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BACKGROUND: The prenatal, perinatal, postnatal and nutritional (A3PN) support study was a 4-year initiative aimed to reduce maternal mortality in Haiti. A cross-sectional study was developed to collect the baseline data for evaluation purposes of the A3PN. This study aimed to determine the factors contributing to dietary diversity (DD) in Haitian children aged 6-23 months. METHODS: A cross-sectional study during two seasons (the lean season and the harvest season) was carried out in Haiti to assess the DD of children and their mothers using non-quantitative 24-h recalls. Indicators of DD were minimum dietary diversity for children (MDD-C) and minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W). Mid-upper arm circumference was measured in women and children, and food security was assessed using the Household Hunger Scale. Focus groups were also conducted to gain a better understanding of the quantitative findings. RESULTS: Only 7.3% of the children included in this study met the MDD-C. Factors associated with MDD-C were the season (odds ratio [OR]: 0.141 [0.039-0.513]), land ownership or rental (OR: 4.603 [1.233-17.188]), maternal education (OR: 0.092 [0.011-0.749]), the mother's responsibility for the main or secondary source of income for the household (OR: 2.883 [1.030-8.069]) and her DD (OR: 5.690 [1.916-16.892]). Focus groups revealed the existence of various food restrictions. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the low prevalence of MDD-C in three regions of study in Haiti is indicative of a serious public health concern that might be further aggravated by local food taboos. They also suggest that to fight against hunger, it is necessary to focus on women's well-being.

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Pirarucu is one of the main fish species for the development of aquaculture in the Amazon. In this study, the optimal feeding frequency for juvenile pirarucu was assessed based on growth and feed efficiency. Juvenile pirarucu weighing ca. 80 g were fed once, twice, three or four times daily until apparent satiation for 63 days. Fish fed three or four times per day presented higher growth, feed intake, and fat body content than those fed once or twice per day. There was no significant difference for feed conversion ratio, and protein and energy retention rates among treatments, suggesting that increased feeding frequency did not affect feed utilization efficiency. Mean feed intake per meal was higher when fish were fed once per day, possibly causing hyperphagic behavior. Results suggest that feeding three times per day was sufficient to secure adequate feeding and growth of juvenile pirarucu. (AU)

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RESUMO

Pirarucu is one of the main fish species for the development of aquaculture in the Amazon. In this study, the optimal feeding frequency for juvenile pirarucu was assessed based on growth and feed efficiency. Juvenile pirarucu weighing ca. 80 g were fed once, twice, three or four times daily until apparent satiation for 63 days. Fish fed three or four times per day presented higher growth, feed intake, and fat body content than those fed once or twice per day. There was no significant difference for feed conversion ratio, and protein and energy retention rates among treatments, suggesting that increased feeding frequency did not affect feed utilization efficiency. Mean feed intake per meal was higher when fish were fed once per day, possibly causing hyperphagic behavior. Results suggest that feeding three times per day was sufficient to secure adequate feeding and growth of juvenile pirarucu.(AU)

O pirarucu é uma das principais espécies de peixe para o desenvolvimento da aquicultura na região amazônica. Neste trabalho foi avaliada a frequência de alimentação ideal para juvenis de pirarucu com base em crescimento e eficiência alimentar. Juvenis de aproximadamente 80 g foram alimentados uma, duas, três ou quatro vezes ao dia até a saciedade aparente durante 63 dias. Maior crescimento, ingestão alimentar e gordura corporal foram observados nos peixes alimentados três ou quatro vezes ao dia em comparação com aqueles alimentados uma ou duas vezes ao dia. Não houve diferença significativa para as taxas de conversão alimentar, retenção proteica e retenção energética entre os tratamentos, indicando que o aumento da frequência de alimentação não resultou em prejuízo da eficiência de utilização do alimento. O consumo médio de alimento por refeição foi maior nos peixes alimentados apenas uma vez ao dia, que provavelmente desenvolveram comportamento hiperfágico. Os resultados sugerem que três refeições diárias foram suficientes para garantir o consumo de alimento e crescimento adequados nessa fase.(AU)

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Dairy farmers across Brazil were invited to participate in a study on silage production and utilization practices. Two hundred sixty farmers filled out a questionnaire, which was made available on a website. The questionnaire consisted of 14 questions, including information about the characteristics of the herd (n=3), the crop(s) used in the ensiling process, the use of additives, the harvest (n=3), the type of silo (n=1), aspects related to sealing (n=2), and management practices applied during feed-out (n=3). Farmers were also asked a final question about the main barriers they faced when producing and using silage. The main dairy-producing regions of Brazil had a strong influence on the number of participants. The profiles of farmers were heterogeneous and divided into 5 groups, which was considered a positive attribute of the study, allowing better analysis and assessment of current circumstances. Corn was the most widely grown crop for silage. Sorghum, tropical grasses, and sugarcane were the other species most cited. Additives were used by a small number of farmers (27.7%). Approximately 40% of farmers still depended on loaned equipment or outsourced services. The pull-type forage harvester was the main piece of equipment used on dairy farms (90.4%). Only 54.6% of respondents answered that they sharpen their harvester knives daily. Horizontal silos (bunker and stack) were the structures most commonly used to store silage. Most farmers sealed silos with double-sided plastic film (black-on-white) and with soil. However, almost one-fifth of all farmers still use black plastic. Manual removal of silage from the silos was practiced at most farms (i.e., the lack of equipment was also reflected in the stage of silage utilization). Disposal of spoiled silage before inclusion in the livestock feed was not a common practice on the farms. The main barriers encountered on the farms were lack of equipment, lack of manpower, and climatic variations. The results of this research may guide researchers, industries, extension workers, and governments to seek efficiency in milk production on farms using silage in the diet of livestock throughout the year or during part of the year in Brazil.

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