In this study, the objective was to evaluate the efficacy of protein supplementation on gastrointestinal nematode control in lambs naturally infected. Sixty weaned Ile de France and Texel crossbred lambs, with 60 days of age, were divided into three groups (n=20) according to the level of protein in the concentrate: low protein (LP; 8.5%), moderate protein (MP; 15%), and high protein (HP; 25%). The daily amount of concentrate offered was based on 3% of live weight, which was continued throughout the experiment of 98 days. Evaluations were conducted biweekly from days 0 (D0) to 98 (D98). There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the average weight among the LP, MP and HP groups, which was 22.0, 21.4, and 21.1 kg, respectively, on D0 and 46.4, 48.3, and 48.2 kg, respectively, on D98. The daily weight gain was not significantly different among the groups (LP, 250 g; MP and HP, 276 g; p > 0.05). The average egg count per gram of feces (epg) of the LP group on D98 (6,765; an increase of 5,690 epg from D0) was higher than that of the MP and HP groups (1,617.5, p < 0.05 and 3,435, p > 0.05, respectively), which remained constant throughout the study. The hematocrit values decreased (p < 0.05) from D0 to D98 only in the LP group. Only in the HP group (p < 0.05), the mean serum total protein concentration increased from D0 (5.3 g dL-1) to D98 (5.8 g dL-1). The average albumin level on D98 (2.10 g dL-1) was lower than that on D0 (2.52 g dL-1) in the LP group (p < 0.05). During the study, 10 lambs overall were treated with anthelmintic because the epg values exceeded 10,000; six treated lambs were from the LP group, 3 from the HP group, and only 1 from the MP group. These results indicate that supplementation of diet with 15% protein increases the resistance and resilience of lambs to gastrointestinal parasites.

The widespread occurrence of anthelmintic-resistant gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs), particularly Haemonchus contortus, in sheep production systems has magnified the need to identify and develop alternative control strategies. Strategies include the selection of genetically GIN-resistant sheep and the implementation of biological parasite control to reduce dependence on anthelmintic drugs. In this study, we aimed to establish the molecular identity of bacterial communities present in the abomasum of sheep classified as resistant or susceptible to H. contortus, an abomasal parasite. Thirty-eight sheep were experimentally infected with L3 Haemonchus contortus and analyzed for fecal egg count (FEC) and hematocrit (Ht) to establish haemonchosis resistance or susceptibility. Four resistant sheep (RS) and four susceptible sheep (SS) were selected for microbial sampling and subsequent phylogenetic analysis. Molecular identification of the bacteria was based on amplification of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene, construction of a 16S rDNA clone library, and subsequent gene sequencing. Significant differences (p = 0.05) were observed in the occurrence of different phyla identified in RS and SS libraries: Firmicutes (61.4% and 37.2%, respectively), Proteobacteria (10.2% and 37.2%, respectively), Bacteroidetes (12.8% and 5.8%, respectively), and unclassified bacteria (12.8% and 17%, respectively). Differences between the proportions of bacterial communities present in the RS and SS pool samples were observed, contributing as a first step toward the assessment of the association between the gastrointestinal tract microbiota and nematode resistance in sheep.

O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar e comparar lesões osteoarticulares em dois grupos de aves, rapinantes (RP) e não rapinantes (NRP). Dados de 360 aves foram analisados. Desses, 46,11% grupo RP e 54% grupo NRP. No grupo RP os mais afetados foram: Strigiformes (21,9%); Accipitriformes (11,1%); Falconiformes (10%); Cathartiformes (2,5%); e no grupo NRP foram: Passeriformes (15,6%); Psitaciformes (13,9%); Columbiformes (8,3%); Piciformes (5,3%). Lesões no membro torácico foram predominantes em ambos os grupos (83% RP; e 67% NRP). Lesões ósseas foram predominantes em ambos os grupos (93% RP; e NRP 85%). Dessas lesões ósseas, a ulna foi o osso mais acometido nos RP (28%), e nos NRP o osso mais acometido foi o rádio (24%). A parte média da diáfise foi a parte mais acometida em ambos os grupos (42%). Em ambos os grupos houve predominância de fraturas simples com 85% dos casos, e a ocorrência de fraturas abertas e fechadas foi equivalente em ambos os grupos. Luxações representaram 7% nos RP e 15% nos NRP. Concluímos que lesões osteoarticulares são comuns em aves predatórias e não predatórias, com distribuição equivalente, sem interferência etológica, apesar de diferentes tipos de vida, hábitos alimentares e comportamento.