The objective of this trial was to evaluate the apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients on sheep fed diets containing ammoniated elephantgrass silage plus cocoa meal or palm kernel cake, which partially replaced corn and soybean meal in the concentrate. Eighteen non-castrated Santa Inês sheep averaging 22.6 kg of body weight were assigned to a completely randomized design with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. The experiment lasted 77 days with 14 days for diet adaptation and three […]

The chemical composition and the metabolizable energy values of ten protein feedstuffs fed to broilers at different ages were evaluated. The traditional method of total feces collection was used to determine the values of apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and apparent metabolizable energy corrected by nitrogen (AMEn), in male broilers in the periods from 21 to 30 (first period) and from 41 to 50 (second period) days of age. The experiment was analyzed as a complete randomized design with 10 treatments, […]

The objective of this trial was to investigate the effect of replacing corn silage with coffee hulls (0, 6.0, 12.0, and 18.0% of DM) on intake, apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients, and milk production and composition. Twelve Holstein cows were blocked by days in milk and randomly assigned to three replicated 4 x 4 Latin squares. Diets were isonitrogenous averaging 15.0% of CP and composed by 60% of forage (corn silage and coffee hulls) and 40% of concentrate, on […]

The objective of this trial was to investigate the effects of replacing corn by coffee hulls on intake, apparent digestibility, and milk production and composition of lactating dairy cows. Treatments contained one of the following four levels of coffee hulls: 0, 5, 10 or 15% of the total dietary DM. Twelve Holstein dairy cows were blocked by days in milk and randomly assigned to three replicated 4 x 4 Latin squares. Diets were isonitrogenous averaging 15.5% of CP and composed […]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of sex and genotype (breed) on the composition and fatty acid profile of the semimembranosus (SM) muscle of feedlot sheep. Four Santa Inês (SI) males, four SI females, and four ½ Santa Inês x ½ Dorper (SI-D) males were used in this trial. Neither breed nor sex significantly affected the chemical composition of meat. However, the meat contents of phosphorus and calcium were both significantly changed by breed and sex. […]

An experiment was carried out in experimental plots of 300 m2 in size to evaluate the effects of doses of NK fertilization and irrigation on forage mass yield and quality of elephantgras cv Napier during the dry season. The experimental design was completely randomized with three treatment replications. The experimental treatments were arranged in a 4 x 2 factorial combination of four N-K2O doses with and without irrigation, in the dry season. N-K2O doses were: 100-80; 200-160; 300-240 and 400-320 […]

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the chemical composition and fungal microbiota of different proportions of elephantgrass and mesquite pod silages: 100:0, 67:33, 34:66, and 0:100, respectively. A complete randomized design with four replications per treatment was used. The material was ensiled in PVC silos and remained sealed during a 120-days period. After opening the silos, silage samples were collected followed by fungi isolation and identification and determination of the chemical composition of the silages. Addition of mesquite […]

It was assessed the nutritive value of hand plucked forage samples collected along the grazing period and the animal performance on Mombaçagrass pasture under intermittent stocking with three rest periods (RP). The RPs were defined by the time required for the expansion of 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 new leaves per tiller, after six days grazing period. The experimental area was divided into five paddocks for the 2.5 new leaves RP and six paddocks for the 3.5 and 4.5 new leaves […]

Intake, total apparent digestibility of nutrients and milk production and composition were evaluated in mid lactation cows fed with increasing levels of crude protein (CP) in the concentrate (20, 23, 26 and 29% natural matter-NM). Twelve Holstein crossbred lactating cows were assigned to three latin square (4×4), in four periods of 15 days each (one week of adaptation). The feeding consisted of 70% of corn silage and 30% of concentrate. Intakes and digestibilities of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), […]

The intake, total apparent digestibility of nutrients and milk production and composition were evaluated in early lactation cows fed with increasing levels (20; 23; 26 and 29% natural matter – NM) of crude protein (CP) in concentrate. Twelve crossbred Holstein cows were assigned to three latin square (4×4), in four periods of 15 days each (one week of adaptation). The feeding consisted of 60% of cow silage and 40% of concentrate. The intakes of dry matter (DM), CP, neutral detergent […]