The objective of this study was to describe daily body weight (BW) changes in the first 100 days of lactation in confined dairy cows and to associate BW loss with productive and reproductive performance. Data included 26,344 daily BW measurements of 372 Holsteins calving between June 2011 and June 2012 in a commercial herd in the South of Brazil. Cows were automatically weighed and were assigned according to parity. Individual measurements were smoothed using cubic splines, generating nadir BW, days […]

This study determined the efficacy of a β-1,3/1,6-glucan source on the survival, growth, and immunological responses of Litopenaeusvannamei challenged with infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV). The work was conducted in 20 tanks of 500 L with clear water with constant recirculation and aeration. Shrimp weighing 2.6±0.4 g were stocked at 100 animals/m2 and reared for 10 weeks. Viral challenge occurred through oral administration of IMNV positive extract (1.82 £ × 103 copies of IMNV/µL RNA) during three consecutive days, twice a […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the flow of nitrogenous compounds, protein degradability, rumen degradation of total carbohydrate and organic matter and microbial efficiency in heifers subjected to diets containing corn silage, sugarcane or Tifton. For this purpose, the 2,6-diaminopimelic acid (DAPA) technique was adopted and analytical procedures for amino acids by HPLC were adapted. Six rumen-fistulated Holstein-Zebu heifers with 480 kg of initial BW and at 24 months of age kept in individual tie stalls were assigned […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of F1 (Holstein × Zebu) cows in lactation according to different levels of substitution of soybean meal for a protein equivalent non-protein nitrogen originated from slow-release urea (SRU). Eight F1 (Holstein × Zebu) cows in the first third of lactation, with an average milk yield of 12.7 kg (±3.1 kg)/day and a live weight of 552 kg (±30 kg), were used. The experimental design was composed of two simultaneous 4 […]

The objective of this study was to characterize the genetic variability of Anglo-Nubian goats using microsatellite markers. The study was conducted using herds from four municipalities of Central-Northern Piauí (Teresina, José de Freitas, Campo Maior, and Angical), where technical information is scarce. Seven markers suggested by FAO were used (ILSTS11, McM527, INRA23, ETH10, OarfCB304, OarfCB48, and MAF209). The samples were genotyped using a 7% polyacrylamide gel. The average number of alleles per locus was 4.0, with observed and expected heterozygosity […]

The objective of the present study was to develop models for predicting live weight from the length-weight relationship and body composition of Nile tilapia. A total of 3,000 juvenile fish (initial weight = 28.6±4.16 g and standard length = 13.8±0.16 cm) were distributed into three circular cages (12 m3 each). The fish were hand-fed extruded diets containing 332 g kg-1 of crude protein and 3,230 kcal kg-1 of digestible energy, until apparent satiety, twice daily, for 100 days. Twelve fish […]

This experiment was conducted to study the substitution of soybean meal with peanut cake in the supplement by assessing the feeding behavior and the interaction between the thermal environment and the physiological responses of eight crossbred cows with an average live weight of 500 kg. Cows were divided into two 4 × 4 Latin squares and managed on pasture. The peanut cake was included at the levels of 0, 330, 660, and 1,000 g kg-1 in the supplement as a […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate production, chemical composition, and estimates of total solids and fatty acid profile of milk from 1/2 Lacaune × 1/2 Ile de France ewes fed control and soybean seeds-supplemented diets. Additionally, Roquefort type cheese was also produced and subjected to sensory analysis. Twenty four 1/2 Lacaune × 1/2 Ile de France ewes were divided into three groups and fed a control diet and diets containing 70 and 140 g kg-1 soybean as fed, […]

In this study we examined the effects of the maternal age on the fecundity (absolute and relative), egg production, and fertilization rates of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Females were divided into three groups: Group 1 (6 years old), Group 2 (3 years old), and Group 3 (8 months old). Males of eight months were used in all groups. Twice a week, the females’ mouths were examined, and if they had eggs, these were removed and transferred to 2-L incubators. No […]

Protein supply and requirements by ruminants have been studied for more than a century. These studies led to the accumulation of lots of scientific information about digestion and metabolism of protein by ruminants as well as the characterization of the dietary protein in order to maximize animal performance. During the 1980s and 1990s, when computers became more accessible and powerful, scientists began to conceptualize and develop mathematical nutrition models, and to program them into computers to assist with ration balancing […]