The influence of the level of intake of elephantgrass, under grazing, on the composition of digesta and on concentration of the marker Cr2O3 throughout the gastrintestinal tract (GTI) of bovines was studied. A split-plot completely randomized design with twelve treatments in the main plots (a 2×6 factorial with two levels of forage ingestion: restricted – NA1 and unrestricted – NA2, and six slaughter periods) and the five sections of GTI in the split-plots was used. Thirty six steers were used, […]

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the best feeding program post peak egg production for broiler breeders. Cobb broiler breeders (3168 females and 352 males) were distributed in a randomized experimental design with four treatments and eight replicates per treatment, with 99 females and 11 males per replicate. The evaluated programs were: Program 1 – Reduction 1 g of feed/bird/day/week for each drop of 0.5 points of the egg mass. Program 2 – Reduction of 1 g of feed/bird/day/week post […]

The objectives of the present study were to characterize nictemeral pattern of ruminal pH and feed behavior of dairy goats fed diets presenting different ratios of roughage:concentrate. Five non pregnant non lactating goats, ruminally cannulated, and averaging 58 kg were used during the five experimental periods. A 5×5 Latin square was used to evaluate five treatments consisted of roughage to concentrate ratio of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60 e 20:80. Diets were fed every 6h in order to reduce ruminal pH […]

The influence of the level of forage intake on the degradability of particles of elephant grass in the sections of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of bovines and on some traits of ruminal kinetics was studied. A completely randomized split plot design was used, with twelve treatments in the main plots (a 2×6 factorial, comprising two levels of feeding: restricted – NA1 and unrestricted – NA2, and six slaughter times) and the five sections GIT in the split plots. Thirty-six steers maintained […]

A study was conducted to determine the effect of heat stress on semen criteria and testis size in Santa Inês hairy rams, in the State of Ceará, Northeast of Brazil. The scrotum of eight adult rams was insulated for seven days. Animals were evaluated twice before insulation and, after insulation, at 12 different periods until 118 days. Scrotal insulation did not affect semen volume, but pH was increased after eight days, returning to normal values after 15 days. Sperm concentration […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental thermal conditions of different maternity hut covering materials, in the summer period through the following treatments: 1) maternity hut with polystyrene fecula covering 2) maternity hut with isolation of aluminum covering 3) maternity hut with screen and grass covering 4) maternity hut with canvas and grass covering 5) outdoor environment 6) under shade a tree. The six treatments were arranged in a randomized split-plot design where the six treatments were […]

A laboratory study was carried on the transmission of ultraviolet radiation (UV, 250 to 360 nm wavelength) through the haircoat and the skin of cattle. Fresh samples of skin were measured under a solar simulator, taking account of the pigmentation of hair and skin and the structural characteristics of the haircoat (coat thickness, hair diameter, hair length, angle of the hairs to the skin surface, number of hairs per unit area), which defined the average free path length of a […]

The objectives of the present study were to characterize and estimate parameters of kinetics of carbohydrate degradation using alfalfa hay, elephant grass, tifton 85, and corn silage, fed to dairy goats under different forage: concentrate ratio. Kinetic parameters of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber degradation at different pH values were estimated by using cumulative gas production technique and their values contrasted with those obtained by both in vitro and in situ studies. Kinetic interpretation for specific degradability, rate of […]

The aim of this study was to describe the population structure of the registered Polled Gir cattle in Brazil. Descriptive statistics of the distribution of the number of progeny, the generation interval and the effective population size were estimated using pedigree records of animals registered from 1976 to 1998. The observed generation interval in each of four periods (1979-1983, 1984-1988, 1989-1993 and 1994-1998) was, respectively, 4.5, 6.05, 7.17 and 9.14 yr. The effective population size for the periods were, respectively, […]

The experiment was carried out with 20 intact Holsteins male calves, average live weight of 75 kg and 76 days old, to evaluate the performance and the economical viability to produce veal calves. The calves were fed diets containing 45, 60, 75 and 90% of concentrate. Diets were composed of coastcross hay, ground corn, soybean meal and mineral mixture, fed ad libitum. The experimental design was a complete randomized blocks, with four treatments and five replicates. Before the beginning of […]