The objective of this research was to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the blood (Pb, Ni and Cd), serum (Cu and Zn) and hair (Pb, Ni, Cd, Cu and Zn) of horses raised in non-industrial and industrial areas (with steel mill), and to verify the possibility to use these data as indicators of environmental pollution. The samples were collected during summer and winter, aiming to verify animal contamination related to environment and season of the year. Copper and […]

To determine the available phosphorus requirement of pejerrey fish, four semi-purified diets were formulated to contain increasing available phosphorus levels (0.90, 2.7, 5.7 and 8.3 g/kg). Each diet was assigned to groups of 10 fish with average weight of 1.26±0.17 g, distributed into a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replications. Fish were fed at a rate of 10% total biomass four times a day for 60 days. The parameters productive performance, body chemical composition and mineral composition […]

This study intended to evaluate three identification devices for adult goats reared in semi-intensive system. They were (1) the ruminal bolus, electronic identification device composed of non-toxic ceramic and weighing 74.4 g; (2) small ear tag on left ear, visual identification device with dimensions of 50 × 15mm; and (3) big ear tag on right ear, also a visual identification device with dimensions of 42 × 48 mm. Twenty-two crossbred Boer female goats with mean age of 4 years and […]

Lactobacillus buchneri 40788 and the fibrolytic enzymes β-glucanase and xylanase were applied to chopped sugarcane to study their effects on the nutritive value of silage. Sugarcane was mechanically harvested after 14 mo of growth and treated without (control) or with L. buchneri at a theoretical application rate of 5 × 104 cfu/g, 1 × 105 cfu/g, or 1 × 105 cfu/g plus enzymes. Forage was packed into farm-scale bag silos (40 t/silo) and stored for 92 d. Fifty-six bulls (32 […]

The objective of this study was to determine the kinetics of in situ degradability parameters of the dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and the passage of materials originating from the ensilage of the waste from pineapple cultivation (aerial parts). The four treatments utilized were silage of pineapple waste compacted at 600, 700, 900 and 1000 kg/m3. After ensiling the material from the pineapple cultivation, the particle-transit and rumen-degradation kinetics were analyzed. For the analysis of particle transit, […]

The hormonal responses of 20 female buffaloes raised under the sun (SS group) or in the shade (CS group) in Belém, Pará, Brazil, were assessed. The CS group (n = 10) was kept in a silvopasture system featuring Racosperma mangium, whereas the SS group (n = 10) was kept in paddocks without shade featuring Brachiaria humidicola, drinking water, and mineral salt. The following parameters were measured for each treatment: dry-bulb temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH), and black-globe temperature in order […]

Twenty-four Saanen goats, 15 multiparous and nine primiparous, were distributed in a completely randomised design in a factorial arrangement (3 diets × 2 parities). The treatments were soybean meal (SB), soybean + dry yeast (SBDY), or dry yeast (DY) as a protein source in the diet, and ground corn, mineral supplement, and corn silage (400 g/kg). The study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value of diets containing inactive dry yeast as a protein source postpartum, postpeak, and during late […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance, the carcass and meat characteristics of ewes supplemented with magnesium oxide. Eighteen 6-year-old Santa Ines ewes were used in a completely randomized experimental design, where three levels of supplementation (0.0, 0.1 and 0.2% magnesium oxide in the concentrate) were tested, with six replicates. Final weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion were not affected by levels of magnesium supplementation. Hot and cold carcass weights showed linear increasing and quadratic […]

Forty-five non-lactating, pregnant Holstein animals (18 heifers and 27 multiparous cows; BW = 561±114 kg; BCS = 2.9±0.3; days pregnant = 110±56 d) were stratified by initial BW and BCS, and randomly assigned to receive daily (as-fed basis) 0.50 kg of ground corn plus 0.22 kg of kaolin (CON), calcium salts of saturated fatty acids (SFA) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PF) for 14 d. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 7 and 14, immediately prior to (0 h) and […]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the voluntary intake and digestibility of three sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, L. Moench) hybrid silages in sheep. The hybrids used were H1 -BRS 655 (CMSXS 222 A × CMSXS 235 R), with tannin; H2 -(ATF54 A × CMSXS 235 R), without tannin; and H3 -BRS 610 (CMSXS 232 A × CMSXS 234 R), without tannin. The intake and digestibility of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber […]