Two cultivars of Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst ex. A. Rich) Stapf. (Syn. Urochloa) were evaluated for their adaptation to water deficit and the stress response mechanisms in a greenhouse experiment. The experimental design was in completely randomized blocks with a 2 × 2 × 4 factorial arrangement. The Marandu and BRS Piatã cultivars were evaluated under two water availability conditions, with or without water restriction. The harvests were carried out 0, 7, 14 and 28 days after the start of water […]

The objective of this study was to use morphometric and ultrasound evaluations to estimate the growth curve of the Pantaneiro cattle breed, raised in its natural habitat, aiming at the re-insertion of this breed in production systems. One hundred and three females, aging from months to 11 years, and raised on native pastures, were evaluated. The animals belonged to the Conservation Nucleus of Embrapa Pantanal, located in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil). Weight, thoracic perimeter (TP), body […]

Two hundred fifty-two Hy-Line W36 laying hens were allotted in a randomized block design with 6 treatments, 7 replicates and 6 hens per experimental unit in order to determine the ideal digestible isoleucine: digestible lysine (Ile:Lys) ratio for laying hens aged 24-40 weeks. Experimental diets contained 5.92, 6.33, 6.73, 7.14, 7.54 and 7.95 g/kg of digestible isoleucine, resulting in different Ile:Lys ratios (0.73:1, 0.78:1, 0.83:1, 0.88:1, 0.93:1 and 0.98:1). Experimental diets were isonitrogenous, with different dietary contents of glutamic acid, […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feeding behavior and performance of Santa Ines sheep subjected to different levels of substitution of corn by cactus pear in the diet. Forty-fivenon-castrated male Santa Inês sheep with initial live weight of 27.50±0.48 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments (0, 70, 140, 210 and 280 g/kg DM) and nine replicates. Dry matter and neutral detergent fiberintakes showed quadratic behavior. Times spent eating, ruminating and total ruminating […]

This study was conducted to investigate effects of inorganic and organic sulfur supplements on cashmere growth and their differences. Thirty-six six-month-old female Liaoning cashmere goats with a body weight of approximately 25 kg and good health were randomly assigned to three treatments: control, ZnSO4 and HMBi (2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butyric acid isopropyl ester). The three groups were fed a basal diet, a ZnSO4 diet (supplemented with 0.63% ZnSO4.H2O) and an HMBi diet (supplemented with 1.27% HMBi), respectively. Blood and cashmere samples were […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of total digestible nutrient (TDN) levels in supplements on rumen pH, ruminal ammonia nitrogen concentration, intake and digestibility, nitrogen balance and microbial efficiency in beef cattle grazing on Marandu grass during the rainy season. The supplements comprised a mineral mixture, ground corn grain, soybean hulls, roasted soybeans and urea:ammonium sulfate. The mineral mix (MM) and supplements were supplied at 800, 1,600 and 2,400 g/animal/day, contained 500, 1,000 and 1,500 g […]

The objectives of this study were to estimate the phenotypic correlations of residual feed intake (RFI) and gross feed efficiency (GFE) with hematological and metabolic blood profiles of lambs and to determine the differences for these traits in animals of different RFI classes. Twenty Ile de France male lambs, 115±8 days of age and 31.3±4.1 kg of body weight (means ± SD), were individually housed and their dry matter intake was measured over 65 days. They were weighed every 13 […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utilization of different sources of unsaturated long-chain fatty acids in diets for dairy cows during the transition period and early lactation on the milk fatty acid profile and composition of the protein fraction. Thirty-six Holstein cows were divided into three groups, fed the following diets: control (C); soybean oil (SO); and calcium salts of long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (CS). The milk samples utilized for analysis were obtained weekly from parturition to […]

The objective of this study was to identify the factors determining the adoption of feedlot by beef cattle farmers in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. For this purpose, primary data were collected among a sample of 84 farmers. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a logit model. The analysis showed that the variables which increase the likelihood of adoption of feedlot by farmers are: scale of production, average price received, participation in farming associations, training, technical assistance […]

The objective of this study was to assess whether the straining of rumen content samples influences the estimation of protozoal density. Ninety rumen samples were obtained from 30 cattle (three samples per animal). The samples were subjected to one of three treatments at the moment of collection: 1) fixation informalin without straining(control treatment), 2) straining before fixation informalin, or 3)straining after fixation informalin.To test the hypothesis of the variation in the protozoa composition in the samples, multivariate analyses with non-metric […]