Evaluation of Natural and Factitious Food Sources for Pronematus Ubiquitus on Tomato Plants

Pronematus ubiquitus (McGregor) is a small iolinid mite that is capable of establishing on tomato plants. Once established, this mite has been shown to control both tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici (Tryon) (Acari: Eriophyidae) and tomato powdery mildew (Oidium neolycopersici L. Kiss). In the present study, we explored the nutritional value of various food sources in the laboratory. First, we assessed the reproduction of two food sources that P. ubiquitus can encounter on a tomato crop: tomato pollen and powdery mildew. In a second laboratory experiment, we evaluated the nutritional value of two types of prey mites: the astigmatid Carpoglyphus lactis L. (Acari: Carpoglyphidae) and the tarsonemid Tarsonemus fusarii (Acari: Tarsonemidae). Powdery mildew and C. lactis did not contribute to the reproduction, whereas tomato pollen and T. fusarii did allow egg-laying. However, Typha angustifolia pollen was a superior food source in both experiments. In a greenhouse trial on individual caged tomato plants, we evaluated the impact of pollen supplementation frequency on establishment of P. ubiquitus. Here, a pollen addition frequency of every other week was required to allow populations of P. ubiquitus to establish.

Consumption of nutritional supplements by gym attendants and health clubs

Background Nowadays there has been a greater concern for health and well-being, as well as the constant search for the ‘ideal body’ trend. As a consequence, vitamin, protein and food supplements are more and more frequent in the population's dietary pattern, as compensation for an unbalanced diet and in the fight against intense physical/psychological wear and tear. The main objective of the study was to assess the prevalence of consumption of nutritional supplements by gym goers. Methods This is an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study, lasting 9 months and with the collection of information through a questionnaire. The statistical treatment of the data was carried out with the aid of the SPSS program. Results It was found that the prevalence of consumption is higher in males (58.9%). The most consumed type of vitamin supplement were multivitamins with mineral salts (46.2%) and whey protein (89%) as a protein supplement. The most cited reason for its consumption was ‘accelerating the recovery’ (62.3%). The most common supplementation frequency is daily (54.1%), with the majority of respondents assuming a cost in the consumption of supplements in the range of 10 to 20 €monthly. The main place for its acquisition was the internet (65.6%) and the sources most mentioned by respondents to obtain knowledge about supplements were the internet and the trainer, both with 36.1%. Conclusions In Portugal, the prevalence of consumption is still unknown, and it is necessary to make the population aware of the possible risks associated with incorrect supplementation, unbalanced diet and exercise.

Effects of narasin supplementation frequency on intake, ruminal fermentation parameters, and nutrient digestibility of Bos indicus Nellore steers fed with forage-based diets

The study aimed to evaluate if the frequency of narasin supplementation impacts dry matter intake, ruminal fermentation parameters, and apparent digestibility of nutrient in Nellore (Bos Indicus) steers fed forage-based diets. Thirty-two rumen-cannulated Nellore steers [initial body weight (BW) = 317 ± 27 kg; age =18 ± 1 mo] were assigned to individual pens in a randomized complete block design according to their initial shrunk BW. Within block, steers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: 1) forage-based diet without the addition of narasin (CON; n = 8), 2) CON diet plus 13 ppm of narasin every 24 hours (N24; n = 8), 3) CON diet plus 26 ppm of narasin every 48 hours (N48; n = 8), or 4) CON diet plus 39 ppm of narasin every 72 hours (N72; n = 8). The experimental period lasted 30 d, with 18 d for diet adaptation and 12 d for sample collection. The experimental diets contained 95% of Tifton-85 (Cynodon dactylon spp.) haylage and 5% ground corn used as a delivery vehicle for narasin. Ruminal fluid was obtained from d 25 to 30 at 6 h after feeding to determine ruminal fermentation parameters. Narasin supplementation frequency did not affect (P ≥ 0.22) nutrient intake and total tract apparent digestibility. Steers fed N24 and N48 had reduced (P = 0.02) ruminal acetate concentration compared with CON and N72. Daily supply of narasin increased (P = 0.01) the molar proportion of propionate compared with CON and N72, and it did not differ between N24 vs. N48, N48 vs. N72, and N72 vs. CON. Also, N48 steers had greater (P = 0.01) rumen propionate concentration compared with CON. The N24 treatment decreased the Ac: Prop (P = 0.01) and AcBut: Prop (P = 0.02) ratio compared with CON and N72, while N48 had reduced (P = 0.01) Ac: Prop and AcBut: Prop ratio when compared with CON steers. Steers fed N24 and N48 had greater (P = 0.04) ruminal SCFA compared with CON, but it did not differ (P > 0.11) between N24, N48, and N72. Supplementing narasin to steers fed forage-based diets decreased (P < 0.01) ruminal ammonia concentration compared with CON steers regardless of supplementation frequency, being the least result observed for N24 steers. Collectively, narasin supplementation frequency affected fermentation parameters without altering the nutrient intake and total tract apparent digestibility. Hence, decreasing frequency of narasin supplementation to Nellore steers fed a forage-based diet did not reduce the capacity to modulate rumen fermentation parameters.

