The objective of this trial was to study the effects of four concentrate levels and days on feed on body weight (BW) and Longissimus muscle area (ULMA), backfat thickness (UFT) and rump fat (URF) measured by ultrasound. Twenty-four Nellore young bulls fed diets containing 20, 40, 60 or 80% of concentrate during 142 days were used in this experiment. Ultrasound measurements were taken at 1, 26, 53, 84, 109 and 142 days on feed. Body weight was linearly associated with […]

The objective of this trial was to study the effects of different dietary levels of forage neutral detergent fiber (FNDF) on feeding behavior of lactating goats. Fifty Alpine goats were randomly assigned to five treatments (ten replicates) in a completely randomized design. Animals had free access to diets containing: 20, 27, 34, 41 or 48% of FNDF. The total mixed ration was constituted of Tifton-85 (Cynodon sp.) hay and concentrate composed of ground corn (Zea mays L.), soybean meal (Glycine […]

Production of 56 feedlot bulls from three different genetic groups averaging 18 months of age and fed ad libitum or restricted was evaluated in this trial. Twelve animals were slaughtered at the beginning of the study and were used as references. The remaining 16 genetically selected Nellore, 12 ordinary Nellore, and 16 genetically selected Caracu with initial average weights of 404, 345 and 434 kg, respectively, were assigned to a completely randomized design with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement […]

Twenty-four castrated Holstein x Zebu bovines averaging 435 kg of initial body weight and 36 months of age were assigned to a randomized complete block design (six replications/treatment) to investigate the effects of sorghum silage with different concentrate levels on intake, apparent total tract digestibility, weight gain, feed conversion, and carcass yield. Animals received the following forage:concentrate ratios: 80:20, 65:35, 50:50, and 35:65 on dry matter basis. Different forage:concentrate ratios did not change significantly intakes of DM, OM, CP, and […]

This trial was conducted to study the production and biological efficiency of 48 buffaloes averaging 18 months of age and initial body weight of 330 kg finished in feedlot. Sixteen animals from each of the following breeds were used: Murrah (MUR), Jafarabadi (JAF), and Mediterranean (MED). Within each genetic group, four animals (references) were randomly assigned to initial slaughter in order to determine empty body weight (EBW) and initial carcass. The remaining 12 animals from each genetic group were randomly […]

The objective of this trial was to investigate the effects of different dietary crude protein levels (10.5, 12, 13.5, and 15%) on ruminal pH, ruminal concentration of ammonia nitrogen, ruminal passage rate, nitrogen balance, and microbial protein synthesis in Holstein x Zebu steers. Diets contained 65% of Tifton 85 bermudagrass hay and 35% of concentrate. Four castrated steers averaging 487.3 kg of initial body weight and fitted with ruminal and abomasal cannulas were randomly assigned to a 4 x 4 Latin square design. Each […]

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effects of dietary monensin and soybean oil on milk fatty acid (FA) profile in the 5th and 15th week of lactation of dairy cows. Sixteen multiparous crossbred dairy cows averaging 30 days in milk were assigned to a completely randomized block design in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (presence or absence of monensin and soybean oil). The following diets were used: control not supplemented with monensin or soybean oil (CT), […]

The energy and protein requirements for gain of Brangus and Nellore bulls were estimated using the comparative slaughter technique, in which the empty body as well as the gain composition were estimated through the 9th -10th -11th rib cut. Twenty-eight animals from each breed were used in this research. At the beginning of the trial four animals from each breed were slaughtered to determine the initial body composition while the remaining bulls had free access to diets containing 20, 40, […]

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the partial replacement of ground corn with soybean hulls or corn germ meal on ruminal microbial protein synthesis and efficiency and ruminal dilution and passage rates. Three crossbreed steers fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were assigned to two 3 x 3 Latin squares. The experimental diets contained: corn silage (60%), sunflower meal and ground corn (GC diet) that was partially replaced with soybean hulls (SBH diet) or corn germ meal (CGM […]

The objective of this trial was to study the nutritional divergence of sugarcane genotypes for feeding ruminants. The following sugarcane genotypes were evaluated: RB72454, RB835486, SP80-1842, IAC86-2480, RB977512, RB867515, RB935566, RB925345, RB977625, SP79-1011, SP80-1816, SP81-3250, and SP91-1049 all harvested at 11 months of age. The discriminatory variables were: neutral detergent fiber (NDF), hemicellulose, lignin, NDF to soluble carbohydrate ratio, NDF undegradable fraction, and rates of NDF and DM degradation. Application of the cluster analyses according to the Tocher approach, using […]