This study investigated lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) transfer in three dairy farming areas in the Mantaro river headwaters in the central Peruvian Andes and at varying distances from the mining complex at La Oroya. At each of these sites, the transfer of trace metals from the soil to raw milk was estimated, and a hazard assessment for lead and cadmium was carried out in scenarios of minimum, average, and maximum milk consumption in a Peruvian population aged 2–85. Pb and Cd were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Significantly, the concentrations of lead and cadmium were found to exceed the maximum limits recommended by the World Health Organization, with a positive geospatial trend correlated with the distance from mining activity. Both Pb and Cd were found to be transferred through the soil–pasture–milk pathway, with the primary source of Cd being phosphate-based f...

The aim of this study was to assess the status of major reproductive parameters of Nellore cattle reared in the central tropics of Peru. Reproductive data of 63 cows that had three consecutive calvings between 2000 to 2007 was used. The variables were age at first conception, age at first calving, interval between the first, second and third calving, open days between second and third calving, and calf birth weight in the first four parturitions. Age at first conception was 30.7 ± 6.0 months (range: 17.7 to 42.9 months), age at first calving was 40.2 ± 6.0 months (range: 27.2 to 52.4 months), calving interval was 434.1 ± 58.6 days (range: 317 to 540 days), open days was 179.8 ± 55.5 days (range: 90-292 days) and body weight at birth was 27.0 ± 4.9 kg (range: 20-40 kg).

The aim of this study was to assess the status of major reproductive parameters of Nellore cattle reared in the central tropics of Peru. Reproductive data of 63 cows that had three consecutive calvings between 2000 to 2007 was used. The variables were age at first conception, age at first calving, interval between the first, second and third calving, open days between second and third calving, and calf birth weight in the first four parturitions. Age at first conception was 30.7 ± 6.0 months (range: 17.7 to 42.9 months), age at first calving was 40.2 ± 6.0 months (range: 27.2 to 52.4 months), calving interval was 434.1 ± 58.6 days (range: 317 to 540 days), open days was 179.8 ± 55.5 days (range: 90-292 days) and body weight at birth was 27.0 ± 4.9 kg (range: 20-40 kg).

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality of maca stubbles (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon) from threshing for the collection of botanical seed, in the province of Junín (4000 m above the sea level), Peru. The proximal chemical composition and the digestibility coefficients, the total digestible nutrient contents, the voluntary consumption, and the protein intake of the maca stubbles were determined. Four 4- month-old male Wanka guinea pigs were placed in metabolic cages to collect urine-free faeces. The contents of moisture (H), dry matter (DM), total protein (TP), ether extract (EE), crude fibre (CF), nitrogen-free extract (NFE) and ash of maca stubbles were 11.30, 88.70, 6.97, 3.58, 36.35, 44.53 and 8.58%, respectively; the digestibility coefficients of the DM, PT, EE, EC, ELN, organic matter (OM) and total digestible nutrients of maca stubbles were 74.79, 68.00...

Con el objetivo de evaluar la calidad nutricional del rastrojo de maca (Lepidium peruvianum Chacón) proveniente de la trilla para la colección de la semilla botánica, en la provincia de Junín (4000 msnm), Perú, se determinó la composición química proximal, los coeficientes de digestibilidad, el contenido de nutrientes digestibles totales, el consumo voluntario y la ingesta proteica del rastrojo picado de maca. Se utilizaron 4 cuyes machos de 4 meses de edad de la raza Wanka dispuestos en jaulas metabólicas que permiten colectar heces libres de orina. Los contenidos de humedad (H), materia seca (MS), proteína total (PT), extracto etéreo (EE), fibra cruda (FC), extracto libre de nitrógeno (ELN) y ceniza del rastrojo de maca fueron 11.30, 88.70, 6.97, 3.58, 36.35, 44.53 y 8.58%, respectivamente; los coeficientes de digestibilidad de la MS, PT, EE, FC, ELN, materia orgánica (MO)...

