (68 and 86, respectively). PCA, Fst and admixture analyses revealed the relationship to 52 other international breeds, where they were closest related to some Belgian, French, Scandinavian and Dutch breeds. Moreover, Fst analyses revealed for Belgian Red cattle a signature of selection on BTA6, adjacent to the KIT gene. This study gains important knowledge on the genetic diversity of these two small local red cattle breeds, and will aid in their (genetic) management.

EFFECTS OF SEX AND GENOTYPE ON MORPHOMETRIC TRAITS OF RABBIT

A total of one hundred (100) matured rabbit of 4 – 6 month of age comprising of New Zealand White (NZW) and Dutch (DUT) breeds were used in the study. They comprised of forty nine (49) New Zealand White, thirteen (13) males and thirty six (36) females, Fifty one (51) Dutch breed comprising of twenty one (21) males and thirty (30) females. The experiment was conducted at the Livestock Teaching and Research Farm, University of Maiduguri, Borno State. Maiduguri. The management system used was intensive system and semi intensive system. By housing them in a cage based on breed and sex. Each rabbit is housed in a cage measuring 33cm x 38cm x 45cm and the cages were tagged for easy identification, measurement and weighing. The cages were slightly raised above the ground for cross ventilation and to facilitate cleaning.Body weight was measured with a digital weighing scale in kilograms and the body measurements were measured using tailor tape calibrated in centimeters. The data measured are body weight (BW), body length (BL), nose to shoulder length (NSL), heart girth (HG), height at withers (HW), ear length (EL), leg length (LL), tail length (TL) and height of the rabbit (HR). Results obtained showed that sex had no significant effect on all the morphometric data measured. Significant effect of genotypes on morphometric traits were observed on NSL, HG, HW, EL and TL with their corresponding values of 10.83, 13.57, 13.37, 14.73, 10.95 in Dutch breed and corresponding values in

Ungular measurements and deformities of heads of the dutch breed

Ungular measurements and deformities of heads of the dutch breed

Productive diagnosis of Girolando cows on a farm in Alto Sertão Sergipano

Girolando breed has several blood grades, from 1/4 Dutch (Hol) x 3/4 Gir (G), to 7/8 Hol x 1/8 G. These animals have good milk production characteristics inherited from the Dutch breed and a good acquired rusticity of the Gir breed. In view of this, this work aimed to evaluate the productive performance of three different blood grades of the Girolando breed on a farm in the Alto Sertão Sergipano. For the research, the data used referred to the highest production in 305 days of distinct lactations, between the first and the fourth lactation. The blood grades evaluated were: 1/2 HG (G1); 3/4 HG (G2) and 7/8 HG (G3). For the diagnosis, the Individual Control Chart was used, which is one of the tools of the Statistical Process Control (SPC), with the purpose of evaluating and controlling, in a global way, all the production. The results obtained do not demonstrate superiority of production among the three genetic groups. However, the G1 group showed the highest regularity in milk production, with the highest average production and the lowest average range. However, in order to obtain a better diagnosis of milk production, more studies are needed addressing milk production in 305 days with different blood grades of the Girolando breed, in the Alto Sertão Sergipano region.

Cetosis en vacas de leche, en diferentes sistemas de producción, por Optium Xceed® y Ketovet®

The objective of the study was to compare two portable devices (Optium Xceed® and Ketovet®) for the diagnosis of subclinical ketosis in the field; to know the prevalence of this pathology in the northwest region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in pasture and confined systems; to evaluate the milk composition of cows at different levels of ketone bodies and blood glucose. The data were collected from three dairy farms in the county of Augusto Pestana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, two of which were in pasture systems and one in a Compost Barn system, all the dairy cattle of the Dutch breed. With this study, it was concluded that ketosis presents a higher prevalence in the pasture system in the postpartum period due to the high energy requirement for the milk production of the animals; both Ketovet® and Optium® devices are effective in the diagnosis of subclinical ketosis regardless of the period (pre or postpartum) and the systems evaluated (pasture or confined) and the occurrence of subclinical ketosis does not cause significant changes in the milk composition of cows. Ketosis is a subject of extreme importance in dairy cattle, being a subject found daily in the veterinary routine, revealing that it is possible to perform the diagnosis quickly and with low cost to the field, making it possible to avoid sanitary and financial losses to the herds.

Deleterious AGXT Missense Variant Associated with Type 1 Primary Hyperoxaluria (PH1) in Zwartbles Sheep.

Severe oxalate nephropathy has been previously reported in sheep and is mostly associated with excessive oxalate in the diet. However, a rare native Dutch breed (Zwartbles) seems to be predisposed to an inherited juvenile form of primary hyperoxaluria and no causative genetic variant has been described so far. This study aims to characterize the phenotype and genetic etiology of the inherited metabolic disease observed in several purebred Zwartbles sheep. Affected animals present with a wide range of clinical signs including condition loss, inappetence, malaise, and, occasionally, respiratory signs, as well as an apparent sudden unexpected death. Histopathology revealed widespread oxalate crystal deposition in kidneys of the cases. Whole-genome sequencing of two affected sheep identified a missense variant in the ovine AGXT gene (c.584G>A; p.Cys195Tyr). Variants in AGXT are known to cause type I primary hyperoxaluria in dogs and humans. Herein, we present evidence that the observed clinicopathological phenotype can be described as a form of ovine type I primary hyperoxaluria. This disorder is explained by a breed-specific recessively inherited pathogenic AGXT variant. Genetic testing enables selection against this fatal disorder in Zwartbles sheep as well as more precise diagnosis in animals with similar clinical phenotype. Our results have been incorporated in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA) database (OMIA 001672-9940).

