Donkeys, mules, and asses are domestic animals of worldwide distribution, found in all regions of Brazil. Although more health data is needed from these species, some sectors of today’s society are exploring alternatives to use these animals for milk production and the use of donkeys in social events and onotherapy. Donkeys (Equus asinus) are used in many everyday activities, but the animals need better welfare conditions. Although it is well known that endoparasite infections (i.e. cyathostomins, Strongylus spp., Parascaris sp.) can harm the clinical condition of the animals, there are limited clinical and laboratory supporting data, including registered therapeutic drugs for their control. The objective of the present work was to review the existing literature about parasite infections of donkeys, including their clinical implications, and the drug efficacy test to help practitioners improve their health management programs. To assist with that, we have developed a questionnaire to identify the risk factors of donkey farming, which is presented here in English and in Portuguese. Lastly, the present article also includes an original simulation using the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model with low, moderate, and severe scenarios to help visualize the risk of parasite infections. The SIR model was based on the disease condition of donkeys in Brazil, using transient interaction levels from 0.0015 to 0.0025, infectivity levels from 0.10 to 0.40, and distinct recovery rates (R) from 0.01 to 0.08. As milk production is an expanding new activity worldwide, we want to emphasize that the first comprehensive studies must take into account differences in animal age, breed, and body condition score, local climate, pasture quality, day of sampling, and the period of lactation within the lactation curve to measure the health condition of donkeys. These data are considered important and will then be correlated to the parasite egg/oocyst (EPG or OoPG) counts in the feces using coproparasitological protocols (McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC), and even DNA-based techniques, to establish a novel data bank for donkeys. Target selective treatment has been proposed to be used as a routine in horses and will also be implemented in donkeys. This technique aims to reduce the number of anthelmintic treatments and, consequently, lessen parasite selection for resistance. The dynamic variations found by the SIR model are discussed in the text and should be taken into account when deciding the best health management implementation and parasite control programs. We think that more studies are needed to evaluate the basic physiological performance of donkeys in tropical areas to better understand their thermal adaptation, assuming that the animals are kept under acceptable clinical, nutritional, and housing conditions to express their resilient behavior. Cases of neglect and ill-treatment of animals must also be studied in infected conditions as well as their negative impacts. These strategies reinforce the concept of holistic farming with the possibility to improve specific informations, thereby improving the welfare of the donkeys.

This study aimed to evaluate the role of prostaglandin F2α (PGF) on ovulation. In Experiment 1, cows were randomly allocated to two treatments to receive 150 μg of d-Cloprostenol (PGF Group, n = 12) or 2 mL of NaCl 0.9% (Control Group, n = 11) and CIDRs, were removed 4 days later. No cow ovulated in Control and PGF groups. In Experiment 2, cows were randomly separated into two experimental groups to receive 4 injections of 150 μg of d-Cloprostenol (n = 9) or 2 mL of NaCL 0.9% (n = 9). In this experiment, ovulation was not observed in any cows. In Experiment 3, ovariectomized cows receive three injections of 300μg of PGF analog (PGF Group, n = 5), 100μg of Lecirelin (GnRH Group, n = 5) or 2 mL of PBS (Control Group, n = 4). The LH concentration was higher (P <0.0001) in cows from the GnRH group than in the PGF and Control groups. In experiment 4, cows with preovulatory follicles (>11.5 mm) were treated with Saline (Control Group, n = 6); Lecirelin (GnRH Group, n = 7) or Cloprostenol Sodium (PGF Group, n = 6). There was a significant increase in the vascular area of follicles from 0 to 24 h in GnRH and PGF treatments. In conclusion, PGF was not able to induce ovulation in cows with high or low plasma progesterone concentration. Additionally, PGF alone was not able to induce LH release and follicle luteinization, but increased follicular vascularization.

This study evaluated the fatty acid composition and qualitative characteristics of meat from lambs feed in feedlot with increasing levels of canola grain. Meat obtained from 27 lambs fed 0, 8 and 16% inclusion of canola grain were analyzed. There was a reduction in the content of saturated fatty acids (SFA): lauric, heptadecanoic, and stearic; and unsaturated fatty acids (UFA): palmitoleic, oleic, and eicosatrienoic, with the increasing levels of canola grain. There was a linear reduction for the ω3 acid and the ω3: ω6 ratio, while the ω6: ω3 ratio increased. But the values observed for this ratio (ω6: ω3) were lower than 4, which is considered a satisfactory value. There was a slight increase (~2%) for the thrombogenicity index and atherogenicity index with the inclusion of canola grain. There was a reduction in the hypocholesterolemic: hypercholesterolemic ratio, with mean values of 2.09 for the diet with 0% inclusion, and 2.06 for 8 and 16% inclusion of canola. Although the inclusion of canola grain for lambs decreased the content of some UFA, reflecting alterations in the correlated nutritional properties, there is a reduction of SFA. The results for instrumental analysis, proximate composition, and sensory acceptance of the lamb meat were similar among the treatments.