Concentrate Supplementation Frequency Effects on Early-weaned Beef Calves Grazing Annual Ryegrass

The objective of this study was to evaluate the concentrate supplementation frequency effects on forage characteristics and performance of early-weaned beef calves grazing annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum). The experiments were conducted in Ona, FL from February to April (Exp. 1) and June (Exp. 2) 2019 and 2020. In Exp. 1, thirty-two early-weaned calves (82±12 d of age) were allocated to 8 annual ryegrass pastures (4 calves/pasture) and supplemented with 1% BW. Treatments were 2 concentrate supplementation frequencies, daily (DAILY) or three times per week (3X; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) distributed in a randomized complete block design with 4 replicates. Calves receiving the 3X treatment had the daily supplement level multiplied by 7 d and divided by 3 feeding days. Pastures (experimental units; 0.4 ha/pasture) were grazed with a continuous and fixed stocking rate. There was no difference in herbage mass (P = 0.85; mean = 3050 kg/ha), herbage allowance (P = 0.91; mean = 3.0 kg DM/kg BW), CP (P = 0.88; mean = 17.5%), and in vitro digestible organic matter (P = 0.82; mean = 74%). In addition, there was no difference in ADG (P = 0.60, mean = 0.65 kg/d), plasma urea nitrogen (P = 0.88; mean = 10 mg/dL), and glucose (P = 0.45; mean = 72 mg/dL). In Exp. 2, twenty early-weaned calves from Exp. 1 were maintained in the same treatment and placed in a drylot with individual stall for forage DM intake, total DM intake, and in vivo digestibility measurements. Treatments were the same described in Exp. 1 distributed in a randomized complete block design with 10 replicates. Calves receiving the DAILY treatment had greater forage DM intake (P = 0.02; 1.8 vs. 1.6% BW), total DM intake (P < 0.01; 2.7 vs. 2.5% BW), and in vivo digestibility (P < 0.01; 87 vs. 85%) than 3X. Feeding three times per week may be a feasible management practice to decrease the cost of labor related to feeding early-weaned beef calves.

55 Effects of concentrate supplementation frequency and amount on growth and reproductive performance of Brangus heifers

A 2-yr study evaluated the impacts of supplementation frequency and amount on growth and puberty attainment of Brangus heifers. On d 0 of each year, 64 Brangus heifers were stratified by BW and age (244 ± 4 kg; 311 ± 18 d) and assigned to 1 of 16 bahiagrass pastures (4 heifers/pasture). Treatments were randomly assigned to pasture (4 pastures/treatment) in a 2 × 2 factorial design and consisted of heifers offered a soybean hulls-based supplement DM at 1.25% or 1.75% of BW delivered either daily (7X) or 3 times weekly (3X; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). On d 56, heifers were inserted with a CIDR device for 14 d, followed by administration of PGF2α and a timed-AI+GnRH protocol on d 89. Heifers were exposed to bulls from d 89 to 167. Data were analyzed using the SAS GLIMMIX procedure. No rate × frequency interactions were detected (P ≥ 0.20). Overall ADG was greater for 7X vs. 3X heifers (P = 0.007). Daily supplementation increased (P ≤ 0.03) the percentage of pubertal heifers prior to CIDR insertion and at AI compared to 3X supplementation; however, percentage of pregnant heifers did not differ (P = 0.70). Supplementation at 1.25% vs. 1.75% enhanced the overall ADG (P = 0.02) but did not impact (P = 0.18) the percentage of pubertal heifers before CIDR insertion. After the puberty induction protocol, heifers supplemented at 1.75% of BW achieved greater puberty attainment at time of AI (P = 0.05) and final pregnancy rates (P = 0.02) than heifers supplemented at 1.25% of BW. When a puberty induction protocol was included, the percentage of pregnant Brangus heifers were not affected by supplementation frequency (daily vs. 3 times weekly) but enhanced when the supplement dry matter amount was offered at 1.75 vs. 1.25% of body weight.