INDICADORES DE DESEMPENHO ECONÔMICO-FINANCEIRO DA PRODUÇÃO LEITEIRA EM PROPRIEDADES RURAIS DE FORMOSA DO SUL - SC

The objective of this study was to compare indicators of economic and financial performance of dairy production in rural properties of Formosa do Sul-SC. Methodologically the research is characterized as descriptive carried out by means of survey, with quantitative analysis. Based on the identification of the patrimony, costs and revenues of the dairy activity, the main performance indicators of the 30 rural properties analyzed were identified. In the analyzed period, the rural property with the best performance showed an average of 48 matings in lactation (of the Jersey and Dutch breeds), it has 50 hectares of land directed to the milk activity, the average production was 24 liters of milk per day, revenue of R$ 1,36 per liter of milk, generating an average revenue of R$ 48.180,48 per month, production costs totaled R$ 17.915,67 per month, with an average monthly profit of R$ 30.264,81. On the other hand, the lowest performance property has an average of 9.6 liters of milk per matrix per day, a revenue of R$ 0,95 per liter of milk, generatingan average monthly revenue of R$ 1.115,39, production costs totaled R$ 685,33 per month, with an average monthly income of R$ 430,06. In general, the results showed that the activities carried out on the rural properties studied are economically profitable and contribute to the generation of cash and income of families, highlighting the importance of accounting and cost analysis in the rural environment.

Functional platelet activity in Dutch newborn calves

The hemostatic properties of platelets in cattle are physiologically very significant, as they affect the course of metabolic processes. This is especially significant in early ontogenesis and, apparently, strongly depends on the genetic characteristics of animals. The study was carried out on 37 Dutch calves, which were obtained from healthy cows after a normal pregnancy. All calves were examined and examined for 1-2 days, 3-4 days, 5-6 days, 7-8 days and 9-10 days of their ontogenesis. In the work were applied biochemical, hematological and statistical research methods. In the examined animals, during the neonatal phase, there was a tendency to inhibition of platelet aggregation in response to all inductors used. The number of platelet-discocytes in the blood of the examined Dutch calves in the first 10 days of their life experienced an upward trend. The amount of active platelet species they had decreased by 11.1%. The number of small and large platelet aggregates in the blood also decreased in them during the observation period. This was provided in the observed calves with a tendency to weaken the severity of synthesis in thromboxane platelets, a decrease in the level of adenosine phosphates in them and a weakening of their secretion. The level of platelet actin and myosin on the 1-2nd day in the examined calves was small and tended to decrease during the observation. Additional self-assembly of actin and myosin during platelet aggregation of the observed animals experienced some decrease during the observation period. It is clear that newborn calves of the Dutch breed are characterized by a high degree of functional sufficiency of platelets, creating physiologically favorable conditions for microcirculation processes. At the basis of these changes they have a small activity of the mechanisms that implement the hemostatic properties of platelets. Low intravascular activity of platelets in newborn calves of the Dutch breed is able to provide them with optimum perfusion and metabolic processes in all animal tissues that are necessary for the normal development of animals.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of Eimeria species in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Coccidiosis remains a serious concern of great economic impact on domestic animals including rabbits. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence, species diversity, and associated risk factors of rabbit coccidiosis in Ilorin, Kwara State Nigeria. Fecal samples were examined using the floatation technique (positive samples were sporulated for identification of the different Eimeria species). 169 out of 215 (78.6%,) rabbits were found to be infected with Eimeria species. A total of seven Eimeria species (Eimeria coecicola, Eimeria irresidua, Eimeria perforans, Eimeria magna, Eimeria intestinalis, Eimeria stiedai and Eimeria flavescens) were identified. Of these, Eimeria coecicola was the most prevalent (48/215; 22.3%), while E. flavescens (8/215; 3.7%) was the least prevalent. Weaners (80.0%) were more infected than bunnies (79.1%) and adult (77.5%). Females had a higher infection rate (79.4%) than males (77.4%). Californian breed were more infected (84.9%) compared to Chinchila (83.7%), Dutch breed (80.9%), and New Zealand White (63.6%). Rabbits kept in the deep litter housing system had higher prevalence rate (95.2%) compared to those raised in the battery cage system (71.9%). Coccidiosis was more prevalent during the wet season than the dry season. This study concludes that Eimeria infections of rabbit is endemic in Ilorin, Kwara State with breeds and housing type been significant risk factors associated with the infection. This study provides the baseline information as the first report on the different Eimeria species affecting rabbits in Nigeria.