Emergency measures to continue university activities during COVID-19 have affected student performance and satisfaction, especially in regions with scarce resources and little experience in virtual education. Online education is a new process for most universities in the interior of Peru, where digital transformation was null or incipient, affecting the learning effectiveness. The current research is based on a survey conducted in February 2021 in order to evaluate students’ perception about the quality of emergency remote learning measures introduced during the pandemic in 2020. The survey was distributed through the institutional emails of students and the responses were collected anonymously, following a systematic sampling. A total of 1029 respondents representing 38 professional careers of public referent university of the Central Andes of Peru participated in this survey. The sur...

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of alkaline treatment of the California bulrush (Scirpus californicus) treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 2, 3 and 4% on a dry basis, on dry matter and protein digestibility in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). The digestibility tests were conducted on 16 adult male guinea pigs of the Inti genetic line. Four animals were used per treatment: (T1): California bulrush without alkaline treatment, (T2) with 2% NaOH, (T3) with 3% NaOH, and (T4) with 4% NaOH. The digestibility coefficients of dry matter in T1 to T4 were 63.46, 65.27, 69.88 and 70.86% respectively, where T1 and T2 were significantly different from T3 and T4 (p<0.01). In the case of total protein, the digestibility values were 73.86, 75.06, 78.46 y 81.25% respectively, where T3 and T4 were greater and different between each other (p<0.01). It is concluded that the treatment of Califo...

The study aimed to determine the age of Huacaya alpacas in early learning to concentrate intake under maternal influence, based on the susceptibility of young alpacas of not eating concentrates due to neophobia. The study was conducted in the central highlands of Peru, with 30 baby alpaca (and their mothers), divided into three groups of 10 animals of 2, 3 and 4 months of age per group. The baby alpacas were offered a concentrate for 15 days based on wheat byproduct, ground barley, cotton pulp, molasses and minerals and the daily acceptance was assessed. Eighty per cent of 4-month animals accepted the concentrate at 8.8 ± 0.5 days (p <0.05). At day 11, only 4 of the 2-month animals accepted the concentrate, but all accepted it at day 13, while all 3-month old animals accepted concentrate at day 11. Concentrate intake was standardized at an earlier stage (10.0 ± 1.0 days) in 4-month ...

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of alkaline treatment of the California bulrush (Scirpus californicus) treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 2, 3 and 4% on a dry basis, on dry matter and protein digestibility in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus). The digestibility tests were conducted on 16 adult male guinea pigs of the Inti genetic line. Four animals were used per treatment: (T1): California bulrush without alkaline treatment, (T2) with 2% NaOH, (T3) with 3% NaOH, and (T4) with 4% NaOH. The digestibility coefficients of dry matter in T1 to T4 were 63.46, 65.27, 69.88 and 70.86% respectively, where T1 and T2 were significantly different from T3 and T4 (p<0.01). In the case of total protein, the digestibility values were 73.86, 75.06, 78.46 y 81.25% respectively, where T3 and T4 were greater and different between each other (p<0.01). It is concluded that the treatment of Califo...

The study aimed to determine the age of Huacaya alpacas in early learning to concentrate intake under maternal influence, based on the susceptibility of young alpacas of not eating concentrates due to neophobia. The study was conducted in the central highlands of Peru, with 30 baby alpaca (and their mothers), divided into three groups of 10 animals of 2, 3 and 4 months of age per group. The baby alpacas were offered a concentrate for 15 days based on wheat byproduct, ground barley, cotton pulp, molasses and minerals and the daily acceptance was assessed. Eighty per cent of 4-month animals accepted the concentrate at 8.8 ± 0.5 days (p <0.05). At day 11, only 4 of the 2-month animals accepted the concentrate, but all accepted it at day 13, while all 3-month old animals accepted concentrate at day 11. Concentrate intake was standardized at an earlier stage (10.0 ± 1.0 days) in 4-month ...

