This study aimed to evaluate the effects of major genes and population size on variance components estimation using four different types of selected populations. Variance components were estimated by classical and Bayesian methodologies, with three a priori information levels. In general, results from REML and Bayesian analyses with flat priors were similar. Except for Bayesian analysis with an informative prior, additive genetic variance estimates were not accurate in populations in which the trait is controlled by major genes. The use […]

Fifty and two lactating sows were allotted to a randomized complete blocks experimental design with four digestible threonine levels (0.64; 0.67; 0.70 and 0.73%) and 13 replications, and each experimental unit was consisted by a female. The temperature inside in the room was of 29.7 ± 2.5°C. There was no effect of digestible threonine levels in the diet on the weight of the sows at weaning. The total and percentage sow weight losses linearly reduced with the increase of digestible […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the addition of CLA in the diet on Nile tilapia productive performance, chemical and fatty acids composition. Eighty reversed fish with 109 ± 10 g were used, distributed in eight tanks (0.8 m3 each) in density of ten fishes/tank, during 90 days. It was evaluated the inclusion in the diets of 2% of CLA (Luta-CLA®-BASF, Brazil) with 60% of isomers (cis-9,trans-11 and trans-10,cis-12) and 40% of vehicle (oleic acid […]

The objective of this study was to compare Gaussian and Robust linear mixed models for the estimation of variance components by REML and Gibbs Sampling, using data from fifty simulated populations consisting of 1,000 animals distributed in 5 generations. Two levels of fixed effect and three hypothetical phenotypic values for a trait, with different levels of contamination were used in the simulations. Additive and residual variance estimates were similar for both REML and Bayesian inference using the Gaussian and Robust […]

The productive and economic response of four feeding systems during the productive cycle of beef cattle raised and finished in tropical pastures was evaluated in this research. The data on supplement intake and performance of the animals were obtained from six experiments using 196 grazing animals. The evaluated supplementation strategies was based on the slaughter age of the animals (18, 24, 30, and 40 months), simulating a ideal system of production with area of 1.000 ha and annual average carrying […]

Chemical composition and IVDMD of elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum. cv. Napier) and mombaçagrass (Panicum maximum, cv. Mombaça) were evaluated using samples of esophageal extrusa and hand-plucked samples. Greater DM, CP, and non-protein N concentrations were observed in the elephantgrass. Chemical composition of mombaçagrass, mainly DM and N concentration, varied with grazing day. Potentially degradable carbohydrate fraction differed between sampling techniques. No differences were observed regarding the kinetics of carbohydrates degradation for both grasses.

Data from 56 bulls of the genetic groups Selection Nellore (NeS), Control Nellore (NeC) and Caracu (Ca) herds born in 1999 were used to evaluate the effects of selection for weight at 378 days of age (P 378) on the chemical composition of empty body weight. The animals were randomly distributed to three experimental classes: initial slaughter (AI), restricted feeding (AR) and ad libitum feeding (AL). The AI class included 4 animals of each genetic group and the AR and […]

The objective was to evaluate the effect of the substitution of corn silage by coffee husk in diets for dairy heifers on the ruminal variables, nitrogenous compounds and e microbial protein production. Twenty-four dairy Holstein heifers, purebred and crossbred, were assigned to a randomized block design, with four treatments and six blocks, according to the animal initial weight. The treatments were four coffee hulls levels: 0.0, 7.0, 14.0, and 21.0 (% DM total), in substitution of corn silage. Daily, all […]

An experiment was conducted with the objective to evaluate the type of whole soybean processing to be used in the feeding of growing-finishing swine. Sixty pigs, gilts and barrows, with initial average weight of 24.96 kg and age of 70 days, were distributed to a complete randomized block design, with five treatments, each one with 12 replicates, and six per each sex. The experimental unit was composed by one animal in an individual box. Experimental diets were isonutritious and based […]

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the intake and apparent digestibility of the nutrients in diets containing different levels (0, 12.0, 25.0, 38.0, and 51.0%) of forage cactus (Opuntia ficus indica Mill) in total replacement of corn (Zea mays L.) and partial of Tifton hay (Cynodon spp). Five Holstein cows were assigned to a 5×5 latin square. The animals showed an average of 583 ± 7,07 kg BW and lactation period around 110 days. Each experimental period lasted 17 days, […]