Objectives: The herbicide glyphosate, a pesticide used in agriculture to control weeds, both in food crops and in other agricultural areas, has been identified as an endocrine modulator through the inhibition of aromatase activity and the activation of estrogen receptors. The present study examined the effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide (Roundup® (GLY-BH) on sexual dimorphism of rats after perinatal exposure to low and high GLY-BH in males and females offspring. Methods: Two groups of pregnant rats were treated with two doses of GLY-BH (50 or 150 mg/kg) from day 15 of gestation (GD15) to postnatal day 7 (PND7). Play fighting behavior was observed at the juvenile stage and during social and sexual behaviors in adulthood. Results: Perinatal GLY BH exposure reduced male and female body weight at 28, 75, and 90 days of age. The play fighting behavior was decreased in both sexes, but female rats were more affected. The sexual behaviors were reduced only in females. Conclusions: Perinatal exposure to both doses of GLY-BH promoted sexually dimorphic effects in both juvenile and adulthood stages. These effects were attributed to the inhibition of aromatase activity induced by exposure to GLY-BH in the perinatal period.

The study was carried out to characterize different body types of rabbits based on the phenotypic relationship between body weight and body measurements. The materials used were 135 of New Zealand Grade, 115 heads of Rex, and 60 heads of Flamish Giant. Rabbits were categorized into three groups: semi-commercial, commercial, and semi-arc body types. Pearson correlation was used to estimate the correlation coefficients between body weight and body measurements with 1% and 5% significant level. Principal component analysis (PCA) representing a linear combination of the body measurement into a factor or component was determined separately for each body type of rabbit. BW showed a significant correlation with all of the variables measured on semi-commercial and semi-arc body types. The result of PCA showed a lower factors of PC1 (-0.04 - 0.41). The highest component loaded were CD in PC3 for all body types and TB in PC2 for semi-arc body type. Chest circumference, chest depth, and chest width (chest shape) are more appropriate in predicting body weight in rabbits than body length. Body length is highly correlated with body weight, but shows low factors in the principal component analysis.