An experiment was carried out to evaluate the performance, carcass composition, cutting yields and economic viability of 5 or 10 ppm of ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) in diets for barrows and gilts from 94 to 130 kg. Sixty commercial hybrid pigs within a gender, were individually kept in pens and assigned a randomized experimental block design, in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement, with three levels of RAC (0; 5 and 10 ppm) and two sexs (barrows and gilts). There were […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin A feed supplementation on the following boar semen characteristics: volume, motility, vigor, seminal pH, spermatic concentration, total number of spermatozoa, percentage of living sperm cells and morphologic abnormalities. The experiment was carried out with 10 hybrid boars (328.5 ± 2.12 days of age and 191.0 ± 12.0 kg live weight). The boars were separated into two treatments and fed with two vitamin A levels: control, 10.000 UI/kg feed […]

The objective of the present study was to investigate crude protein reduction and the methionine+cystine and threonine to lysine ratios in diets for reversed Nile tilapia fingerlings (Oreochromis niloticus), Thai strain. Four hundred and twenty Nile tilapia fingerlings with an average initial weight of 1.83 ± 0.02 g were placed in a completely randomized design, with five treatments, seven replications per treatment and 12 fish per experimental unit, for 37-days. Two crude protein (CP) levels were evaluated (32 and 28%). […]

Three experiments were carried out to estimate the calcium and phosphorus requirements of meat quail. In the first experiment (1-14 days of age), 1,250 meat quails were placed in a 5 × 5 factorial arrangement (calcium levels = 0.65, 0.76, 0.87, 0.98 and 1.09% × phosphorus levels = 0.12, 0.22, 0.32, 0.42 and 0.52%), totaling 25 treatments, with two replications of 25 birds per experimental unit. The different calcium levels did not affect bird performance. Body weight, weight gain and […]

Variance components (VC) for milk yield of Holstein cows were estimated and the effects of increasing of the number of animals in the numerator relationship matrix (NRM) were evaluated on VC estimates obtained by REML and Bayesian inference via Gibbs sampling (GS). Data were obtained from herds in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. Two data sets were created for each state. In the first set, the NRM included only the […]

The effects of harvesting methods were evaluated on losses and damage in sugarcane after harvesting. The IAC86-2480 cultivar was evaluated, in its third cut, in November, 2006. Three herbage harvesting methods were evaluated: manual cutting, mechanical cutting using a harvester and mechanical followed by manual cutting. After harvesting, the material was weighed and separated into fractions of stalks, green leaves and straw. The damage under sugarcane ratoons was evaluated by counting of the number of damaged stalks, uprooted stalks and […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of weight categories on the relation of the measures of standard length; length of the head; height of the body measured at the front of the 1° ray of pectoral, dorsal, anal and tail fins; width of the body measured at the front of the insertion of 1º ray of pectoral, dorsal and anal fins; perimeter measured at the front of the insertion of the 1° ray of pectoral, dorsal […]

The objective of this experiment was to identify the effect of row spacing (0.90 m and 1.30 m) and harvesting ages on the chemical composition and characteristics of sugarcane silage and productivity of the RB72-454 variety sugarcane. The experiment was carried out from November 2004 to January 2006. Treatments consisted of a combination of 0.90 m and 1.30 m row spacing and harvesting ages were 240 days (plant-cane), 180 days (regrowth) and 420 days (plant-cane). A randomized block experimental design […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation on the carcass characteristics of crossbred Boer goats finished on native pasture. Twenty-four Boer crossbreed goats were used, 120 days old and with an initial 15.52 kg BW. The supplemental feeding was randomly assigned to the animals according to a completely randomized design with 4 supplementation levels (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%) and six replications (goats). The animals had access to the pasture from 7:30 a.m. until 4 […]

The first studies to identify, characterize and use molecular markers to characterize genetic resources and generate tools for animal breeding and management date from the end of the 80s. In the last 20 years the technologies to generate molecular data went through several innovation cycles. The last wave of technological innovations represents a true revolution, bringing methods to identify and genotype SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) markers in large scale. High density DNA chips were generated to genotype from tens of […]