Effects of energy-protein supplementation frequency on performance of primiparous grazing beef cows during pre and postpartum

Objective: Twenty-four pregnant Nellore primiparous grazing cows were used to evaluate the effects of energy-protein supplementation and supplementation frequency during pre (105 d before calving) and postpartum (105 d after calving) on performance and metabolic characteristics.Methods: Experimental treatments consisted of a control (no supplementation), daily supplementation (1.5 kg/d of concentrate/animal) and infrequent supplementation (4.5 kg of concentrate/animal every three days). During the pre and postpartum periods, concentrations of blood metabolites and animal performance were evaluated. Ureagenesis and energy metabolism markers were evaluated at prepartum period.Results: Supplementation frequency did not alter (p>0.10) body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and carcass traits during pre and postpartum. The BW (p = 0.079), adjusted BW at day of parturition (p = 0.078), and ADG (p = 0.074) were greater for supplemented cows during the prepartum. The body condition score (BCS; p = 0.251), and carcass traits (p>0.10) were not affected by supplementation during prepartum. On postpartum, supplementation did not affect animal performance and carcass traits (p>0.10). The dry mater intake was not affected (p>0.10) by supplementation and supplementation frequency throughout the experimental period. Daily supplemented animals had greater (p<0.001) glucose levels than animals supplemented every three days. Supplementation and supplementation frequency did not alter (p>0.10) the levels of blood metabolites, neither the abundance of ureagenesis nor energy metabolism markers.Conclusion: In summary, our data show that the reduction of supplementation frequency does not cause negative impacts on performance and metabolic characteristics of primiparous grazing cows during the prepartum.

Supplementation frequency and amount modulate postweaning growth and reproductive performance of Bos indicus-influenced beef heifers

This 2-yr study evaluated the growth and puberty attainment of Bos indicus-influenced beef heifers offered 2 different postweaning concentrate supplementation amounts and delivery frequencies. On day 0 of each year, 64 Brangus crossbred heifers were stratified by initial body weight (BW) and age (mean = 244 ± 22 kg; 314 ± 17 d) and assigned into 1 of 16 bahiagrass pastures (4 heifers/pasture/yr). Treatments were randomly assigned to pastures in a 2 × 2 factorial design (4 pastures/treatment/yr) and consisted of concentrate dry matter (DM) supplementation at 1.25% or 1.75% of BW which were offered either daily (7×) or 3 times weekly (3×) for 168 d. On day 56 of each year, heifers were assigned to an estrus synchronization protocol consisting of intravaginal controlled internal drug release (CIDR) insertion on day 56, CIDR removal on day 70, i.m. injection of 25 mg of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) on day 86, and i.m. injection of 100 µg of gonadotropin-releasing hormone and timed-AI at 66 h after PGF2α injection (day 89). Heifers were exposed to Angus bulls from day 89 to 168 (1 bull/pasture). Pregnancy diagnosis was assessed on day 213 of each year. Supplementation amount × frequency effects were not detected (P ≥ 0.12) for any variable, except for plasma concentrations of glucose (P = 0.10) and urea nitrogen (PUN; P = 0.01). Herbage mass, herbage allowance, and nutritive value did not differ (P ≥ 0.12) among treatments. Increasing supplementation DM amount from 1.25% to 1.75% of BW increased (P ≤ 0.05) plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), overall average daily gain (ADG), final BW, percentage of pubertal heifers on day 89, pregnancy and calving percentages, and percentage of heifers calving within the first 21 d of the calving season. However, reducing the supplementation frequency from daily to 3× weekly, regardless of supplementation amount, did not impact overall pregnancy and calving percentages (P ≥ 0.42), but caused (P ≤ 0.05) fluctuations in plasma concentrations of insulin and IGF-1 and decreased (P ≤ 0.03) overall ADG, final BW, puberty attainment on days 56, 89, and 168, and percentage of heifers calving during the first 21 d of the calving season. Hence, increasing the supplement DM amount did not prevent the negative effects of reducing the frequency of supplementation (3× vs. 7× weekly) on growth and reproduction of replacement Bos indicus-influenced beef heifers.

