Random regression and Legendre polynomial (LP) of different orders were used for modeling the genetic, permanent environmental and residual variances of test day milk yield in dairy goats. The models included the fixed effects of contemporary group, age of dam at kidding as a covariate and the fixed regression of LP for the average lactation curve and the additive genetic, permanent environmental and residual as random effects. According to the values of the logarithm of the likelihood function, AIC and […]

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the dry matter, crude protein and gross energy digestibilities and the performance of rabbits fed simplified diets based on forages. In digestibility assay, 45 New Zealand white rabbits with 1,550 kg of initial weight and 50 days old were distributed to a completely randomized design with 3 diets and 15 replications. Three diets were used: a reference-diet and two simplified diets (one with alfalfa hay and other with upper third part of foliage […]

The effects of feeding a pre-starter diet (PSD) and weight at housing on performance and carcass characteristics broilers were evaluated. A total of 960 day-old male chickens, commercial line Cobb-500, was housed in 32 floor pens as a completely randomized design in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement [weight at housing (42 and 46 g) and periods of feeding pre- starter diet (0, 1 to 7, 1 to 10 and 1 to 14 days old) for 49 days. The feeding […]

The influence of the relation among genotype and temperament of cattle on the direct and indirect gains for meat production. Seventy-nine steers with 19-20 mo old from eight genotype groups of Charolais x Nellore crossbred were evaluated: CH (100CH), ¾ CH1/4N (0.75CH), 11/16CH5/16N (0.69CH), 5/8CH3/8N (0.63CH), 3/8CH5/8N (0.38CH), 5/16CH11/16N (0.31CH), 1/4CH3/4N (0.25CH) e N (0CH) animals were kept in feedlot and were fed with diet containing 50:50 forage to concentrate ratio (%DM). The temperament was evaluated using are four methods […]

The performance of lambs for the mating in the autumn in improved native pasture fertilized with 250 kg/ha of mineral formula 5-20-20 was evaluated. Two levels of nitrogen (N) (100 and 200 kg/ha of N as urea) divided in two applications, 70% and 30%, in February, 3, and March, 17, 2005, respectively, were tested in a complete block design with two replications. Plots without N application were used as control. Evaluation was done on continuous variable stocking in order to […]

An experiment was conducted with the objective to evaluate the performance and quality of eggs from meat quails from two genetic groups during 84 days of experiment. A total of 98 birds averaging 258 kg and 40 days old was assigned to a completely randomized design with two genetic groups (A and B) and seven replications of seven birds each. The evaluated characteristics were: diet consumption (g/bird/d), average egg weights (g), laying per bird per day (%) and per lodged […]

The non-carcass components of castrated and non-castrated cattle (sex condition) finished in feedlot and slaughtered at 16 (super young) or 26 (young) months of age (animal category) were evaluated. The diet was formulated to contain 11.8% of CP and 2.83 Mcal/kg DM of DE with 50:50 forage to concentrate ratio (%MS). Super young animals showed higher of empty body dressing percentage (92.39 versus 89.76%), as a result of their lower gastrointestinal content (35.23 versus 53.46 kg) as compared to the […]

Nine lactating Holstein cows with average 526 ± 5 kg of BW, five predominantly black and four predominantly white, bred in a tropical region and managed in open pasture were observed to measure cutaneous and respiratory evaporation rates under different environmental conditions. Cows were separated in three weight class: 1 (<450 kg), 2 (450-500 kg) and 3 (>500 kg). Latent heat loss from cutaneous surface was measured using a ventilated capsule; evaporation in the respiratory system was measured using a […]

The effects of three feeding management were evaluated in the winter months (CN: natural pasture; CNS: natural pasture + supplementation; CNM: improved natural pasture) and three live weight groups (light, medium, heavy) on the subsequent reproductive performance of Brangus heifers with first service to 24/27 mo old. Feeding managements showed differences in the daily weight gain (DWG) during the winter (0.261, 0.376 and 0.679 kg/day) in body weight at the beginning of the reproductive period (302.8, 317.8 and 330.7kg for […]

Twenty-six Moxotó non-castrated males kids, with average 15 kg BW and 7 to 8 mo old, were fed a diet containing 2.6 Mcal/kg ME were used to evaluate the body composition and energy requirements for weight gain. At the beginning of the experiment, six animals were slaughtered as a reference to estimate initial body composition and initial empty body weight (EBW). While, the remaining animals (four groups of five animals, one for each feeding regime, were distributed to a completely […]