O compósito à base de hidroxiapatita, quitosana e nanotubo de carbono foi desenvolvido com o intuito de auxiliar na consolidação óssea. Estudos anteriores sugerem que a combinação de substitutos ósseos e células-tronco mesenquimais (CTM) podem auxiliar a potencializar e promover a regeneração óssea. No presente estudo, o biomaterial foi desenvolvido e a viabilidade e a citotoxicidade de células Vero (ATCC CCL-81) e CTM obtidas de medula óssea provenientes de ovinos utilizando ensaios metil-tiazol-tetrazólio, MTT e iodeto de propídeo (PI) foram avaliadas em diferentes concentrações de extrato desse compósito. O compósito demonstrou ausência de citotoxicidade com comportamento semelhante ao grupo controle. Amostras com 50% e 10% de concentração de extrato do compósito mostraram resultados maiores comparados ao grupo controle (ensaio MTT). Esses resultados também sugerem que a presença do biomaterial pode ser utilizada em associação a CTM. Assim, esse estudo conclui que o compósito apresentado de hidroxiapatita, quitosana e nanotubo de cabono não foi considerado citotóxico e pode ser utilizado em teste in vivo.

Naleh fish Barbonymus sp. is a commercial freshwater fish, which is indigenous to Aceh, Indonesia. The population of this species has declined over the years as a result of habitat perturbations and overfishing. Hence, the crucial need to develop a cryopreservation method to support breeding programs. This involved the use of a cryoprotectant as an important component. The objective of this study, therefore, was to explore the best cryoprotectant for naleh fish spermatozoa, and a total of five types were tested. These include the DMSO, Methanol, Ethanol, Glycerol, and Ethylene Glycol at a similar concentration of 10%, which were individually combined with 15% egg yolk, and every treatment was performed in three replications. Conversely, Ringer’s solution was adopted as an extender, and the sperm was cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen for 15 days. The results showed significant influence on sperm motility and viability, as well as egg fertility of naleh fish (P <0.05), although the DMSO provided the best outcome, compared to others at 47.17%, 50.13%, and 45.67%, respectively. Furthermore, DNA fragmentation had not occurred in the fresh and cryopreserved sperm samples, indicating the protective effect of tested cryoprotectants. It is concluded that the 10% DMSO and 15% egg yolk is the best cryoprotectant for naleh fish spermatozoa.

Growing demand for ejiao – gelatin produced from donkey skin and used in Traditional Chinese Medicine – is putting global donkey populations at risk and threatening the livelihoods of millions of people that depend on them in lower and middle-income countries. Hundreds of thousands of donkeys are slaughtered for their skins and exported annually, mostly from Africa to China. However, the trade is spreading across the globe, including Brazil. This article highlights the appalling welfare conditions for donkeys caught up in both the legal and illegal trade, as well as the effects on vulnerable people and the potential for disease spread and hazards to human health.

Dirofilariasis is a zoonotic disease caused by Dirofilaria immitis, a nematode found mainly in the pulmonary artery and right chambers of the heart, lungs, and large vessels of dogs. This parasitism also occasionally occurs in cats, causing an amicrofilaremic and asymptomatic infection, resulting in severe illness and rapid death. In this case report, it was described acute clinical signs and histopathological alterations in a domestic cat with heartworm disease from the city of Mossoró, the Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The nematode species, D. immitis, was confirmed by morphological and molecular analyses. This is the first documented and full report of feline heartworm disease in northeastern Brazil.

