The insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (Pi3k), protein kinase B (Akt1), Forkhead Box O3a (FOXO3a) pathway is directly involved in aging and ovarian activation of follicle growth. Therefore, the aim of this work was to measure the expression of genes related to the ovarian pathway for activation of primordial follicles and FOXO3a protein phosphorylation between young and old female Ames dwarf (df/df) and normal (N) mice. For this study ovaries from N (n = 10) and df/df (n = 10) female mice were collected at 5–6 months of age and at 21–22 months of age. For immunohistochemistry ovaries from 12 month-old and df/df mice were used. The expression of Irs1, Pi3k, Akt1, mammalian target of rapamycin (Mtor), suppressor of cytokine signaling −2 (Socs2), Socs3 was lower (P < 0.05) in older than younger N mice and not different (P > 0.05) between young and old df/df mice. The expression of Foxo3a was also lower (P < 0.05) in old than younger N and df/df mice and was higher (P < 0.05) in old df/df than N mice. Expression of Amh was lower (P < 0.05) in old than young N and df/df mice and was higher (P = 0.0009) in df/df than N mice. Imunnostaining for p-FOXO3 was lower in df/df than N mice (P < 0.001), although FOXO3 immunostaining was not different (P > 0.05) between df/df and N mice. In sum, the present study indicates that lower expression of Irs1, Socs2, Socs3, Akt1, Pi3k, Mtor and Foxo3a mRNA in the ovaries of older mice of both genotypes is associated to a reduced ovarian activity revealed by lower expression of Amh mRNA. At the same time, ovaries of old df/df mice maintained higher expression of Foxo3a mRNA, which was associated to higher ovarian activity. We have shown that df/df females have a lower level of p-FOXO3 in oocytes from primordial/primary follicles, an important activator of follicular growth. Therefore, this study strongly indicates that Prop1df mutation causes delayed ovarian aging.

The aim of this study was to evaluate swine females of different genetic lines submitted to different reproductive management and housing systems during pregnancy on reproductive performance and animal welfare parameters. After artificial insemination protocol, 524 females were divided into two gestation housing systems: PEN1=animals housed in individual stalls during the breeding and after group-housed; PEN32=animals housed in individual stalls from breeding until 32 days of pregnancy and after group-housed. The number of piglets born, and the pregnancy and farrowing rates were evaluated. Welfare parameters related to the pregnancy phase were used. Females who weaned more piglets in the previous farrowing had a higher number of piglets born at the next farrowing. The pregnancy rate was affected by the number of semen doses. The farrowing rate was not influenced by the evaluated parameters, with average value of 91.36%. There was no effect of the gestation housing system and the genetic lines on pregnancy and farrowing rates, with values above 90.0%. The animal welfare indicators showed more compromised parameters in PEN1 system. PEN1 system did not impair the reproductive performance although it presented more compromised animal welfare parameters.

The utilization of antimicrobials in animal production, causes selection of resistant bacteria. The objective of this study was to compare the utilization of alternatives in association with preventive antibiotic therapy in swine feed during the growing and finishing phases. 1,045 animals were used from 60 to 190 days of age and were subjected to six treatments with 16 repetitions as follows: 1) antibiotic free; 2) antibiotics; 3) prebiotic; 4) probiotic; 5) essential oils; and 6) organic acid. Animals were weighted, and clinical history was recorded including mortality and diarrhea. At the abattoir, pneumonia index and gastric ulcers were investigated. The cost for each treatment was discussed. No difference between treatments were observed (P>0.05) regarding feed conversion rate (2.64±0.03), overall average weight gain (107.06±0.9kg), average daily weight gain (856.49±7.7g) and carcass weight (92.4±0.7kg). The application injectable drugs in animals presenting clinical symptoms, represented US$ 0.56/intervention, without difference between the treatments (P>0.05). Furthermore, independently of the treatment, high frequency of pneumonia was observed (>0.90). No difference for the degree of gastric ulcer nor feces consistency were observed (P>0.05). The utilization of antibiotic therapy and alternatives to antibiotics in feed did not produce benefits to the production indices and sanitary performances of the animals.

This work aimed to assess the effect of the probiotic strain, Lactobacillus plantarum, on the levels of leptin, IGF-1 and their receptors on the hepatopancreatic tissues of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and then correlate fish growth performance and gut microbiological parameters. Fish juveniles (±23g) were reared in a recirculation system with constant aeration and temperature (25°C). They were distributed into six polyethylene tanks (45L) and fed twice a day at 5% of the tank biomass with the respective diets: control (commercial diet without probiotic) and supplemented with L. plantarum inoculum (1 x 108 CFU mL-1), both in triplicate. After 30 days of feeding, L. plantarum-fed fishes showed greater weekly growth rate, final weight, and feed conversion rate, in addition to higher count of lactic-acid bacteria and lower count of pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal tract, when compared to the control group. The immunostaining intensity for IGF-1 and leptin hormones was lower after L. plantarum supplementation than in the control group, with no change in the level for receptors. This reduction could implicate important changes in fish metabolism and homeostasis.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the contamination by Salmonella sp. and enterobacteria in pig carcasses from the first and last batches slaughtered in a same week, at different stages of the slaughtering line. Samples were collected from the first and last batches slaughtered on Monday and Friday of each week, respectively, during five weeks, totaling ten batches. From each batch, ten carcasses were collected in eight stages of the slaughter line: bleeding, scalding, singeing/evisceration, inspection, spinal cord removal, final washing, blast chilling, and after cooling. A total of 800 samples were analyzed for Salmonella sp. and enterobacteria quantification. The last batch of the week showed twice the chances of the pig carcasses being contaminated with Salmonella sp. and, consequently, a greater amount of enterobacteria (1.00 log10 CFU per square centimeter) than the first batch (0.88 log10 CFC per square centimeter). A higher count of enterobacteria was also observed in the stages of bleeding (2.37 log10 CFU per square centimeter) and scalding (2.36 log10 CFU per square centimeter). The last batches slaughtered in the week show a greater contamination than the first ones, and there is a greater contamination of carcasses by Salmonella sp. and enterobacteria in the initial stages of pig slaughter, i.e., at bleeding and scalding.