ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether there is variability in the energy and nutritional composition of maize grains among different genetic backgrounds and sowing dates and to determine whether there are relationships between energy nutritional traits and meteorological variables. In total, 773 grain samples from four maize genetic backgrounds, cultivated across ten sowing dates in the years 2021, 2022, and 2023, were evaluated. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and the principal component, correlation, multiple linear regression, and […]

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effects of maternal protein-energy supplementation during gestation on performance, reproductive traits, and carcass characteristics of Nellore bulls during the finishing phase. Twenty-eight bulls sired by the same bull and born to nulliparous dams were used. From pregnancy confirmation at 60 d of gestation until calving, dams received either mineral supplementation (non-programmed group, 0.3 g kg−1 body weight day−1) or protein-energy supplementation (fetal programming group, 5.0 g kg−1 body weight day−1). After birth, all calves were […]

ABSTRACT The finisher phase (22 to 42 days post-hatching) is a critical period in broiler production due to its high feed consumption and growth rate. This study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 peer-reviewed articles, comprising data from 10,706 male broilers aged 22 to 42 days, to quantify the effects of phytase (PHY) supplementation during this critical phase. A mixed-effects model was used to assess the impacts of PHY, dietary non-phytate phosphorus (NPP), and the calcium to non-phytate […]

ABSTRACT To investigate the key genes and microorganisms that influence fat deposition in Tunchang (TC) pigs, fourteen clinically healthy 320-day-old TC sows (body weight: 86.00 ± 2.30 kg) were stratified into high-backfat (HBF, n = 7) and low-backfat (LBF, n = 7) groups according to the difference in backfat thickness. RNA sequencing was employed to analyze hepatic transcriptomes, with subsequent identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their biological functions. In parallel, 16S rRNA sequencing and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) […]

ABSTRACT Animal excreta represent one of the primary pathways for nutrient return to pastures. We investigated the spatial distribution pattern of dung pads during seven grazing cycles over two years and the nutrient concentration in forage and cattle dung in different systems in a subhumid tropical region. The treatments were: (I) brachiaria grass (Brachiaria decumbens syn. Urochloa decumbens Stapf R. D. Webster) + gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth ex. Walp.; B+G); (II) brachiaria grass + sabia (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth.; B+S); […]

ABSTRACT We evaluated the effects of adding fungal inoculants composed of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Trichoderma longibrachiatum to rehydrated corn silage fed to lambs receiving a tropical grass hay-based diet and their impact on financial viability. The effects of combined inoculation on dry matter intake (DMI) and weight gain were analyzed. A total of 22 male Dorper × Santa Ines crossbred lambs, with an average body weight of 14.20 ± 1.74 kg, were randomly assigned to two treatments: (1) control (CTL), […]

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the laying performance, egg quality, and economic responses of Japanese quails in the late laying phase fed diets differing in energy density and digestible lysine levels under hot and humid tropical conditions. Six hundred 175-day-old laying Japanese quails were distributed in a completely randomized design with a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement, totaling 12 treatments with five replicates and 10 birds per experimental unit. Dietary treatments were formulated to contain three energy densities (2600, 2875, or […]

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of including different jackfruit fractions (seed, pulp, and peel) in broiler diets on productive performance, carcass and meat quality, and to assess their potential as feed ingredients. A total of 220 one-day-old commercial Cobb chicks were randomly divided into four treatments: Control, 5% pulp powder (PY), 5% seed powder (SY) and 1% peel (CY) powder with five replicates (n = 11 each), with a growth period of 56 days. […]

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effects of two forage allowance levels (5 and 10 kg DM/100 kg LW/day) and mowing on species diversity, botanical composition, and structural attributes in native subtropical grasslands of Northeast Argentina. Over three grazing cycles, all treatments maintained high species diversity (Shannon–Wiener ≈ 2; richness >30). Significant cycle effects were observed for species richness and evenness, which increased in the third cycle. Lower forage allowance favored short Poaceae and legumes, while higher allowance maintained taller swards […]

ABSTRACT This study evaluated animal and plant production in multispecies pastures across integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) during winter, spring, and summer in Paraná, Brazil. The treatments consisted of Crop-Livestock System (CL), Silvopastoral System (SS), Agroforestry System (AS), and Livestock System (LS). During winter, the unshaded systems (LS and CL) outperformed the systems with the a tree component (SS and AS) presenting a greater forage mass that was 770 kg DM ha−1 higher (P

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the proximate composition, heavy metal contents, antimicrobial activity, and in vitro digestibility of Nauphoeta cinerea (Nc) as a replacement for fish meal (FM) and soybean meal (SBM) in diets for a carnivorous (tropical gar, Atractosteus tropicus) and an omnivorous (tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus) fish. Nauphoeta cinerea were fed a formulated diet based on fruits, vegetables, beef liver, and grains. They had an acceptable level of protein (46.50 g 100 g−1) and high contents of lipids […]