Protein-energy supplementation frequency on ruminal variables, intake and digestibility in steers receiving low quality hay

The aim was evaluated the effect of reduce in protein-energy supplementation frequency on nutrients intake, forage digestibility and degradability, as well as, ruminal pH and ammonia nitrogen (N-NH3) concentration in beef cattle receiving low-quality hay. A 4 x 4 Latin square design were used. Four steers were fed with low-quality hay and subjected to four treatments: no supplementation (control); protein-energy supplementation with 0.82% of body weight (BW) offered three times per week (3WK); 0.49% of BW offered five times a week (5 WK), and 0.35% of BW offered seven times per week (7 WK). The use of protein-energy supplementation increased intake of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), ether extract (EE), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) and the digestibility coefficients of CP, EE, and NFC. However, no differences in DM and NDF degradation visit the website to get the how were observed between treatments in the evaluated hay. Supplementation did not alter ruminal pH, but the N-NH3 concentration was highest in treatment 7WK. Reduction in protein-energy supplementation frequency of daily to 3WK or 5WK does not negatively affect intake, digestibility and degradability of nutrients in beef cattle receiving low quality hay.

PSX-27 Effects of narasin supplementation frequency on lamb ruminal fermentation

This study evaluated the frequency of narasin supplementation on ruminal fermentation in lambs. Four male lambs (castrated and cannulated in the rumen) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square experimental design. The experimental diets consisted of 95% coastcross hay (16% CP) and 5% ground corn (DM basis), used as the delivery vehicle for the narasin. The diet was fed daily. The treatments were: C (no additives), N24: narasin offered every 24 hours at 13 ppm; N48: narasin offered every 48 hours, being 26 ppm offered on the first day and ground corn without narasin on the second day; N72: narasin offered every 72 hours, being 39 ppm offered on the first day and ground corn without narasin on the second and third days. The trial lasted 4 periods of 36 days each. Between the 31st to 36th days of each period, the rumen fluid was collected (hours 0; 6 and 12). All data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS and the treatments were compared through the Tukey test at 5% probability. There was no effect at the molar concentration of acetate (76.25 ± 1.22 mM/100mM), butyrate (4.9 ± 0.59 mM/100mM), ammonia (15.17 ± 2.03 mg/dl) and pH (6.36 ± 0.13). There was an effect of the molar concentration of propionate (C = 15.88b; N24 = 17.35a; N48 = 16.91a; N72 = 16.57ab mM/100mM; P &lt; 0.01), acetate:propionate ratio (C = 4.86; a N24 = 4.38 b; N48 = 4.53b; N72 = 4.66ab; P &lt; 0.01) and the total SCFA (C = 88.96b; N24 = 107.43 a; N48 = 100.53a; N72 = 84.62b mM; P &lt; 0.01). In conclusion, the daily supply of narasin and every 48 hours positively affected ruminal fermentation parameters in lambs, but this effect decreased when used every 72 hours.

22 Puberty induction protocol, but not supplement amount, overcomes the negative impacts of reduced frequency of supplementation on reproduction of beef heifers

This study evaluated the performance of Bos indicus-influenced beef heifers submitted to a puberty induction protocol and offered two supplementation amounts and delivery frequencies. Sixty-four Brangus crossbred heifers were stratified by BW and age (244 ± 4 kg; 311 ± 18 d) and assigned into 1 of 16 bahiagrass pastures on d 0. Treatments were randomly assigned to pastures in a 2 × 2 factorial design (4 pastures/treatment) and consisted of soyhulls-based supplementation at 1.25% or 1.75% of BW (DM basis) offered daily or 3 times weekly for 168 d. The puberty induction protocol consisted of CIDR insert on d 56 and removal on d 70, 5-mL PGF2a injection on d 86, 2-mL GnRH injection and timed-AI on d 89. Heifers were exposed to Angus bulls from d 89 to 167 (1 bull/pasture). Pregnancy diagnosis was assessed on d 212. Frequency × rate effects were not detected (P ≥ 0.19) for any variable. Reducing the supplementation frequency from daily to 3X weekly tended (P = 0.07) to decrease overall ADG and puberty attainment on d 56 (53 vs. 41 ± 6%), but not puberty attainment on d 89 (P = 0.45; 84 vs. 78 ± 6%) and pregnancy percentage on d 212 (P = 0.97; 69 vs. 69 ± 7%). Increasing the supplement amount from 1.25% to 1.75% of BW increased (P = 0.04) overall ADG, tended (P = 0.09) to hasten puberty attainment on d 56 (40 vs. 54 ± 6%) and d 89 (74 vs. 88 ± 6%), and enhanced (P = 0.03) pregnancy percentage on d 212 (53 vs. 80 ± 7%). Therefore, the inclusion of a puberty induction protocol, but not increasing the supplement amount, enabled a reduced frequency of supplementation (3 vs. 7 times weekly) without detrimental impacts on percentage of pregnant yearling beef heifers.