vol. 13 núm. 1 (2021)

The bacterial endometritis in mares is one of the main causes of subfertility, generating negative factors in the development of equine reproduction. Generally, due to inadequate reproductive management, the diagnosis and therapy fail, increasing cases of infertility in females. The present study was carried out with 15 Colombian Creole mares which presented such signs of subfertility as abortions, placental retention, repetition of the heat and the vulvar discharge among others. The animals were diagnosed via reproductive clinical testing and a microbiological culture, using the uterine swabbing and low volume lavage techniques. The data were analyzed through the descriptive statistics. Of the total amount of samples analyzed, E. coli was the agent with the highest frequency of individual isolation and in mixed infections. At the same time, according to the 15 samples evaluated for culture by the swab technique, the E. coli was isolated in 33.33% (5/15) of them. Meanwhile the low volume washing technique showed an isolation of 13.33% (2/15). Concerning the analyzed techniques, the swabbing showed greater efficiency in isolating E. coli than the low volume washing.

Birds of the order of the psittaciformes or psittacidae, a group to which parrots, parakeets and parrots belong, are usually considered the most frequently kept in captivity, particularly in areas of high biological diversity, such as the Colombian Amazon region. Given the high mortality derived from the extraction of adult specimens in natural environments, most of the observable cases of survivors in captivity correspond to captured animals, in neonatal or juvenile stages, which are raised by their captors; This necessarily leads to profound taming processes, which necessarily entail physiological and behavioral alterations that could endanger the well-being and survival of the specimens, limiting, and in many cases making it impossible to return them to their natural environments without the prior mediation of rehabilitation processes, which are complex, costly and lengthy, as well as infrequent within the national territory.

This research was aimed at estimating the energy balance based on carbon fixation in four coffee production systems, located in four municipalities of mayo´s, central and western subregions of the department of Nariño (Colombia). The data collection was implemented through the application of allometric measurements for the tree species used in the treatments and destructive purposes for coffee through the extraction and fragmentation of each of its components. The assessments were carried out during the first and the second semesters of 2019 in five-year-old production systems. It was found that the largest deficit was obtained in the municipality of La Unión with the treatment 1. Meanwhile the maximum surplus was obtained in treatment 3 in the municipality of Sandoná. The highest emission values were presented in the municipality of La Florida with the Treatment 2, where the highest emission activity corresponded to a nitrogen fertilization. The interaction between municipality and altitude obtained statistically significant carbon average capture. La Unión´s systems with the higher altitude were of a higher average. And in terms of treatments there is no difference among the coffee and shade alliance. The results indicate that coffee production systems in association with shade forest species contribute to the climate change mitigation. These ecosystems might be crucial in the carbon fixation and as for the payment of environmental services.

Cattle raising is important for the Colombian economy and fundamental for the nutrition of its population, and this is also true for its Orinoco and Amazon regions. Unfortunately, livestock has had negative environmental consequences, including loss of biodiversity. These negative impacts have the potential to compromise livestock production itself. Consequently, there is a need to incorporate biodiversity into this activity in those biodiversity-rich natural regions. In light of the above, the information about the benefits provided by bats to different agricultural systems and about the cattle raising-bat interaction was reviewed. The available information indicates that bats are valuable controllers of insect pests in multiple agricultural systems. Furthermore, there are examples that suggest bats may have a positive impact on cattle raising systems. Since the Orinoco and Amazon regions are rich in insectivorous bats, there is a high potential for them to become allies of cattle raising in these areas. To achieve this, the following measures are recommended: 1) development of educational campaigns to improve the attitude of farmers towards bats, 2) maintaining or establishing specific controls for vampire bats, 3) analysis of the diet of bats that may consume pest insects, 4) development of studies to identify how different production systems and landscape management affect the activity and habitat quality for bats, and 5) determine the value of bats for cattle raising by developing experiments to evaluate the addition of artificial roosts for bats and exclusion experiments.

This research presents important contributions to the strengthening of the competitiveness and productivity of the agricultural sector in the municipality of Cúcuta. They are emerged from the analysis of the stakeholders´ perception who benefited from the implementation of the program "an agricultural sector progressing" included in the 2016-2019 development plan. A survey and a structured interview were used as collection instruments, which allowed to determine the different stakeholders´ and a matter expert´s perception. The research was carried out under a descriptive approach, which drew up strategies based on the real needs of each community and focused on the strengthening of the agricultural sector. The strategies were built around the implementation of public policies with a sectoral approach. That guarantee the competitiveness of the sector, which is considered one of the most important in the economy of Cúcuta.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the losses of soybeans in the cutting platform of different combine models. Six properties located in the district of Pedro Juan Caballero, Paraguay, were sampled for the study. Seven different combine models were evaluated. A total of 30 points of 2 m2 each were used for every combine model. The soybeans were collected manually, immediately after the harvester. The dry mass of the beans was determined and corrected for 13% humidity in order to establish the losses of soybeans from treatments. The average market reference value in dollars was used for the economic calculation. The results were subjected to analysis of variance with 5% probability. Irrespective of the year of manufacture, some combine models showed bean losses well above the normal margins. The verified economic losses for such combine models indicate the need for urgent condition review of their usage by the owners. Moreover, the deficiency in maintenance, land topography and operator training must be considered for mechanized soybean harvesting in the region.

The objective of the present work was to describe the hematological parameters of one-month old Pionus maximiliani from wild origin in captivity, clinically healthy. These birds are coming from the illegal trafficking of fauna from the north-central region of Argentina. In order to determine these parameters, 0.5 ml of blood was obtained from each specimen by puncture of the brachial vein. The results were the following: the hematocrit´s percentage was 56.3 ± 3.35; the MCV in fl was 183.5 ± 13.4; the red cell recount was 4.6 ± 2 x 106 / µl; and the leukocyte of 3.05 ± 0.14 x103 / µl. This report might be extremely useful for the captive poultry clinic.