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Objetivou-se avaliar o desempenho de bovinos de corte confinados recebendo diferentes niveis e frequencias do residuo do processamento do milho doce como volumoso. Os animais foram divididos em cinco grupos, totalizando 30 animais por tratamento: 1) relacao volumoso: concentrado (V:C) de 50:50 do inicio ao final do experimento; 2) 30 dias com 100% V, seguidos de 30 dias com relacao V:C de 50:50, e posteriormente relacao V:C de 30:70 ate o final do periodo experimental; 3) 45 dias iniciais do confinamento com 100% de volumoso, e posteriormente relacao V:C de 50:50 ate o final do periodo experimental; 4) 30 dias iniciais do confinamento com 100% de volumoso, e posteriormente relacao V:C de 50:50 ate o final do periodo experimental; 5) 100% de volumoso. O fornecimento exclusivo de volumoso durante o periodo total do confinamento proporcionou aos animais os menores peso vivo final, ganho medio diario e consumo de materia seca, porem, apresentaram a melhor conversao alimentar entre os tratamentos avaliados e menor custo por arroba produzida. A inclusao de concentrado proporcionou, de maneira geral, maior desempenho dos animais, porem, aumento dos custos de producao.

Os acidos orgânicos e alguns extratos herbais podem ser uma alternativa no controle microbiano. Este estudo avaliou a atividade antimicrobiana de uma combinacao de acidos orgânicos com ou sem adicao de extratos de Catanea sativa e Acacia decurrens no controle in vitro de Escherichia coli e Salmonella Typhi . Para o estudo, foram utilizadas cepas padroes: Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43888) e Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhi (CCCD S003). A combinacao de acidos orgânicos foi composta por 25% de acido benzoico, 30% de acido formico, 25% de acido fumarico e 20% de dioxido de silica. Ja a combinacao de acidos orgânicos associada ao extrato vegetal foi composta por 21,2% de acido benzoico, 25,5% de acido formico, 21,2% de acido fumarico, 17,1% de dioxido de silica e 15% de extrato vegetal, sendo este ultimo composto por 50% de castanha portuguesa ( Castanea sativa ) e 50% de acacia negra ( Acacia decurrens ). Ambos foram testados em concentracoes de 0,00%; 0,40%; 1,70%; 3,20%; 6,25%; 12,50%; 25,00%; 50,00% e 100,00%. O estudo das Concentracoes Inibitorias Minimas (CIM) e Concentracoes Bactericidas Minimas (CBM) das misturas demostraram para Escherichia coli um CIM de 50% e CBM de 100%, tanto para o produto composto pela mistura de acidos orgânicos quanto para a mistura de acidos orgânicos com adicao do extrato de plantas. Em relacao a cepa de Salmonella estudada verificou-se CIM e CBM de 100%, alcancados com 100% de concentracao dos compostos estudados. As concentracoes de E. coli e Salmonella Typhi expostas a ambos os tratamentos de acidos orgânicos com ou sem os extratos de plantas diferiram quanto ao tempo de exposicao ao produto (p

Objetivou-se comparar o rendimento dos cortes comerciais entre bovinos confinados de tres grupos geneticos distintos. Foram utilizados 30 bovinos castrados: dez Aberdeen Angus, dez Nelore e dez ½ Aberdeen Angus x ½ Nelore. Os animais entraram no confinamento aos 21 meses de idade, com peso inicial medio de 333 kg. Aos 25 meses de idade, termino do confinamento, apresentaram peso corporal (PC) medio de 498,36 kg. Os bovinos foram pesados em jejum hidrico e alimentar de 12 horas e, em seguida, embarcados para o frigorifico para serem abatidos. Com o retorno das carcacas foram feitas a desossa e a pesagem dos cortes comerciais e das perdas da toalete por sebo, retalho e ossos. Quanto as caracteristicas qualitativas, foi observado maior escore de marmoreio para os animais Aberdeen Angus e ½ Aberdeen Angus x ½ Nelore. Os bovinos Nelore apresentaram maior area de olho de lombo, quando comparado aos demais grupos geneticos avaliados. Obtiveram-se, em geral, menores perdas na toalete das carcacas de animais Nelore. Comparado com os demais grupos, o Aberdeen Angus apresentou menor proporcao de ossos. Bovinos Nelore apresentaram menor deposicao de gordura corporal, com menor escore de marmoreio e espessura de gordura subcutânea, gerando, assim, menores perdas na toalete, por acumulo de sebo nos cortes comerciais.

