Sows produce a larger number of fetuses than before and these fetuses possess genetic potentials to grow faster than before. Recent comparison shows that a porcine fetus is 40% heavier than 40 years ago. Thus the nutritional management of sows has been updated to reflect these genetic changes. Our recent study quantified nutritional needs for sows to support the growth of fetuses and mammary glands during gestation. Amino acid needs for fetal growth and mammary growth during late gestation (d […]

The objective was to evaluate the performance of lactating water buffalo fed diets with different fat sources. Twelve lactating water buffaloes were randomly distributed in four diets: without additional fat, soybean seed, cottonseed and soybean oil. The experimental period was 84 days, with four periods of 21 days (14 days for diet adaptation and 7 days for sample collections. The diets were fullfed, twice daily, as total mixed ration. At sample collections period, milk yield (kg/day) and 4% fat corrected […]

Data from 1456 purebred and crossbred cows of five different crossbred groups involving the Holstein (H) and Gyr (G) breeds (H; ¾H ¼G; ½H ½G; 3/8H 5/8G e ¼H ¾G) were used to compare their milk production and reproductive traits in the Brazilian central plateau region. The performance traits studied were: average daily milk production (DMP); lactation length (LL); total production in 305 days (P305) and age at first calving (AFC), gestation length (GL) and calving interval (CI). Higher averages […]

Fifty and two lactating sows were allotted to a randomized complete blocks experimental design with four digestible threonine levels (0.64; 0.67; 0.70 and 0.73%) and 13 replications, and each experimental unit was consisted by a female. The temperature inside in the room was of 29.7 ± 2.5°C. There was no effect of digestible threonine levels in the diet on the weight of the sows at weaning. The total and percentage sow weight losses linearly reduced with the increase of digestible […]

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of CP intake during gestation on productive and reproductive performance of pregnant sows of 4th or 5th parturition orders. A total of 25 crossbred sows averaging 189.0±16.46 kg at 4th parity order was allotted to a completely randomized experimental design with three treatments (10, 13.5, and 17% of CP) and 18, 15 and 12 replicates, and each sow was considered an experimental unit. No treatment effects on sow weight gain from mating […]

The objective of this trial was to investigate the effects of oxytocin on milk yield and composition and on cheese yield of Santa Inês sheep receiving a diet containing 12% CP and 65% TDN. Animals were maintained in pens and were assigned to one of the following two treatments: hand milking plus an intravenous injection of 3 IU of oxytocin or hand milking without oxytocin injection (control group). Ewes were milked daily and remained with their lambs for a daily […]

Thirty crossbred sows averaging 118.18±12.2 kg of BW, backfat thickness of 13.82±1.42 mm and 220 days old were assigned to a completely randomized design in a split plot scheme with 10 replicates and parturition orders included in the plots (3 x 3 factorial arrangement) and CP ingestion levels (10.0, 13.5, and 17.0%) in the sub-plots. The effects of dietary CP ingestion levels on female performance in three complete successive reproductive cycles were evaluated during the pregnancy. Sow weight gain in […]

Sixty-five crossbred sows (Landrace x Large White) averaging 217.36 ± 21.35 kg were used to evaluate increasing dietary total lysine levels (0.950, 1.025, 1.100, 1.175, and 1.250%) during 21 days of lactation. The experiment was analyzed as a randomized block design, with five treatments, 13 replicates of one sow per experimental unit. The daily total feed intake was fixed for all treatments. The dietary lysine levels did not affect sow weight at weaning, body weight loss, backfat thickness (BT), BT […]

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS) and different dietary net energy (NE) levels during prepartum on performance and concentration of plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in early lactating dairy goats. Animals (four replicates per treatment) were assigned to a completely randomized design in a 2 x 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (two BCS, three levels of prepartum NE and two levels of postpartum NE). In the beginning of the […]

Intake, apparent digestibility of nutrients, milk yield and milk composition were all evaluated in goats receiving diets with 47% of corn silage and 53% of concentrate. Dietary crude protein (CP) was increased as follows [dry matter (DM) basis]:11.5, 13.5, 15.5 and 17.5%. Twelve lactating Alpine goats were randomly assigned to three 4 x 4 Latin squares with 15 days experimental periods: seven days for diet adaptation and eight days for samples collection. Total collection of feces was done from day […]