@misc{muro_carnevale_monteiro_yao_ferreira_neta_pereira_maes_janssens_almond_et al._2023, title={A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Creep Feeding Effects on Piglet Pre- and Post-Weaning Performance}, volume={13}, ISSN={["2076-2615"]}, DOI={10.3390/ani13132156}, abstractNote={In the present systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluated the effects of providing piglets with creep feed during lactation on piglet pre- and post-weaning performance. A total of 20 articles met the inclusion criteria. Creep feeding in lactation improved pre-weaning piglet performance in 46% of the studies selected, while 58% of the included studies reported that creep feeding in lactation improved piglet performance during the nursery phase. Creep feeding increased the average piglet body weight (creep = 7.23 ± 0.30, no creep = 6.96 ± 0.31; p = 0.03) and litter weight (creep = 81.2 ± 4.18, no creep = 76.4 ± 4.22; p < 0.001) at weaning. The average piglet body weight and litter weight were positively associated (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) with total creep feed intake. Creep feeding of piglets for more than 14 days increased (p = 0.003) the litter weight at weaning compared to litters not provided or provided for shorter periods with creep feed. The present work strengthened the notion that creep feeding during lactation presents opportunities for improving weaning weights and post-weaning piglet performance compared to litters not provided or provided for shorter periods with creep feed.}, number={13}, journal={ANIMALS}, author={Muro, Bruno B. D. and Carnevale, Rafaella F. and Monteiro, Matheus S. and Yao, Renjie and Ferreira, Felipe N. A. and Neta, Clarice S. S. and Pereira, Francisco A. and Maes, Dominiek and Janssens, Geert P. J. and Almond, Glen W. and et al.}, year={2023}, month={Jul} }
 @article{donatelli muro_rodrigues oliveira_carnevale_leal_monteiro_poor_pereira_souza_ferreira_almond_et al._2022, title={Altrenogest Supplementation during Early Pregnancy Improves Reproductive Outcome in Pigs}, volume={12}, ISSN={["2076-2615"]}, DOI={10.3390/ani12141801}, abstractNote={Progesterone plays an important role in initial conceptus development and in a successful pregnancy, but results related to progesterone or its analogues (altrenogest) supplementation in early pregnancy of pigs are conflicting. The present study evaluated the effects of altrenogest supplementation in sows during days 6 and 12 of pregnancy on reproductive performance. On day 6 of pregnancy, 301 females were allocated at random to one of the following treatments: CON (Control: non-supplemented females, n = 163) or ALT (females daily supplemented with 20 mg of altrenogest, orally, from day 6 to 12 of pregnancy, n = 138). Ovulation was considered as occurred at 48 h after the first estrus detection to standardize the first day of pregnancy. The supplementation increased the number of total piglets born (ALT: 17.3 ± 0.4; CON: 16.6 ± 0.4), piglets born alive (ALT: 15.6 ± 0.4; CON: 14.8 ± 0.3), and placenta weight (ALT: 4.2 ± 0.1; CON: 3.8 ± 0.1) and decreased the stillbirth rate (ALT: 5.9 ± 0.6; CON: 7.6 ± 0.6) and the number of piglets born weighing less than 800 g (ALT: 6.6 ± 0.6; CON: 8.0 ± 0.6), without impairment on farrowing rate. These results demonstrated that altrenogest supplementation on swine females between days 6 and 12 of pregnancy may be used to improve reproductive performance.}, number={14}, journal={ANIMALS}, author={Donatelli Muro, Bruno Bracco and Rodrigues Oliveira, Ana Clara and Carnevale, Rafaella Fernandes and Leal, Diego Feitosa and Monteiro, Matheus Saliba and Poor, Andre Pegoraro and Pereira, Francisco Alves and Souza, Leury Jesus and Ferreira, Juliana Bonin and Almond, Glen William and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Jul} }
 @article{leal_viana_almond_monteiro_garbossa_carnevale_muro_poor_pugliesi_nichi_et al._2022, title={Estrus Synchronization of Replacement Gilts Using Estradiol Cipionate and PGF(2 alpha) and Its Effects on Reproductive Outcomes}, volume={12}, ISSN={["2076-2615"]}, DOI={10.3390/ani12233393}, abstractNote={In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of using estrogen-induced prolonged luteal function followed by prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2α) treatment to synchronize estrus in gilts. On day12 of the estrus cycle (D0 = first day of standing estrus), 52 gilts were assigned at random to two experimental groups: non-treated gilts (CON, n = 22), serving as controls, and prolonged luteal function group (CYP, n = 30), receiving a single treatment with 10 mg of estradiol cypionate intramuscularly Starting on day 12, blood samples were collected for estradiol and progesterone assays. Estrus detection started on day 17. Gilts from the CON group were inseminated at the onset of natural estrus. On day 28 CYP gilts were treated with PGF2α to induce luteolysis and inseminated at the onset of estrus. Gilts were slaughtered 5 d after the last insemination. A single treatment with estradiol cypionate prolonged luteal function in 90% of treated gilts. The duration of the estrous cycle was longer (p < 0.0001) for CYP gilts compared to CON gilts. CYP gilts showed synchronized estrus 3.96 ± 0.19 d after induction of luteolysis. The conception rate was similar (p = 0.10) for CON and CYP gilts. No difference was observed in the embryo recovery rate (p = 0.18) and total number of embryos per female (p = 0.06). The percentage of unfertilized oocytes, fragmented embryos and viable embryos was similar among females from CON and CYP groups (p > 0.05). The treatment of gilts with a single application of 10 mg of estradiol cypionate on day 12 of the estrous cycle was effective in prolonging luteal function and treatment with PGF2α resulted in synchronized estrus. Additionally, the synchronization protocol had no deleterious effect on fertility and embryonic development.