As reacoes inflamatorias formadoras de abscessos sao oriundas da utilizacao erronea de vacinas e/ou medicamentos. Os abscessos vacinais trazem preocupacoes a criadores e empresarios do segmento de carnes e derivados, devido as grandes perdas economicas causadas pelas rejeicoes das partes envolvidas na reacao vacinal. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo mensurar perdas economicas nas carcacas de bovinos abatidos na Regiao Norte do Brasil, ocasionadas por abscessos vacinais. O estudo foi realizado em um abatedouro frigorifico no municipio de Iranduba/AM, sendo avaliadas 20.909 carcacas, oriundas de bovinos dos estados do Amazonas, Roraima e Para. Para a avaliacao das perdas causadas por lesoes vacinais em carcacas bovinas foi realizada a coleta e pesagem da porcao comprometida. Um total de 20.399 bovinos apresentaram abscessos vacinais, sendo 15.678 machos e 4.721 femeas, demonstrando um percentual geral de 97,56% de carcacas com lesoes vacinais, o que gerou um descarte de 7.673,4 kg de tecido muscular. As massas carneas retiradas das carcacas em razao da formacao de abscessos por reacao vacinal resultaram em cerca de 551,56 arrobas, totalizando R$ 96.429,06 (US$ 18,907.65) na cotacao da arroba comercializada na Regiao Norte do Brasil em 28 marco de 2020, comprovando a necessidade premente de aperfeicoamento no manejo sanitario dos bovinos com o desenvolvimento de vacinas e medicamentos que conciliem eficacia a inocuidade, minimizando os efeitos colaterais dos mesmos.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:36:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-08-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Our objective was to investigate the effects of supplements with soybean oil source, administered either daily or three times per week, on meat quality and carcass characteristics of heifers finished on pasture. Forty-two crossbred heifers aged 17 ± 3 mo with an initial mean body weight (BW) of 297.1 ± 13.5 kg were selected for pasture finishing. The animals were randomly assigned to six treatments. Each treatment consisted of two feeding frequencies, daily (DAI; seven times per week, supplemented at 0.75% BW) or alternating (MWF; three times per week, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, supplemented at 1.75% BW on each day), and three different soybean oil sources: soybean oil (SO), rumen-protected fat (RPF), and whole soybean (WS). There was no interaction (P > 0.05) between the feeding frequencies and soybean oil source on meat quality and carcass characteristics. Supplements with WS resulted in a greater C18:0 concentration in the longissimus muscle compared with those with SO or RPF (P = 0.02). Supplements with SO increased the rumenic acid deposition, the total monounsaturated fatty acids, and the monounsaturated:saturated fatty acids ratio (P < 0.05). We conclude that reduction in the supplementation frequency does not alter the carcass and meat quality traits. Department of Animal Science São Paulo State University (Unesp) School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences INCT/CA–UFV Department of Animal Science Department of Animal Science São Paulo State University (Unesp) School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences FAPESP: 2007/ 53733-4 FAPESP: 2013/02418-2 FAPESP: 2014/09033-1

The objective of this experimental study was to evaluate the effects of different forms of soybean oil (soybean grain, rumen-protected fat and soybean oil) in the rumen on the growth performance, nutrient intake, carcass characteristics, body development and the condition and meat quality of heifers. Twenty-one (¼ Nellore × ¼ Santa Gertrudis × ½ Braunvieh) heifers received a diet containing 600 g/kg of corn silage and 400 g/kg concentrate, with a 58.0 g/kg fat content. The average daily gain and nutrient intake did not differ between the experimental diets (P>0.05). The carcass characteristics and meat quality were only different between treatments for the cold carcass yield, which was significantly greater (P 0.05) with different forms of soybean oil in the diet. Using different forms of soybean oil in the rumen does not change the production or meat quality characteristics of beef heifers.