A piometra apresenta diversas alterações imunológicas e moleculares que são responsáveis pela inflamação uterina, e a doença pode ser infecciosa ou não. O objetivo deste estudo foi isolar e identificar bactérias no conteúdo uterino de cadelas com piometra, analisar o perfil de suscetibilidade aos antibióticos, detectar a produção de enzimas β-lactamase por testes fenotípicos e genes de resistência aos β-lactâmicos. Dezoito amostras de conteúdo uterino foram coletadas por punção aspirativa. As amostras foram inoculadas em meio bacteriológico e identificadas por testes bioquímicos. Posteriormente, foram realizados testes de antibiograma, triagem para detecção de β-lactamases e PCR em tempo real para detecção de genes de resistência. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter aerogenes, Citrobacter spp., Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp. foram identificados nas amostras de conteúdo uterino analisadas. No teste de antibiograma, 90,5% dos isolados apresentaram resistência a pelo menos um antibiótico, e destes, 36,8% foram considerados MR, sendo três Staphylococcus spp., três E. coli e uma Klebsiella spp. Sobre a resistência bacteriana aos grupos de antibióticos testados, 38,1% dos isolados foram resistentes a pelo menos um tipo de β-lactâmico, 33,3% à tetraciclina, 19,0% aos aminoglicosídeos e 14,3% às fluorquinolonas, macrolídeos e trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol. No teste fenotípico para detecção da produção de β-lactamase, as amostras de E. coli foram negativas, e Klebsiella spp. foi positiva para a produção de AmpC, que apresentou os genes blaCMY, blaSPM e blaSIM. As bactérias resistentes aos antibióticos representam um grande desafio e, portanto, o suporte laboratorial é essencial, sem o qual o sucesso terapêutico diminui e a morte pode ser inevitável.

This study was developed to evaluate the clinical, hematological, and performance parameters of calves affected by diarrhea caused by the bacterial enteric pathogen Escherichia coli, treated with three different protocols containing sulfonamides. Fourteen Holstein calves were monitored from birth to 60 days of age, and divided into 3 groups. Group 1 (n=5) animals were treated with 80 g of Kaopek®, Ibasa, Brazil, administered orally (BM), dissolved in 160 ml of water every 24 h; Group 2 (n=4) received IM sulfadiazine and trimethoprim (Ibatrim®, Ibasa, Brazil), and Group 3 (n=5) animals were treated with 80 g of Kaopek®, Ibasa, Brazil, which is made up of 16 g of phthalylsulfathiazole, associated with 2.28 g neomycin sulfate, 1.6 g of pectin, and 80 g of kaolin, dissolved in 160 ml of water and administered every 24 h by mouth, in addition to sulfadiazine and trimethoprim (Ibatrim®, Ibasa, Brazil), at a daily dose of 16 mg/kg live weight, through IM injection. During the study, the animals were clinically evaluated, and once they were diagnosed with diarrhea, feces samples were collected to identify the bacterial enteric pathogen, antibiogram, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and coproparasitological exams. Blood samples were collected to evaluate the hematological profile, and the performance profile was monitored weekly. In the clinical examination, all calves presented a reduction in body temperature (<39.2°C) and some improvement in hydration after treatment (p=0,31). However, group 2 had a better concentration of lymphocytes and TP concerning the other animals, as well as better performance. Besides, E.coli was detected in 100% of feces samples. Thus, the therapeutic protocols with sulfonamides used to treat bovine neonatal diarrhea were effective in the clinical improvement of the animals. Nonetheless, the protocol with systemic therapy using sulfadiazine and trimethoprim (Ibatrim®, Ibasa, Brazil) intramuscularly, provided better performance, with better weight gain, and body development of the animals.

Vitamin C supplementation is important for the growth and development of bullfrog tadpoles under optimum water temperature conditions. Therefore, an experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of vitamin C supplementation on the diet of bullfrog tadpoles at a low temperature. A total of 480 tadpoles with a mean weight of 0.078 g were distributed in 12 aquariums each containing 40 L of water in a closed water recirculation system. The experimental design was entirely randomized with four treatments (0, 150, 300, and 600 mg kg-1 of L-ascorbic acid monophosphate) and three replicates. The productive performance was measured by the weight gain, feed conversion, diet consumption, protein efficiency, carcass yield, hepatosomatic index, viscerosomatic index, visceral fat index, dry matter, and ethereal carcass extract. The water temperature during the experimental period was 21.74 ± 0.43 °C. Vitamin C supplementation did not influence carcass yield and viscerosomatic index. However, there was a quadratic effect of vitamin C supplementation on the weight gain, apparent feed conversion, protein efficiency, visceral fat index, hepatosomatic index, and ethereal carcass extract. Based on these results, bullfrog tadpoles should be supplemented with 600 mg vitamin C kg-1 of the diet when subjected to water temperatures of around 22 °C.