}, number={23}, journal={ANIMALS}, author={Leal, Diego Feitosa and Viana, Carlos Henrique Cabral and Almond, Glen William and Monteiro, Matheus Saliba and Garbossa, Cesar Augusto Pospissil and Carnevale, Rafaella Fernandes and Muro, Bruno Bracco Donatelli and Poor, Andre Pegoraro and Pugliesi, Guilherme and Nichi, Marcilio and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Dec} }
 @misc{monteiro_muro_carnevale_poor_araujo_viana_almond_moreno_garbossa_leal_2023, title={The beneficial effects of providing prepartum sows with nesting materials on farrowing traits, piglet performance and maternal behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis}, volume={259}, ISSN={["1872-9045"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105795}, abstractNote={Sows are highly motivated to engage in nest-building behavior prior to farrowing. Studies have shown that providing nesting material to farrowing sows reduces the occurrence of redirected nest-building behaviors, improves farrowing traits and maternal behavior, and decreases pre-weaning mortality. However, in some studies, access to nesting material had no effect on farrowing traits and piglet performance. Further, sow response to nest materials are largely variable among studies, mainly influenced by the type and quantity of nesting material provided and farrowing system. Thus, a systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out to evaluate the effects of the provision of nesting materials on farrowing performance, maternal behavior, and piglet performance. A total of 26 articles met the inclusion criteria. Nest-building behavior was enhanced when nesting material was provided. The systematic review indicates that sows supplied with nesting material had reduced pre-farrowing redirected nest-building behavior and reduced postural changes during farrowing. Sows provided with nesting material had increased nursing bouts and had better response to piglet distress call. An increase (P = 0.03) in the number of piglets born alive were observed for sows provided with nesting material. Provision of nesting materials reduced (P < 0.05) piglet birth interval and pre-weaning mortality. The use of straw or lucerne hay as nest materials reduced (P < 0.05) stillbirth rate and pre-weaning mortality. The use of man-made materials (e.g., hessian, jute, or burlap sacks) tended to reduce stillbirth rate (P = 0.06). Provision of nesting materials had no effect (P > 0.05) on weaning weight. The present study strengthened the hypothesis that provision of nesting material to sows prior to farrowing increases sow maternal care traits and piglet performance.}, journal={APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE}, author={Monteiro, Matheus S. and Muro, Bruno B. D. and Carnevale, Rafaella F. and Poor, Andre P. and Araujo, Kawany M. and Viana, Carlos H. C. and Almond, Glen W. and Moreno, Andrea M. and Garbossa, Cesar A. P. and Leal, Diego F.}, year={2023}, month={Feb} }
 @article{pecoraro_leal_frias-de-diego_browning_odle_crisci_2022, title={The health benefits of selenium in food animals: a review}, volume={13}, ISSN={2049-1891}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40104-022-00706-2}, DOI={10.1186/s40104-022-00706-2}, abstractNote={AbstractSelenium is an essential trace mineral important for the maintenance of homeostasis in animals and humans. It evinces a strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and potential antimicrobial capacity. Selenium biological function is primarily achieved by its presence in selenoproteins as a form of selenocysteine. Selenium deficiency may result in an array of health disorders, affecting many organs and systems; to prevent this, dietary supplementation, mainly in the forms of organic (i.e., selenomethionine and selenocysteine) inorganic (i.e., selenate and selenite) sources is used. In pigs as well as other food animals, dietary selenium supplementation has been used for improving growth performance, immune function, and meat quality. A substantial body of knowledge demonstrates that dietary selenium supplementation is positively associated with overall animal health especially due to its immunomodulatory activity and protection from oxidative damage. Selenium also possesses potential antiviral activity and this is achieved by protecting immune cells against oxidative damage and decreasing viral replication. In this review we endeavor to combine established and novel knowledge on the beneficial effects of dietary selenium supplementation, its antioxidant and immunomodulatory actions, and the putative antimicrobial effect thereof. Furthermore, our review demonstrates the gaps in knowledge pertaining to the use of selenium as an antiviral, underscoring the need for further in vivo and in vitro studies, particularly in pigs.