Patologias como cisticercose, fasciolose e hidatidose sao muito comuns na rotina de inspecao dos frigorificos de bovinos, sendo descritas na literatura como importantes causas de condenacoes em abatedouros frigorificos. Tendo em vista o conceito de saude unica, onde temos de forma integrada a saude animal, saude humana e saude ambiental, este trabalho avaliou a ocorrencia de cisticercose, fasciolose e hidatidose em bovinos abatidos na regiao Centro-Oeste do Estado de Sao Paulo, atraves de estudo retrospectivo em frigorifico sob inspecao estadual na cidade de Torrinha, perfazendo um total e 24.286 animais abatidos provenientes de 15 municipios no periodo de janeiro de 2014 a dezembro de 2015.Verificou-se que as prevalencias medias de fasciolose, cisticercose e hidatidose foram de 5,61%, 2,41% e 0,64%, respectivamente. Observou-se queda de 3,24% para 1,49% na incidencia da cisticercose e de 6,15% para 5,01% de fasciolose, quando comparados os anos de 2014 e 2015. Houve aumento da incidencia de hidatidose de 0,46% para 0,84%, de 2014 para 2015. Tambem, ficou evidente a variacao das prevalencias entre os 15 municipios do estudo, de 0,90% a 7,94% para cisticercose, de 0,17% a 36,47% para fasciolose e de 0,17% a 5,44% para hidatidose. Portanto, os resultados deste levantamento demonstram maior prevalencia de fasciolose nos bovinos abatidos na Centro-Oeste do Estado de Sao Paulo, seguido por cisticercose e hidatidose, respectivamente. Tais resultados poderao servir de instrumento para politicas publicas de controle destas enfermidades.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of different soybean oil availabilities on the intake and partial and total digestibility of dry matter (DM) and nutrients, rumen fermentation parameters, efficiency of microbial synthesis, and the rumen microbiota of crossbred beef heifers. Nine crossbred heifers fitted with rumen and duodenal cannulae were evaluated in a triple 3 × 3 Latin square design with three treatments and three periods in three simultaneous repetitions. Heifers approximately 18 months old, with mean initial and final body weights of 316.3 ± 28.8 and 362.6 ± 34.4 kg, respectively, were fed a diet containing 600 g/kg of corn silage and 400 g/kg concentrate with a 58.0 g/kg fat content in the total diet. The sources of lipids included soybean grain, rumen-protected fat, and soybean oil. The statistical analyses were conducted using PROC MIXED from SAS, and the means were compared using Tukey's test (P 0.05). Except the apparent digestibility of organic matter (P=0.024), the apparent digestibility of the other nutrients did not differ among the treatment groups. Regarding body nitrogen retention, the soybean grain treatment was more effective than the rumen-protected fat treatment (P=0.045); however, the soybean oil treatment did not differ from the other two treatments. In relation to the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis (g N/kg of organic matter apparently digested in the rumen corrected for microbial organic matter), the soybean oil and soybean grain treatments were more efficient than the rumen-protected fat treatment (P=0.001). Animals fed rumen-protected fat had larger numbers of protozoa (P 0.05), whereas the concentrations of ammonia nitrogen and acetate were higher in animals fed with rumen-protected fat than in those submitted to the other treatments. The use of different soybean oil availabilities did not affect nutrient intake; however, treatments with soybean oil and soybean grain were more efficient regarding nutrient intake than rumen-protected fat because they reduced the numbers of fungi and protozoa and consequently improved the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis.

