ABSTRACT The objective was to investigate the effects of available shaded area on behavioural characteristics of lactating cows during the warm season in the subtropics. Twelve Holstein cows were divided into groups, with 2 (SH2) or 10 m2 (SH10) of available shade per cow (six cows per treatment). The behaviour was recorded when animals were grazing from 09.00 to 16.00 h (GMT −02.00 h) throughout the trial. Data considered in the statistical analysis were restricted to the five days when […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sources of lipids in the diets of dairy cows on the intake and digestibility of nutritional fractions, and milk production and composition. The experiment was conducted in a 42-hectare area divided into eight paddocks covered with Brachiaria brizantha. Twelve crossbred Holstein × Zebu cows were distributed into three simultaneous 4 × 4 Latin squares. The treatments consisted of different sources of lipids, as follows: diet with no extra […]

A nutritional analysis of Tanzania grass (Megathyrsus maximusJacquin cv. Tanzânia was conducted. Pasture was managed in a rotational grazing system with a 30-day resting period, three days of paddock occupation and two grazing cycles. Ten Holstein × Zebu crossbred cows were kept within a 2-ha area divided into 11 paddocks ha-1. Cows were fed 2 kg of corn meal daily and performance was evaluated by weighing the animals every 14 days and by recording milk production twice a day. Nutritional […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the levels of sodium monensin on lactating cows and their effects on productive performance and milk protein fraction composition. It was used 12 Holstein cows, distributed in four balanced 3 × 3 Latin squares, and fed three diets: one control without monensin, and two diets with monensin at the levels of 24 or 48 mg/kg DM added to the concentrate. Milk production was daily measured throughout the entire experimental period. The samples […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate two grazing intervals (IG) for elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum cv. Cameroon) pasture: one variable, determined by the entry of animals to the paddocks when 95% of active photosynthetic radiation was intercepted by the sward, and fixed 26-day grazing interval. Eight dairy cows were used, averaging 124 days lactation, 516 kg body weight and 17.5 kg daily milk production at the beginning of the trial. The experimental period was 80 days divided […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the replacement of soybean meal by cottonseed meal in the diet of dairy cows fed diets based on spineless cactus. Five Girolando lactating cows were used, with average live weight of 490 kg and average production of 11.5 kg of milk/day, distributed in a 5 × 5 Latin square design (5 animals, 5 treatments and 5 experimental periods). Each experimental period lasted 15 days, 10 days being for the adaptation of the […]

The effect of feeding grain sorghum silage, sweet sorghum silage, and corn silage on intake, milk production, milk composition, and nutrient digestibility of lactation dairy cows was evaluated. Twenty-four Prim’Holstein (PO) cows were used, forming three groups of eight cows each. The experimental treatments were: 1) corn silage; 2) grain sorghum silage; and 3) sweet sorghum silage, fed ad libitum, with two commercial concentrates, distributed following the cow milk production. Grain sorghum silage promoted greater DM intake (22.98 kg/day) compared […]

This work was carried out to evaluate the bioeconomic efficiency of cows of different levels of milk yield per lactation, under different feeding strategies. The bioeconomic evaluations was carried out in cows of five milk yield levels and seven feeding strategies The simulation model was developed with the programs CNCPS v5.0 and electronic spreadsheets of Microsoft Excell®, in way to simulate the production and demands of nutrients of a complete lactation for cows of different milk yield levels. The bioeconomic […]

This work was carried to evaluate the effect of diferents of broiler litter inclusion (approximately 0, 10, 20 and 30%, in dry matter base) with 45% forage cactus associaded to sugar cane bagasse, urea and cotonsead meal, in total diet form, on nutrient intake and milk yield and to evaluate the time necessary to adaptation of the animals to diets. Eigth lactating 5/8 crossbred Holstein/Gir cows with 420 kg of LW and production of 15 kg/day, were assigned to tratament […]

The coeficients of apparent digestibility of dry matter (ADDM), organic matter (ADOM), crude protein (ADCP), ether extract (ADEE), total carboidrates (ADTCHO), nonfiber carboidrates (ADNFC), neutral (ADNDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADADF), were determined to evaluate the effect of diferents inclusions of broiler litter (0, 10, 20 and 30% in dry matter basis), with 45% forage cactus associaded to sugar cane bagasse, urea and cottonsead meal, using the method of indigestible acid detergent fiber as intern indicator to estimate fecal dry […]