The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the carcass and meat characteristics of Hereford (H), 5/8 H 3/8 Nellore (N), 1/2 H 1/2 N and 1/4 H 3/4 N steers, feedlot finished, from 20 to 24 months of age. Twenty-four steers randomly taken from the same herd were used. The diet contained, in a dry matter basis, 12.7% of crude protein and 57.5:42.5% forage:concentrate ratio. The forage was composed by corn silage + sugar cane (relation 1:1). The slaughter […]

The objective of this work was to estimate the (co) variance components and direct and maternal heritability of the body weights of sheep of Santa Inês breed. A total of 3,771 lambs weights records of the Santa Inês hair sheep breed, progenies of 114 sires, and 758 ewes were analyzed, obtained from experimental herds of EMBRAPA – SNPA from 1985 to 1995. The covariance components and genetic parameters from additive genetic effects, maternal and permanent environmental effects, as well as […]

This study was carried out to analyze the influence of some environmental effects on the milk yield and calving interval and to estimate the genetic parameters at 305-day milk yield (P305), and calving interval (IP). Data from 3044 lactations of 1568 Holstein cows, calved from 1988 to 1995 belonging to dairy herds monitored by DAISY (The Dairy Information System), were used. The Least Squares Method was used to study the environment effects and the Derivative-Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) algorithm […]

The objetive of this experiment was to obtain data from literature about diet composition for horses and to estimate the digestible energy and digestible protein contents by regression equations from chemical composition of these diets. Data were submitted to a correlation study among the content of nutrients in experimental diets and apparent digestibility coefficients, selecting the best correlation among DE, EAD, OMAD, CPAD and nutrients of diets. The values of EAD, OMAD and CPAD and digestible energy contents were fitted […]

The objective of this work was to determine the digestible (DE) and metabolizable (ME) energy values of some feeds for weaned pigs. Fourteen feeds were evaluated in five experiments, using 144 piglets with an average initial weight of 9.42+0.76 kg at 28 days of age. The DE and ME contents were determined by means of the total collection of feces and urine method. The protein sources from milk had higher energy and protein digestibility than soybean by products. Among these, […]

The objective of this work was to determine the nutritional requirement of available P and the effect of the particle size in the P bioavailability from meat and bone meal for broiler chicks. Two hundred and fifty and 450 Hubbard broiler chicks from 1 to 21 days of age, respectively, were allotted to a completely randomized design, with five (requirement) or nine (bioavailability) treatments, with five replicates and ten birds per experimental unit. The P requirements was determined by means […]

The effects of five fiber sources on the production, chemical composition and cecotrophes nutritive contribution on dry matter and crude protein base were studied. Forty White New Zealand female rabbits were housed in metabolic cage for 12 days to adaptation to the diets. In the 13th day, to prevent coprophagy, the animals received a necklace of wood for a period of 24 hours, and the cecotrophes were collected every two hours. The standard diet had the alfalfa hay as a […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate, at 42 days of age, the productivity and economic performance, and the carcass and special cuts yield, in broiler chickens allotted to different quantitative feeding restriction programs applied in early age. A completely randomized design was used, in a 5 x 2 (feeding restriction program versus sex) factorial arrangement and five replicates with 20 birds per experimental unit. Feed intake and weight gain were reduced by the feed restriction programs, but feed: […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of the early-life qualitative feed restriction on the performance, gastrintestinal tract characteristics and carcass of broilers. A total of 975 one-d-old “Ross” broiler chicks, 15 plots with 30 males each and 15 plots with 35 females each, was allotted to a completely randomized design in a 5 x 2 (restriction forms x sex) factorial arrangement, with three replicates per treatment. The treatments were: 1- no dilution (control); 2 – dilution […]

The objective of this work was to evaluate diets fed from 14 to 42 days of age on piglets performance and carcass composition. Twenty-eight crossbred litters (Landrace x Large White) were full fed four types of diets: two simple and two complex. In the weaning time, at 21 days of age, four animals (two barrows and two gilts) were transferred to a nursery and allotted to metallic cages, where they continued to be full fed with diets. Eight-four animals, 21 […]