Large White data set with performance and reproductive traits for a development line were analyzed in order to verify the importance of including maternal and common litter effects in genetic evaluation models, using four different models: model 1 – direct genetic effect; model 2 – the direct and maternal genetic effects; model 3 – the direct and common litter effects; and the model 4 – the direct, maternal and common litter effects. The traits were analyzed by Restricted Maximum Likelihood […]

Twelve purebred and crossbred Holstein cows were allotted to three 4 x 4 Latin Squares to evaluate the intake, apparent digestibility of nutrients, milk production and composition, ruminal pH and ammonia. The experimental diets were based on corn silage (CS) (AG 1051) with forage:concentrate ratio (F:C) of 60:40, in dry matter (DM) basis, or based on sugar cane (SC) (RB 855536) with F:C of 60:40 with .35 or 1% of urea+ammonium sulfate (AS) mixture or F:C of 50:50 with 1% […]

Studies on simulation were carried out aiming to achieve a comparative analysis between the following variance component estimation methods: Restrict Maximum Likelihood (REML), Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Method III of Henderson. All of them were used as a reproducer model, and the REML method was also used as a animal model. The main objective was to verify the effect of the unbalanced data on the estimation of the variance components. A genomic, made of a single quantitative characteristic, ruled by […]

The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of two stocking rates (CA280= 280 kg and CA360= 360 kg of live weight/ha) on natural pasture and of two breed compositions (½ Nelore ½ Hereford and ¼ Nelore ¾ Hereford) on milk production of primiparous beef cows and on growth of their calves. The stocking rate did not affect milk production (CA280 = 6.16 and CA360 = 5.88 kg/cow/day). Breed composition of cows significantly affected milk production, with ½ […]

Records of 1021 Nelore cows were analyzed in order to evaluate the effect of selection for growth on their stayability in the herd up to five years, considering that they were selected (P5|S). The coded variable (0=culled and 1=not culled) was analyzed with a threshold model. The Nelore cows were born from 1981 to 1997 within the selected (NeS and NeT) and control (NeC) lines of the Experimental Station of Sertãozinho (SP-Brazil). In NeS and NeT the selected (replacement) animals […]

The objective of the experiment was to determine the chemical composition, crude energy, apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and corrected metabolizable energy (AMEn) from samples of corn submitted to different drying temperatures (environmental temperature and artificial drying with temperatures of 80, 100 and 120ºC) and different storage periods (0, 60, 120 and 180 days). The total excreta collection method was used to determine the values of AME and AMEn, for Avian Farm birds, males, reared from 21 to 30 days of […]

As part of a preliminary study on the design of a breeding program involving Holstein Friesian and crossbred cattle (Holstein x Zebu) in the Southeast region of Brazil, economic values for milk volume (V), fat (F) and protein (P) production, age at first calving (AFC), mature body weight (MBW) and herd life (HL) were derived for a pasture based milk production system of crossbred cattle (Holstein x Zebu). The feeding regime was based on rotational grazing of elephantgrass during the […]

(Co)variance components were determined for post-weaning traits, and covariances with birth weight (BW) and pre-weaning traits, in Angus cattle using an animal model. Records of weaning and yearling weights of 18,921 animals were used and from these 4,452 had complete evaluations of visual scores at weaning and post-weaning phases. Records of BW were available for 11,788 animals. Heritabilities of post-weaning gain (GP205) and visual scores for conformation (YC), precocity (YP), muscling (YM) and size (YS) were 0.20, 0.19, 0.25, 0.26 […]

The objective of this research was to quantify morphological responses of Tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania-1) under three grazing intensities in an irrigated, rotationally stocked setting. Treatments consisted of three grazing intensities represented by three post-graze forage masses (T1=1,000; T2=2,500, and T3=4,000 kg green dry mass/ha), in a randomized complete block design with four replications. During the grazing season (eight 36-d cycles; three days of grazing followed by 33 days rest), the following measurements were taken: mean sward […]

Twelve 7/8 Holstein-Zebu steers were used in three 4 x 4 latin square design, consisted of three body weight groups (250, 350 e 450 kg), individualy housed in covered pens, during 60 days (four periods of 15 days). Each group of four animals were fed during four periods, with “Napier” grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and supplements constituted of four types of poultry litter (wood shavings, chopped corn cobs, coffee hulls and chopped and dry elephant grass “Cameroon”), urea and concentrate based […]