Chilled semen quality of Assaf and Blackbelly rams used in artificial insemination and raised in the central coast of Peru were compared. Semen was collected with an artificial vagina and diluted with Tris-fructose-egg yolk. The individual progressive motility, the membrane integrity by the hypoosmotic text (HOST), and sperm concentration in the Neubauer chamber were determined after two hours of refrigeration. The percentage values were previously transformed into ArcSen %. The Student «t» test for independent means differences between breeds was performed. Progressive individual motility was 82.36 ± 6.66 and 83.30 ± 4.92% (p>0.05) and the mass motility was 4.28 ± 0.45 and 4.06 ± 0.33 (p<0.05) for the Assaf and for Blackbelly rams, respectively. The integrity of the spermatic membrane was 83.50 ± 2.77% for Assaf and 82.56 ± 3.78% for Blackbelly (p<0.05). Sperm concentra...

The study was carried out in a farm located in the central highlands of Peru, at 3270 m above the sea level, to determine the effect of the use of three ruminal fluid levels in the drinking water of broilers. Two hundred Cobb chickens were used from the first day of age. The chicks were distributed in four groups of 50, in equal proportions of males and females. The treatments were: T1: drinking water alone (control); T2: 87.5% drinking water + 12.5% ruminal fluid; T3: 75% drinking water + 25% ruminal fluid; T4: 62.5% drinking water + 37.5% ruminal fluid. The chicks were fed with a starter diet for three weeks. The inclusion of ruminal fluid in drinking water improved weight gain and feed conversion (p<0.01). The use of 37.5% ruminal fluid in drinking water allowed a 19.4% increase in weight gain and a 15.5% increase in feed conversion.

Se evaluó el efecto del uso de compost de guano de pollos (CGP) en niveles de (T1) 0, (T2) 10 y (T3) 20 t/ha sobre el rendimiento de forraje verde (FV), materia seca (MS), altura de planta (AP) y proteína total (PT) de la alfalfa en una pradera de Huancayo (Junín, Perú). El abonamiento se hizo al primer día del estudio y al inicio de la semana 6. El primer corte se hizo a los 42 días del primer abonamiento y el segundo corte a los 35 días del segundo abonamiento. Los rendimientos al segundo corte de FV en T1, T2 y T3 fueron de 18.6, 23.5 y 26.8 t/ha (p<0.05), de MS de 2.5, 7.0 y 7.1 t/ha (p<0.05), de PT de 0.8, 1.0 y 1.2 t/ha (p<0.05) y de AP de 60.8, 66.9 y 63.8 cm, respectivamente (p<0.05). Se demuestra que es posible emplear compost de guano de pollos broiler para obtener una mayor producción orgánica de alfalfa.

Chilled semen quality of Assaf and Blackbelly rams used in artificial insemination and raised in the central coast of Peru were compared. Semen was collected with an artificial vagina and diluted with Tris-fructose-egg yolk. The individual progressive motility, the membrane integrity by the hypoosmotic text (HOST), and sperm concentration in the Neubauer chamber were determined after two hours of refrigeration. The percentage values were previously transformed into ArcSen %. The Student «t» test for independent means differences between breeds was performed. Progressive individual motility was 82.36 ± 6.66 and 83.30 ± 4.92% (p>0.05) and the mass motility was 4.28 ± 0.45 and 4.06 ± 0.33 (p<0.05) for the Assaf and for Blackbelly rams, respectively. The integrity of the spermatic membrane was 83.50 ± 2.77% for Assaf and 82.56 ± 3.78% for Blackbelly (p<0.05). Sperm concentra...

La investigación se realizó en una granja ubicada en la sierra central del Perú, a 3270 msnm, para determinar el efecto del uso de niveles de líquido ruminal en el agua de bebida de pollos broilers. Se utilizaron 200 pollos Cobb desde el primer día de edad. Las aves fueron distribuidas en cuatro grupos de 50, en iguales proporciones de machos y hembras. Los tratamientos fueron: T1: Agua de bebida sola (control); T2: 87.5% de agua de bebida + 12.5% de líquido ruminal; T3: 75% de agua de bebida + 25% de líquido ruminal; T4: 62.5% de agua de bebida + 37.5% de líquido ruminal. Los pollos fueron alimentados con un concentrado de ‘inicio’ durante tres semanas. La inclusión de líquido ruminal en el agua de bebida mejoró la ganancia de peso y la conversión alimenticia (p<0.01). El empleo de 37.5% de líquido ruminal en el agua de bebida permitió tener 19.4% más de ganancia d...

