Pattern minas cheese is a product developed with pasteurized milk, fermented with mesophilic cultures, and with the final addition of rennet. This cheese undergoes an artisanal maturation process and possesses a firm shell of yellowish color and striking and acidic flavor. Our study objective was to evaluate the microbiological quality of pattern minas cheese. We collected 40 samples from two micro regions (Uberlândia and Patos de Minas) of the Triângulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba mesor regions of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The microbiological test results were recorded as counts of enterobacteria, Escherichia coli, coliforms at 35°C, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and Salmonella spp. In the Patos de Minas micro region, the results were 45%, 35%, 20%, and 20% higher than 103 CFU/g for the counts of enterobacteria, Escherichia coli, coliforms at 35°C, and Staphylococcus coagulase-positive, respectively. Five percent of the analyzed samples were positive for Salmonella spp. in the Uberlândia micro region. Based on the findings of the microbiota in the cheese analyzed from the micro regions (Uberlândia and Patos de Minas), we concluded that the hygiene conditions in the manufacturing, handling, transport, and storage stages were precarious, requiring the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) systems, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).

About 800 donkeys that were confined in a restrictive area used in a manner comparable to a warehouse for receiving donkeys for slaughter were abandoned. After receiving reports of mistreatment, civilians acted to save the animals. A task force was organized that planned veterinary and zootechnical actions and activities for daily health management, feeding, and clinical care to attend to the abandoned donkeys. Positive cases were diagnosed for glanders, equine infectious anemia, equine herpesvirus, and equine babesiosis. The objective of this communication is to bring to the attention of the scientific community the interventions in the area of animal health and welfare, to address the episode of northeast donkeys that were victims of international trade. It is fundamental to change the approach related to the management of donkeys in Brazil, and appeal to the necessity to identify ethical and sustainable ways to incorporate donkeys in Brazil in the 21st century.

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 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.

Editorial for the special Donkeys and Mules

Donkeys (Equus asinus) face a global crisis. Their health, welfare, and even their local survival are compromised as the demand for their skins increases. Such demand for donkey skins aims to supply the ejiao industry. Ejiao is a traditional remedy made from the collagen of donkey skins. Some people believe it has medicinal properties. It is estimated that the ejiao industry currently requires approximately 4.8 million donkey skins per year. Although the future of the donkeys is still uncertain, we must guarantee a life free from suffering to the animals under our responsibility. The trade of donkey skins also undermines the cultural role of donkeys. Donkeys have developed an essential role in Brazil, especially in the Northeast region of the country, carrying on their backs construction materials, water, and food, and, as a consequence, helping people build cities in the deepest hinterland. The close relationship between people and donkeys affords donkeys a unique place in the local culture. This central importance has been recognized by Brazilian artists throughout history. We have many examples of songs, books, “cordeis” (typical Brazilian literature), poems, documentaries, movies, woodcuts, paintings, and sculptures, created to honor this important actor. Here we describe some examples of this human-donkey relationship, and its influence on our culture.

Livestock rabies is endemic in Peru. Hence, its persistence and annual dissemination represent an important economic impact, especially for impoverished farming communities. The disease is mostly transmitted by the hematophagous bat Desmodus rotundus. The present study aimed to adapt an existing predictive model of the occurrence of livestock rabies to Peru, in which the risk of rabies transmission from bats to livestock was estimated using decision-tree models of receptivity and vulnerability. Official rabies surveillance data between 2010 and 2015 were used along with possible risk factors, such as livestock biomass, environmental changes, and geomorphological characteristics. Several scenarios were established to evaluate the prediction of the occurrence of livestock rabies cases by determining more than one cut-off point of the receptivity variables. During the study period, the precision of the model was estimated through the sensitivity (39.46%) and specificity (98.64%) by using confusion matrices. Targeting control efforts, especially in districts with a high estimated risk, could represent the prevention of a significant proportion of livestock rabies cases, which would optimize the human and economic resources of the Peruvian surveillance service. However, the quality of data produced by the surveillance should be improved not only to obtain higher model precision but also to allow the adequate planning of control actions.

Developing effective cooled semen protocols is essential to increase pregnancy rates and reproductive efficiency in donkeys. This study aimed to evaluate the effect on sperm kinetic parameters and membrane integrity in cooled donkey semen diluted with defined milk proteins extender with 1% or 2% of egg yolk and the removal of seminal plasma. Twenty-four ejaculates from six jackasses were collected. Each ejaculate was divided into four aliquots that were diluted in extender with 1% (EY1) or 2% (EY2) egg yolk. One sample from each group was centrifuged, seminal plasma was removed (CEY1, CEY2 groups, respectively), and the samples were then refrigerated at 5 °C for 24 h. Fresh and cooled semen samples were assessed for sperm motility, morphology, and plasma membrane integrity. Total motility, progressive motility, sperm kinetic parameters, or live sperm cells were not statistically different when semen was cooled with an extender supplemented with 1% or 2% of egg yolk. Seminal plasma removal does not affect total motility or sperm kinetic parameters. However, progressive motility decreased (P<0.05) when semen was extended with 2% of egg yolk and seminal plasma was removed. Membrane integrity was affected (P<0.05) in centrifuged samples. In conclusion, the obtained results suggest that there is no difference in sperm kinetics and membrane integrity when 1% or 2% of egg yolk was added to the Equiplus(R) extender. Also, the removal of seminal plasma by centrifugation did not have any beneficial effect on cooled donkey semen. Further studies are needed to relate these results with in vivo fertility tests with cooled donkey semen.

The body condition score (BCS) is insufficient in determining the amount of body fat in horses, thus defining obesity. Measurement of the subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) by ultrasonography should be considered as an appropriate method in the definition of fat distribution at different body locations in horses. Therefore, this study aimed to 1) characterize the SFT in three different anatomical locations (i.e. neck, lumbar region, and gluteal region); 2) evaluate the relationship between BCS and SFT; 3) determine the influence of gender, weight, age, and gait on BCS and SFT measurements, and 4) explore the agreement between the morphometric measurements [i.e. body mass index (BMI), girth circumference: height at withers ratio (GC: HW), neck circumference: height at withers ratio (NC: HW)], and BCS and SFT in a population of Colombian Paso Horses (CPHs). The Henneke’s body condition scoring was applied to 69 adult CPHs, selected using a convenience sampling. Additionally, BMI, GC: HW, and NC: HW were calculated. Body fat percentage (BF%) was calculated by ultrasound measurement of the SFT in the neck, lumbar region, and gluteal region. The BF% in the CPHs was 6.4 ± 1.1. The GC: HW, NC: HW, and BMI were not predictors of the BF% or BCS, and neither gender nor gait was decisive in the definition of fattening in the study animals, although age and weight were determining variables. According to our results, ultrasound is an adequate tool to calculate the BF% of the CPHs. However, it must be accompanied by Henneke’s BCS assessment.