This work was carried out to evaluate carcass characteristics, physicochemical and fatty acids compositions of Longissimus muscle from feedlot heifers fed cottonseed hulls (CSH) and soybean hulls (SBH) as forage, and different energy sources: ground corn (COR), corn germ meal (CGM) or whole rice meal (WRM). Twenty-four crossbred heifers (initial body weight of 350 ± 35 kg) were allocated in a completely randomized design into three treatments (diets) and eight replications (animals). Heifers were slaughtered after a 24-hour fasting period. […]

The study was conducted to evaluate the dynamics of the tillering process in marandu palisadegrass submitted to two cutting heights (15 and 30 cm), and three cutting intervals (leaf appearance intervals of three, four and five leaves per tiller). A complete randomized block design, with three replications and a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement was used. Evaluations consited of monthly measurements of tiller appearance and death in two tussocks per plot, with new tillers sorted into basal and aerial tillers. […]

Data consisting of 20,065 weights of 3,016 Nellore animals recorded from birth to 630 days of age were used to compare random regression on Legendre polynomials of age (LP) and on Legendre polynomials associated to a parametric correlation structure (PC) models for breeding value prediction of growth traits. Results from Standard bivariate analyses (SBA) using weights at standard ages were also compared to those from random regression models. Dependent variables in random regression analyses were Legendre polynomials of age at […]

The objectives of this study were to estimate heritability for culling age (TPR), ages at first (IDPP), at second (IDSP) and at third calving (IDTP) and genetic correlations of these traits with adjusted and unadjusted weights for condition score, body size indexes and condition score at first mating, at first calving and at mature age. Variance and covariance components were estimated by REML using univariate and bivariate models including the fixed effect of contemporary group and additive direct genetic and […]

The productive and structural characteristics of Pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke) under continuous stocking rate and their relationship with beef heifers performance exclusively under grazing (PAST), supplemented with corn grain (PAST + C) or citric pulp (PAST + P) was evaluated. There was no difference among treatments for herbage mass, forage allowance, leaf lamina mass, leaf lamina allowance, daily accumulation rate of forage and herbage total production. Daily accumulation rate of forage, leaf lamina mass and leaf lamina allowance […]

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the different levels of starch inclusion in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) larvae diets. Three hundred and seventy-five larvae averaging initial weight of 8.02 ± 2.11 mg were allotted to 25 30 L-aquariums, as a completely experimental randomized design, with five treatments and five replications. The diets were formulated to contain the inclusion levels of 0: 2.5: 5: 7.5 and 10% of starch, with 3,500 kcal DE/kg and 38.6% digestible protein. The fishes were […]

One hundred and twenty-eight pigs, averaging initial weight of 4.32 ± 0.55 kg and weaned with 14 days of age, were allotted to a completely randomized experimental block design, composed by four treatments, eight replicates and four animals in each experimental unit, to evaluate the levels of inclusion of spray dried plasma (SDP) in diets for piglets, in three consecutive periods: from 14 to 28 (period 1); 29 to 35 (period 2) and 36 to 42 (period 3) days of […]

This work aimed to evaluate the performance, rectal temperature and respiratory ratio of dairy heifers, from three genetic groups Holstein × Zebu (7/8HZ, 15/16HZ, Graded Holstein-GH), confined and fed total mixed diet with different levels of neutral detergent fiber (30 and 60%), using chopped elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum., cv. Mineirão) as forage. Intake, weight gain and physiological responses of these animals were determined under different environmental conditions. The experiment was conducted according to a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (genetic […]

Genome scan was used to identify chromosomal regions and genes that control quantitative trait loci (QTL) of economic importance using 1129 animals from F1 and F2 populations obtained from crosses between Meishan and commercial Dutch breeds (Large White and Landrace). Animals were genotyped for molecular markers covering the entire genome. The chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14 and 19 were studied for intramuscular fat (IMF, %) and backfat thickness (BT, mm) and the chromosomes 1, 2, 4, […]

An nutritional analysis of stargrass cv. Africana fed dairy cattle under rotational grazing was evaluated in this research. Ten Holstein-Zebu crossbred cows were managed in 2 ha covered with the grass and divided in 11 paddocks /ha with three grazing days 30 days of resting period. During the experimental period the animals were milked twice a day for 16 days and were feed two kg of concentrate. Representative samples of the pasture consumed (extrusa) were taken and determined the nutritional […]