The objective of the present study was to characterize the biochemical, hormonal, and mineral profile, and histopathology of the liver and kidneys, related to the severity of natural cases of pregnancy toxemia (PT) in sheep. A total of 45 sheep with PT were analyzed at the “Clínica de Bovinos”, Campus Garanhuns-UFRPE. The animals were submitted to clinical examination, followed by the collection of blood and urine. A necropsy was performed on thirteen animals that died and a histopathological examination was performed on samples of liver and kidneys. Increased creatinine, urea, glucose, fructosamine, non-esterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, cortisol, chlorine, amylase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and folic acid were found, whereas insulin, potassium, and total and ionizable calcium presented low values for the species. Total protein, albumin, globulin, sodium, magnesium, and vitamin B12 remained within the normal range. In the macroscopic analysis of the liver, it was possible to observe an increase in organ and border size, yellowish coloration and parenchyma that varied from firm to friable. Vacuolation of the hepatocytes and renal tubular cells was observed. Metabolic disorders in sheep associated with hepatic and renal lesions are more apparent in overweight animals. With the greater impairment in hepatic and renal function, the clinical prognosis of animals with a high body score should be considered reserved.

The objective of this study was to determine the trace element composition and the toxic metal residues in Galician cow’s milk cheese produced in different systems (artisan, industrial, and organic). Fourteen elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, I, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) were determined in 58 representative samples of Galician cheeses by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The toxic elements were present at low concentrations, similar to those reported for other unpolluted geographical areas. The essential elements were also within the normal range in cheeses. There were no statistically significant differences between smoked and unsmoked cheeses for any of the elements. Chemometric analyses (principal component analysis and cluster analysis) revealed that the industrial cheeses produced in Galicia using the milk from intensive dairy farms were different, in terms of elemental content, from artisan and organic cheeses, in which the elemental contents were similar.

The increase in energy imbalance at the beginning of lactation leads to metabolic disorders, especially clinical ketosis, in highly productive dairy cows. The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics, biochemical parameters, and cardiac biomarkers creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) of 15 cows diagnosed with clinical ketosis treated at the Bovine Clinic of Garanhuns at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco. Nine of the 15 cows were diagnosed with primary ketosis and six had concomitant diseases, including left abomasal displacement, metritis, pneumonia, and renal failure. The observed clinical signs were non-specific and included decreased appetite and milk production and weight loss. Approximately 53% of the animals had central nervous system involvement. For biochemical evaluation, 15 high-production healthy dairy cows at the initial stage of lactation served as the control group. The data were subjected to analysis of variance for simultaneous comparison between two means allowing testing the hypothesis on the means of the different groups and subjected to Pearson correlation at a level of significance of 5%. The levels of ?-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucose, fructosamine, total protein, albumin, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, CK-MB, and cTnI were higher in the group with ketosis. The diseased animals presented changes in glycemia, reduction in tissue sensitivity to insulin, and a lower RQUICKI-BHB index, especially hyperglycemic animals. The increase in the levels of cardiac biomarkers suggests the occurrence of myocardial injury associated with bovine ketosis.

This study aimed to determine Cu, Fe, Mo, and Zn liver and serum concentration in sheep and goats raised in the rangelands of the semiarid region of the state of Paraíba, Brazil, during the dry and rainy seasons, and to establish if Cu deficiency is primary or secondary to high ingestion of Mo or Fe. Cu, Zn, Mo and Fe concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry coupled to mass (ICP-Plasma) in 253 liver and serum samples randomly selected in a slaughterhouse. The mean serum concentrations of Cu in the goats and sheep were 11.82±3.28μmol/L and 10.97±3.61μmol/L respectively. The liver Cu concentrations were 160.37±11.77mg/kg in goats and 152.12±13.16mg/kg in sheep. The mean serum Fe concentrations were 16.38±4.51μmol/L in goats and 25.41±9.76μmol/L in sheep. The mean Fe concentrations in the liver were 189.37±6.51mg/kg in goats and 313.70±12.89mg/kg in sheep. The mean serum concentrations of Mo were 0.14±0.04μmol/L in goats and 0.29±0.06μmol/L in sheep. The mean Mo concentrations in the liver were 6.09±0.23mg/kg in goats and 6.22±0.15mg/kg in sheep. The mean serum Zn concentrations were 8.30±1.91μmol/L in goats and 8.63±2.22μmol/L in sheep. The mean Zn concentrations in the liver were 132.80±3.39mg/kg in goats and 130.70±2.99mg/kg in sheep. These results show low or marginal serum and liver concentrations of Cu and Zn, indicating that these minerals should be supplemented. The normal or even low concentrations of Mo and the high concentration of Fe suggest that Cu deficiency may be primary, due to low Cu ingestion, or secondary due to high Fe ingestion.

Background: With the continuously increasing release of heavy metals in the environment, mostly from anthropogenic sources, there is a need to find ways of evaluating and managing the issuance of these contaminants and correct its damages. The birds being at the top of some food chains reflect the presence of metals in the environment, keeping this in perspective, raptors have been successfully used for heavy metals biomonitoring studies in the past. The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and chromium (Cr) in the feathers and livers of free-living southern caracaras, live and dead, from Recife, Pernambuco state, Northeast of Brazil.Material, Methods & Results: Sixty-two feathers from live and dead southern caracaras and 21 livers from dead southern caracaras were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry for Hg and by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for Cd, Cr, Pb, and Cu. Concentrations of Cr and Cu elements were detected in all feather and liver samples analyzed from live and dead caracaras. There was no difference in the concentration of metals between feathers of dead and live caracaras: Pb (P = 0.3576), Cd (P = 0.0792), Cr (P = 0.5475), and Cu (P = 0.3603), but significant variation was observed for Hg (P = 0.0459). The highest concentrations of Pb (P < 0.0001) and Cr (P < 0.0001) were found in the feathers than in the liver. On the other hand, the highest concentrations of Cu were found in liver samples (P = 0.0011). No significant variation in the concentrations of Cd (P = 0.7770) and Hg (P = 0.3669) was found between feathers and liver samples.Discussion: Chromium, as well as Hg, and Cu have a high affinity for keratin, which may explain the higher concentrations of Cr in caracaras feathers in this research. Lead was detected in all liver samples analyzed. Elevated levels were also found in the feathers of dead (95.2%) and live (75.6%) caracaras. The presence of Pb may be due to external contamination by pollutants, such as fossil fuels. Higher concentrations of Hg were observed in dead caracaras feathers, this concentrations change during molting but are not affected by external contamination. Metals, such as Hg, and Cd, accumulate in organisms from different trophic levels, which may indicate that this contamination comes mainly from feed. Pearson’s coefficient here showed no correlation between metals from dead caracaras feathers and livers, although a few previous studies have shown a correlation between metal concentrations from tissues and feathers. This pattern can be attributed to the different time of exposure of feathers to metals in relation to livers. The concentrations of metals in hepatic tissues reflect the levels of elements in the diet of these birds, characterizing acutely the contamination of the ecosystem. On the other hand, feathers represent the exposure in the time of molting, when the artery supplies metals, thus representing a chronic exposure. In feathers from live birds, the Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a high to moderate correlation between metals, which may suggest that they come from a similar source, but there is no way to specify the origin since the metals surveyed could be present in the soil, water, or in the prey eaten by these animals. For the purpose of environmental analyses, it is required to determine the exact source of contamination. Considering that it is possible to confirm the presence of these heavy metals in southern caracaras, these birds may be important environmental bioindicators. The development of systematic research on animals and the environment is essential for monitoring the levels of metal pollutants and evaluating their impact in order to guide measures to protect fauna and human health.