                Graphical abstract}, number={1}, journal={Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Pecoraro, B.M. and Leal, D.F. and Frias-De-Diego, A. and Browning, M. and Odle, J. and Crisci, E.}, year={2022}, pages={58} }
 @article{muro_carnevale_leal_almond_monteiro_poor_schinckel_garbossa_2022, title={The importance of optimal body condition to maximise reproductive health and perinatal outcomes in pigs}, volume={6}, ISSN={["1475-2700"]}, DOI={10.1017/S0954422422000129}, abstractNote={AbstractOvernutrition or undernutrition during all or part of the reproductive cycle predisposes sows to metabolic consequences and poor reproductive health which contributes to a decrease in sow longevity and an increase in perinatal mortality. This represents not only an economic problem for the pig industry but also results in poor animal welfare. To maximise profitability and increase sustainability in pig production, it is pivotal to provide researchers and practitioners with synthesised information about the repercussions of maternal obesity or malnutrition on reproductive health and perinatal outcomes, and to pinpoint currently available nutritional managements to keep sows’ body condition in an optimal range. Thus, the present review summarises recent work on the consequences of maternal malnutrition and highlights new findings.}, journal={NUTRITION RESEARCH REVIEWS}, author={Muro, Bruno B. D. and Carnevale, Rafaella F. and Leal, Diego F. and Almond, Glen W. and Monteiro, Matheus S. and Poor, Andre P. and Schinckel, Allan P. and Garbossa, Cesar A. P.}, year={2022}, month={Jun} }
 @article{poor_moreno_monteiro_matajira_dutra_leal_silva_gomes_barbosa_sato_et al._2022, title={Vaginal microbiota signatures in healthy and purulent vulvar discharge sows}, volume={12}, ISSN={["2045-2322"]}, DOI={10.1038/s41598-022-13090-8}, abstractNote={AbstractPurulent vulvar discharges, primarily caused by genito-urinary tract infections, are an important source of economic loss for swine producers due to sow culling and mortality. However, the agents that compose the vaginal microbiota of sows and their changes during infections are not well understood. The first goal of this study was to characterize and compare the vaginal bacterial content of healthy (HE, n = 40) and purulent vulvar discharge sows (VD, n = 270) by a culture-dependent method and MALDI-TOF MS identification. Secondly, we performed 16S rRNA targeted metagenomic approach (n = 72) to compare the vaginal microbiota between these groups. We found a wide variety of bacteria, with Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota being the most abundant phyla in both groups, as well as Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus, and Bacteroides at the genus level. Most agents identified in the sequencing method also grew in the culture-dependent method, showing the viability of these bacteria. Alpha diversity did not differ between HE and VD sows, regarding sample richness and diversity, but a beta-diversity index showed a different microbiota composition between these groups in two tested herds. ANCOM analysis revealed that Bacteroides pyogenes were more abundant in VD females and can be a marker for this group. Other agents also require attention, such as the Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Staphylococcus hyicus found in remarkably greater relative abundance in VD sows. Network analysis revealed important positive correlations between some potentially pathogenic genera, such as between Escherichia-Shigella, Trueperella, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, and Prevotella, which did not occur in healthy sows. We conclude that the alteration of the vaginal microbiota between healthy and purulent vulvar discharge sows, although not extreme, could be due to the increase in the relative abundance of specific agents and to associations between potentially pathogenic bacteria.}, number={1}, journal={SCIENTIFIC REPORTS}, author={Poor, Andre P. and Moreno, Luisa Z. and Monteiro, Matheus S. and Matajira, Carlos E. C. and Dutra, Mauricio C. and Leal, Diego F. and Silva, Ana Paula S. and Gomes, Vasco T. M. and Barbosa, Mikaela R. F. and Sato, Maria Ines Z. and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Jun} }