This study was conducted to describe the dose-response curve relating the concentration of carotenoid pigments in plasma and reflectance spectrum characteristics of fat to the carotenoid intake level in sheep, and to investigate the extent to which incorporation of dehydrated alfalfa in the diet affects the reliability of the discrimination between concentrate-fed and pasture-fed lambs based on these measurements. In Exp. 1, 6 treatments were compared in individually penned lambs: feeding 0, 250, 500, 750, 1,000, or 1,250 g/d of dehydrated alfalfa for 60 d before slaughter. Each treatment (T0 to T1,250) consisted of 8 male Romanov x Berrichon lambs with an initial average BW of 24.8 kg (SD 2.6). All lambs received straw for ad libitum intake and T0 to T1,000 lambs received a concentrate free of green vegetative matter in amounts to produce similar ADG in all treatments. In Exp. 2, 33 male Romanov x Berrichon lambs grazed a natural pasture maintained in a leafy green vegetative stage for at least 59 d before slaughter. Initial BW when turning out to pasture was 14.2 kg (SD 2.3). Plasma carotenoid concentration was measured at slaughter by spectrophotometry. Reflectance spectrum, lightness, redness, and yellowness were measured after 24 h of shrinkage in subcutaneous caudal and perirenal fat. The spectra were translated to 0 reflectance at 510 nm, and the integral of the translated spectrum was calculated between 450 and 510 nm (i.e., the range of light absorption by carotenoids). Reflectance measurement was replicated 5 times, from which we calculated the absolute value of the mean integral (AVMI). In Exp. 1, plasma carotenoid concentration at slaughter (PCCS) increased linearly with mean daily carotenoid intake (P < 0.01). Both subcutaneous caudal and perirenal fat AVMI increased linearly (P < 0.01) with mean daily carotenoid intake and PCCS, the slopes of the regressions being greater for perirenal than for subcutaneous caudal fat. The mean PCCS was greater for lambs of Exp. 2 than for lambs on any treatment of Exp. 1 (P < 0.01). We established the dose-response curves relating PCCS and AVMI of subcutaneous and perirenal fat to carotenoid intake level. The combined use of PCCS and of perirenal fat AVMI enabled discrimination of pasture-fed lambs of Exp. 2 from the lambs of Exp. 1 that received up to 500 g/d of dehydrated alfalfa.

International audience; The ability to authenticate the feed given to animals from the animal products has become a major challenge for scientists, monitoring bodies and commercial entities alike. This study compared two methods based on the use of the visible reflectance spectrum of the fat to discriminate pasture-fed (P) from stall concentrate-fed (S) lamb carcasses. A total of 307 (143 P and 164 S) Limousine lambs were used over 2 years. Pasture-fed lambs grazed a permanent pasture that was maintained at a leafy, green vegetative stage, and offered ad libitum; they received no supplementation at pasture. Body weight of P lambs when turning out to pasture and at slaughter averaged 9.2 (standard deviation (s.d.) 2.21) kg and 33.2 (s.d. 2.89) kg, respectively. S lambs were fed indoors on an ad libitum diet of commercial concentrate and hay until slaughter at a mean body weight of 33.7 (s.d. 3.62) kg. The reflectance spectrum of perirenal and subcutaneous caudal fat was measured at slaughter and at 24 h post mortem. Plasma carotenoid concentration was measured at slaughter. In method 1, the fat reflectance spectrum data were used at wavelengths between 450 and 510 nm to calculate an index quantifying light absorption by carotenoid pigments. In method 2, a multivariate analysis was performed over the full set of fat reflectance data at wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm. Method 2 yielded a higher proportion of correctly classified lambs compared with method 1 (P < 0.05 to 0.001), except for measurements made at 24 h post mortem on perirenal fat for S lambs. The proportion of lambs correctly classified using method 2 was 87.4% and 92.9% for measurements made on perirenal and caudal fat at slaughter, and 93.9% and 91.0% for measurements made on perirenal and caudal fat 24 h post mortem. Plasma carotenoid concentrations were higher in P lambs than in S lambs (P < 0.001), which led to correct classification of 90.7% of the lambs.