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.

Anim Reprod, vol.16, n4, p.895-901, 2019

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.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of (+)-catechin or (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on goat semen freezability. Poolsof semen were processed (Experiment 1: 0, 15, 25, 50, 75, or 100µM (+)-catechin; Experiment 2: 0, 15, 25, 50, 75, or 100µM EGCG) and frozen. After thawing, the samples were evaluated for kinematics, plasma membrane (PMi) and acrosome integrity, morphology, and oxidative stress, at 0 and 1h. In Experiment 1, at 0h, VSL and VAP were greater (P<0.05) with 15µM than with 50 and 100; WOB was lower (P<0.05) with 100µM than with 0, 15, and 25; and BCF was higher (P<0.05) with 75 and 100µM than with 0. In turn, in Experiment 2, progressive motility was higher (P<0.05) with0 and 15µM than with50 and 75; LIN was lower (P<0.05) with75 and100µM than with0 and 15; WOB was higher (P<0.05) with0 and 15µM; and PMi was greater (P<0.05) with100µM than 0. Thus, (+)-catechin or EGCG at higher concentrations inhibits the kinematics of frozen goat sperm, in a transitory way, and 100µM of EGCG preserves the PMi.

In order to differentiate groups of hypocalcemic (G1) and normocalcemic animals (G2) and infer the influence of subclinical hypocalcemia on metabolic profiles, this study determined calcium concentrations during the transitional period in 35 dairy goats healthy, pregnant, primiparous or multiparous, crossbreed or pure-bred dairy goats producing average 3 kg/day/goat. Therefore, blood samples were collected before (30, 20 and 10 days before parturition), on the day of delivery and after parturition (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days postpartum). The variables measured were glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, cholesterol, triglycerides, amylase, total protein, albumin, urea, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, creatine kinase, total calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, chlorides, cortisol and insulin, as well as ionized calcium (Ca++), sodium and potassium. Goats were considered to have subclinical hypocalcemia if Ca++ ≤0.72 mmol/L. The data were analyzed by ANOVA. In subclinically hypocalcemic goats, serum concentrations of Ca++ decreased earlier (10dbp) than in normocalcemic goats (parturition) and remained lower throughout the transitional period (p=0,004). Among the measured variables, Ca++ showed greater influence on the NEFA, glucose, insulin and total calcium but also influenced the protein profile. Lower food intake by goats with subclinical hypocalcemia was one of the main factors interfering with the metabolic profile and likely the productivity of these animals. Studies should be conducted to measure the effects of subclinical disease on the production rates and on the emergence of other transitional period diseases.