This study evaluated intake and apparent digestibility of the nutrients in the diet of Morada Nova sheep that received diets containing increasing levels of juazeiro hay in substitution of Tifton 85 bermudagrass hay (0, 33, 67 and 100%). Sixteen non castrated male sheep, weighing an average of 26.75 kg, were used, placed in individual metabolic cages and distributed in a completely randomized block design with four treatments and four replications. Intakes of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, […]

The ingestive behavior and performance of female lambs grazing on Marandu pasture submitted to different stocking rates during the rainy and transition season were evaluated. The experimental area with 4,500 m2 was divided into 45 paddocks of 100 m2. Twenty-seven Santa Ines female lambs (purebred) with 4 months age and 22 kg of initial body weight were distributed in a completely randomized design, with nine replicates. Lambs were divided into 9 groups with the same initial weight and submitted to […]

This study aimed to investigate the influence of calf genetic group on the performance of Nellore lactating cows. The variables studied included milk ingestion, pasture intake, calf weight gain and cow body weight. A total of 13 Nellore calves and 8 crossbred Simental × Nellore calves were used, all born from Nellore mothers. During the experimental period of 210 days, calves were weighted at birth and at 30-day intervals, whereas cows were weighed every 14 days. Milk intake was estimated […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu canopy structure maintained at different grazing heights under a continuous stocking rate and with a dietary supplementation strategy for the animals during the rainy season. This study also intended to observe the relationships of these variables with the grazing behaviors of the heifers. The effects of three canopy heights (15, 25 and 35 cm) were evaluated in association with three types of supplements: one mineral and two […]

The objective of the experiment was to study the carcass physical composition and meat qualitative characteristics of different categories of Charolais cattle, feedlot finished. Nine steers (ST), ten heifers (HE), with average age of 20 months, and ten cull cows (CO) with average age of 87 months, taken from the same herd, were used. Diet contained 13% of crude protein for ST and HE and 10% for CO, with roughage:concentrate relation of 50:50, on a dry matter basis. The animals […]

Two independent experiments, one in pre-starter phase (1 to 7 days) and the other in the starter phase (8 to 21 days of age), were carried out with broilers to evaluate levels of calcium and available phosphorus (aP) in diets supplemented with 500 units of phytase activity/kg of diet. Each experiment consisted of a performance and a metabolic assay, and was conducted in a factorial schedule (3 × 4) + 1, with three aP levels (0.42, 0.37, 0.32% in the […]

The experiment was conducted to establish management strategies of grazing under continuous stocking that optimize the natural pattern of tillering of Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk. Two strategies of grazing management were studied: in one, the grass was maintained with 25-cm mean height throughout the experimental period, and in the other, 15-cm mean height during the winter, rising to 25 cm from beginning of spring. The split-plot in randomized block design with four replications was adopted. The strategies of grazing management […]

Two experiments were carried out to determine the nutritional value and verify piglets’ performance in the nursery phase fed with diets containing common corn (CC), extruded common corn (ECC), high-lysine corn (HLC), extruded high-lysine corn (EHLC), high-oil corn (HOC) and extruded high-oil corn (EHOC). In the total digestibility trial 14 barrows averaging 6.49 ± 0.16 kg initial body weight were allotted in metabolism cages, distributed in a randomized design with seven diets, six replicates, and one piglet per experimental unit. […]

A mathematical model based on Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) was developed and adapted in order to evaluate beef cattle rations at tropical climate conditions. The presented system differs from CNCPS in the modeling of insoluble particles’ digestion and passage kinetics, which enabled the estimation of fiber mass in rumen and its effects on animal performance. The equations used to estimate metabolizable protein and net energy requirements for gain, net energy requirement for maintenance and total efficiency of […]

The objective of this trial was to evaluate chemical additives and a bacterial inoculant on the inhibition of alcoholic fermentation and reduction of losses in sugarcane silages. Treatments were (doses on a fresh forage basis): without additive (control); urea (10 g/kg); urea (5 g/kg) + sodium benzoate (0.5 g/kg); sodium benzoate (1 g/kg); urea + ammonium sulfate in a 9:1 relation (10 g/kg); Lactobacillus buchneri (5 × 104 cfu/g). Silages were produced in 10.16- × 30-cm PVC tubes, provided with […]