The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of diets offered to the pullets between the 7th and 17th weeks of age on performance, development of the digestive and reproductive systems, as well as the effects on sexual maturity, performance and egg quality in laying phase, which was assessed until the 35th week. A total of 1,296 pullets were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement with […]

It was evaluated intake, rumen and intestinal digestibility and passage and digestion rates in bovines fed diets constituted of corn silage, crushed sugar cane and given fresh, crushed sugar cane and given after 72 hours of storage, ensiled sugar cane with 1% of calcium oxide and with no treatment and a same concentrate fixed at 1% of body weight. All roughage was corrected to contain 10% of crude protein. It was used five rumen-fistulated bovine with average weight of 240 […]

This study was carried out to evaluate 14 genotypes of six winter species for yield and nutritive value of early forage and silage or regrowth grain. The experiment was in a randomized complete block design with three replications, so that the plots consisted of seven 5.0 m-long rows spaced at 0.2 m. The seeding date was April in the three study years and fertilization followed the recommendations for the crops. During the tillering period and after cutting, urea was applied […]

The experiment was carried to evaluate the effect of different levels of fiber in the diet on the nutrients intake, daily milk yield and composition of ewes. Eighteen multiparous ewes, housed in individual cage 24 hours postpartum, were randomly assigned to three levels of dietary NDF (treatment): 34, 43 and 52%. The diets constituted by a total mixed ration of corn silage, and a concentrate mix (ground corn, soybean meal and mineral mix) were formulated to be isoproteic (13% CP). […]

The experiment in a complete randomized design aimed to test the effect of two packing densities, 500 kg (medium) and 600 kg (high) of silage mass per cubic meter, on silage quality as compared to the original fresh material. Silages were prepared on May 18th, 2004 from a late season harvest of a maize crop at the half milky half dough kernel stage. Chopped materials with 1.2 cm theoretical particle size were packed manually in 30 liters mini-silos, in four […]

This research was carried out to evaluate the quality of the roughage produced by hydroponics. Rice hulls and chopped elephantgrass were used as substrates for corn cultivation, put on plastic canvas. Corn seeding density was 2.5 kg of seed/m2. A randomized experimental design was used, with seven replications. Plot utile area measured 0.5 m x 0.5 m. Fertiirrigation was used from the 3rd to the 14th day after seeding. Harvest occurred at the 14th day and fresh forage productivity was […]

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of corn grain maturity and air exposure time prior to ensiling on the carbohydrate concentration of corn silage from corn crop planted late in the season. A complete randomized design was used with a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement, testing two stages of maturity at harvest (MK – milky kernel and MDK – ½ milky and ½ dough kernel) of maize crops and four air exposure time prior to ensiling: […]

The objective this work was to evaluate the effect of protein supplements with three degradability levels (high-70%, medium-50% and low-30%) at three levels (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg/day) on the ruminal pH, N-NH3 and DM, CP, NDF degradability of forage fed steers grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Maradu, during the dry season. The experiment design was a randomized complete block with three replications (grazing periods) and the supplement treatments were arranged in a factorial 3×3. Ten rumen-fistuled steers with 354 kg […]

The objective of this work was to study DM, NDF, CP and IPND ruminal kinectics of irrigated Tanzaniagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.). Simulated grazed samples were collected on three periods of the year (spring, summer and fall), under three post grazed stubbles intensities (low, medium and high). Three rumen cannulated animals were assigned to a 3 x 3 Latin square design to determine the in situ degradability until 96 hours of incubation. NDF, CP and IPND were determined by NIRS in […]

The effect of four levels (0; 33; 66 and 100%) of substitution of sorghum grain (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) by oats grain (Avena strigosa) in the concentrate of diets for feedlot finishing steers, was studied. Steers (19 months old and initial weight of 381 kg) were fed a diet containing 60% roughage and 40% concentrate, formulated for ADG of 1.2 kg/animal. During the adaptation period of seven days and in the first half of the experimental period (35 days) the […]