Twenty 11/16 Texel x 5/16 Ile de France crossbred lambs were slaughtered at different body weights to evaluate the growth of their non-carcass components. Animals were weaned at 42 days of age (15.9 ± 2.1 kg of body weight), housed in individual stalls, and fed ad libitum. After ten days of an experimental adaptation period, 5 lambs were slaughtered. The remaining lambs were randomly assigned to one of three following slaughter weights: 25, 30 or 35 kg of body weight […]

It was aimed to evaluate the effect of inclusion and times of sugar cane exposition to whitewash on intake and total and partial digestibility of nutrients and ruminal parameters and to compare titanium dioxide and chromium oxide as markers to estimate fecal dry matter excretion and dry matter abomasal flow. It was used six rumen and abomasum cannulated Nellore females, with average body weight of 250 ± 19 kg, distributed in an incomplete 6 x 6 latin square design. The […]

Because cultivation-based approaches to assess rumen microbiology assess only the minority of microbial groups and can miss opportunities to assess important functions, molecular-based approaches have flourished in microbial ecology and have been adapted to the rumen. Current approaches are described herein, specifically for a robust adaptation to nutrition studies or future opportunities. These included automated profiling techniques, density gradient gel electrophoresis, and future adaption of microarray or high-throughput sequencing technologies. Based on current knowledge, a more holistic approach is needed […]

Extensive research in recent years has shown that consumption of milk and dairy products, promotes cardiovascular health, reduces symptoms of the metabolic syndrome in obese individuals, promotes weight loss while maintaining body muscle mass and reduces incidence of some cancers. Detailed analysis of prospective studies in large Western populations over long periods of time demonstrates that higher consumption of dairy products provides an overall survival advantage.

It was evaluated by the Cornell System carbohidrates fractions and nitrogenous compounds of the following grasses at the cutting ages of 14, 28, 42, and 56 days: nilo grass (Acroceras macrum), angola grass (Brachiaria purpurascens), aleman grass (Echinochloa polystachya), limpo grass (Hemarthria altíssima), setaria grass (Setaria anceps), tanner grass (Brachiaria arrecta), and tifton-85 grass (Cynodon spp). The experiment was carried out in a complete randomized block design, in a split plot arrangement in a way that the grasses were evaluated […]

The growing global demand for meat and particularly in countries such as Brazil is expected to increase intensive animal production. Consequently the main pollutants of interest are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and greenhouse gases (GHG). Nitrogen can be a problem through nitrate leaching to water bodies, ammonia, and nitrous oxide emissions to air. Phosphorus loading in soil from manure application can be the main issue due to the tendency of P to accumulate in soil and leach to groundwater and […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate milk yield and composition, dry matter intake, and stocking rate in pastures with tanzania grass (Panicum maximum cv. Tanzânia), star grass (Cynodon nlemfuensis cv. Estrela-Africana), and marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu). The grasses were managed in a rotational grazing system with Holstein x Zebu crossbreed cows, with a 30-day resting period and three days of paddock occupation. The pastures were fertilized with 1,000 kg/ha/year using the 20:05:20 (NPK) formula, split in […]

Scientific advances in nutrition of dairy cows in the first decade of the XXI century have occurred. This paper will review the most common additives fed to transition cows to decrease the incidence of metabolic disorders, which will be discussed separately with emphasis on their mechanisms of action, utilization and efficiency. Some changes on protein in the 2001 updated version of the Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle to reach better precision of the nitrogen and amino acid requirements of lactating […]

In this review article we present an overall summary of the role that high-grain/low forage diets have on rumen composition of microbiota and how changes in the diet affect the release of bacterial cell wall components that are toxic to the host. One of these toxic compounds is lipopolysaccharide or endotoxin, a component of the outer membrane of all Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, data are provided that support the concept that endotoxin translocates into the blood circulation and show that rumen […]

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of replacing concentrate by wet brewer grain on the intake and digestibility of nutrients in goats. It was used five Boer x Saanen crossbreed goats and five Saanen goats randomly distributed in two 5 x 5 latin squares. The diets were composed of 40% of Tifton hay and the other 60% were composed of 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% of wet brewer grain replacing the concentrate. The intake of […]