Se evaluó el efecto del uso de compost de guano de pollos (CGP) en niveles de (T1) 0, (T2) 10 y (T3) 20 t/ha sobre el rendimiento de forraje verde (FV), materia seca (MS), altura de planta (AP) y proteína total (PT) de la alfalfa en una pradera de Huancayo (Junín, Perú). El abonamiento se hizo al primer día del estudio y al inicio de la semana 6. El primer corte se hizo a los 42 días del primer abonamiento y el segundo corte a los 35 días del segundo abonamiento. Los rendimientos al segundo corte de FV en T1, T2 y T3 fueron de 18.6, 23.5 y 26.8 t/ha (p<0.05), de MS de 2.5, 7.0 y 7.1 t/ha (p<0.05), de PT de 0.8, 1.0 y 1.2 t/ha (p<0.05) y de AP de 60.8, 66.9 y 63.8 cm, respectivamente (p<0.05). Se demuestra que es posible emplear compost de guano de pollos broiler para obtener una mayor producción orgánica de alfalfa.

The research was carried out in the alpaca production unit of the Tomas Peasant Community, of the Lima Region, with the aim of identifying the floristic component of the pasture of a wetland area in the dry season of the year and the species that were most consumed by alpacas. Previously, the floristic inventory of 5 hectares of pasture was carried out and 10 mother alpacas and 10 tuis alpacas were assigned. During the study period, stool samples were taken to evaluate the diet by the microhistological method. The chemical components of the six main species of grasses most consumed were analyzed. In the initial inventory 36 species were found, of which the most consumed were 10 that made up approximately 80% of the diet. Chemical analysis shows a crude fiber content in a range between 66,23 to 77,24%, crude protein between 2.49 to 5,21% and vitamin A between 0,08 to 0,37 mg / 100g. The c...

The research was carried out in the alpaca production unit of the Tomas Peasant Community, of the Lima Region, with the aim of identifying the floristic component of the pasture of a wetland area in the dry season of the year and the species that were most consumed by alpacas. Previously, the floristic inventory of 5 hectares of pasture was carried out and 10 mother alpacas and 10 tuis alpacas were assigned. During the study period, stool samples were taken to evaluate the diet by the microhistological method. The chemical components of the six main species of grasses most consumed were analyzed. In the initial inventory 36 species were found, of which the most consumed were 10 that made up approximately 80% of the diet. Chemical analysis shows a crude fiber content in a range between 66,23 to 77,24%, crude protein between 2.49 to 5,21% and vitamin A between 0,08 to 0,37 mg / 100g. The c...

The research was carried out in the alpaca production unit of the Tomas Peasant Community, of the Lima Region, with the aim of identifying the floristic component of the pasture of a wetland area in the dry season of the year and the species that were most consumed by alpacas. Previously, the floristic inventory of 5 hectares of pasture was carried out and 10 mother alpacas and 10 tuis alpacas were assigned. During the study period, stool samples were taken to evaluate the diet by the microhistological method. The chemical components of the six main species of grasses most consumed were analyzed. In the initial inventory 36 species were found, of which the most consumed were 10 that made up approximately 80% of the diet. Chemical analysis shows a crude fiber content in a range between 66,23 to 77,24%, crude protein between 2.49 to 5,21% and vitamin A between 0,08 to 0,37 mg / 100g. The c...

The research was carried out in the alpaca production unit of the Tomas Peasant Community, of the Lima Region, with the aim of identifying the floristic component of the pasture of a wetland area in the dry season of the year and the species that were most consumed by alpacas. Previously, the floristic inventory of 5 hectares of pasture was carried out and 10 mother alpacas and 10 tuis alpacas were assigned. During the study period, stool samples were taken to evaluate the diet by the microhistological method. The chemical components of the six main species of grasses most consumed were analyzed. In the initial inventory 36 species were found, of which the most consumed were 10 that made up approximately 80% of the diet. Chemical analysis shows a crude fiber content in a range between 66,23 to 77,24%, crude protein between 2.49 to 5,21% and vitamin A between 0,08 to 0,37 mg / 100g. The c...