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-03T13:11:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-01-01Bitstream added on 2014-12-03T13:22:36Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 WOS000334447100006.pdf: 811795 bytes, checksum: f08aa928dc407a23edd73c1bebfb0e42 (MD5) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, gas production and fermentation kinetics of three Brachiaria cultivars: Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraes, and hybrid Brachiaria cv. Mulato, subjected to different levels of forage allowance (4, 7, 10 and 13% of the animal body weight), under rotational grazing cycles. Cultivar Xaraes presented higher contents of neutral detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein, acid detergent fibre and lignin, and lower production of gases in 96 h in the component leaf blade. There was a decrease of non-fibrous carbohydrates and fraction B-2 and an increase in the fraction C of the carbohydrates in the components stem and leaf blade over the grazing cycles in all the cultivars. Cultivar Marandu presented higher digestibility values (in vitro organic matter digestibility and in vitro dry matter digestibility) in the components stem and leaf blade. Cultivar Mulato demanded a shorter time of colonisation, according to the calculations of fermentation kinetics. Regardless of the level of forage allowance and of the grazing cycles, the three Brachiaria cultivars were characterised by great fermentation quality due to the relations of the gas production potential and the gas production after 48 and 96 h. Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zootecnia, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, Brazil Univ Camilo Castelo Branco, Dept Agron, Descalvado, Brazil Conselho Nacl Desenvolvimento Cient & Tecnol, Brasilia, DF, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Ciencias Exatas, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zootecnia, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Ciencias Exatas, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, Brazil

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:31:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-01-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Over the productive cycle, the performance of cattle in grazing systems may be compromised, and feed supplementation is a strategy to establish nutritional balance and maximise the performance of grazing animals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different supplementation frequencies (i.e. daily supplementation (DS) versus Monday, Wednesday and Friday (MWF)) with different forms of soybean oil (i.e. soybean grain (SG), soybean oil (SO) and rumen-protected fat (RPF)) on the nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation of heifers grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu pastures. Twelve crossbred heifers (1/4 Nellore × 1/4 Santa Gertrudis × 1/2 Braunvieh) with an initial bodyweight of 236.3 ± 27.6 kg were distributed in a completely randomised design with a factorial arrangement 3 × 2 (three diets and two supplementation frequencies). There was no interaction among the SO form or supplementation frequency on dry matter intake and dry matter digestibility (P > 0.05). The animals supplemented with SG exhibited lower nitrogen intake and absorption compared with animals that were fed SO (P < 0.05). The efficiency of microbial synthesis was not influenced by the diet or supplementation frequency (P > 0.05). Forms of SO affected the rumen pH; animals fed SO showed pH values similar to those of animals receiving SG but lower values than animals fed RPF (P < 0.05). Animals supplemented with DS exhibited higher levels of rumen ammonia nitrogen relative to those supplemented MWF. The reduction of supplementation frequency (from DS to MWF k) in our experimental conditions can be used to increase the efficiency of pasture utilisation without effects in fermentation activity of the rumen microbial population. Supplementation with SO is a strategy to increase propionic acid concentration and reduce A:P ratio, which is an indicator of improvement of the efficiency of the ruminal energy utilisation. UNESP-Univ. Estadual Paulista Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia-Ciencia Animal UNESP-Univ. Estadual Paulista

Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-12T17:58:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-01-01 Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-30T18:01:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-01-01 Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-20T13:18:35Z No. of bitstreams: 0 Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-20T13:18:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-01-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Lipids have been used in ruminant feed to replace high amounts of grain for increasing the diet energy density, performance and meat quality. This study evaluated the qualitative characteristics of meat from feedlot heifers fed with sources of lipid supplements. Twenty-one crossbred heifers (1/4Nelore x 1/4Santa Gertrudis x 1/2Braunvieh) were used. Each heifer received 60 % forage with a base of corn silage and 40 % concentrate, resulting in 5.8 % lipid content in the total diet. The following sources of lipids were used: soybeans, protected fat and soybean oil. There were no differences on physical characteristics of meat samples from heifers fed with the lipid sources. Soybeans increased the concentration of linoleic acid, content of polyunsaturated fatty acid and activity of the Delta(9)-desaturase C16 enzyme in the Longissimus muscle. The use of soybean oil in the diet increased the oleic acid, monounsaturated fatty acid, total cis- and trans-fatty acids (C18:0) and the activity of the Delta(9)-desaturase C16 enzyme in the subcutaneous fat. Diets with soybean grain had greater deposition of linoleic and linolenic acids than diets with fat protected and greater presence of these essential fatty acids are associated to a better composition and meat quality. UNESP FCAV, Depto Zootecnia, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil USP ESALQ, Depto Zootecnia, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP, Brazil INCT CA, UFV, Depto Zootecnia, BR-36570000 Vicosa, MG, Brazil UNESP FCAV, Depto Zootecnia, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil

Submitted by Guilherme Lemeszenski (guilherme@nead.unesp.br) on 2013-08-22T19:07:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 S1516-35982010000600007.pdf: 204653 bytes, checksum: b24ae6e54ec464261c574e9e8f6dad81 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-22T19:07:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 S1516-35982010000600007.pdf: 204653 bytes, checksum: b24ae6e54ec464261c574e9e8f6dad81 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-01 Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-30T18:02:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 S1516-35982010000600007.pdf: 204653 bytes, checksum: b24ae6e54ec464261c574e9e8f6dad81 (MD5) S1516-35982010000600007.pdf.txt: 37753 bytes, checksum: e8b11ab4c34a7178fd62ddfc842a0657 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-01 Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-20T13:18:54Z No. of bitstreams: 2 S1516-35982010000600007.pdf: 204653 bytes, checksum: b24ae6e54ec464261c574e9e8f6dad81 (MD5) S1516-35982010000600007.pdf.txt: 37753 bytes, checksum: e8b11ab4c34a7178fd62ddfc842a0657 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-20T13:18:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 S1516-35982010000600007.pdf: 204653 bytes, checksum: b24ae6e54ec464261c574e9e8f6dad81 (MD5) S1516-35982010000600007.pdf.txt: 37753 bytes, checksum: e8b11ab4c34a7178fd62ddfc842a0657 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-06-01 Objetivou-se avaliar o valor nutritivo de três espécies forrageiras tropicais: capim-tanzânia (Panicum maximum Jacq.), capim-marandu (Brachiaria brizantha) e capim-tifton 85 (Cynodon spp), em duas épocas do ano (janeiro-março e abril-junho) e em três idades de rebrota (28, 35 e 42 dias), por meio da composição química, do fracionamento de proteínas e carboidratos e da digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (DIVMS) e da matéria orgânica (DIVMO). O capim-marandu destacou-se no período de janeiro-março, com menores conteúdos de parede celular e fração B2 dos carboidratos e maiores valores de proteína bruta, fração A + B1, DIVMS e DIVMO, em comparação aos capins tanzânia e tifton 85, independentemente da idade de corte. O aumento da concentração de parede celular em detrimento ao conteúdo celular com o avanço da maturidade das plantas foi evidente no capim-marandu no período de janeiro-março, quando foram observados maior valor da fração B2, maior conteúdo de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e menor concentração da fração carboidratos não-fibrosos. No período de abril-junho, a composição em parede celular não apresentou diferenças evidentes com aumento da idade, devido às condições ambientais observadas. O capim-tanzânia apresenta, de modo geral, baixos valores de parede celular e altos valores de carboidratos não-fibrosos, DIVMS e DIVMO nesse período, seguido pelos capins marandu e tifton 85, respectivamente. This trial was conducted with the objective of evaluating the nutritive value of three tropical forage species: tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.), marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha) and Tifton 85 bermudagrass (Cynodon spp) in two different periods of the year (January-March and April-June) and in three cutting ages (28, 35 and 42 days), based on the chemical composition, protein and carbohydrate fractions, and in vitro digestibility of dry matter (DMD) and organic matter (OMD). Marandu grass, in the period January-March, had the lowest cellular wall contents and B2 fraction of carbohydrates, and higher values of crude protein, A + B1 fraction, DMD and OMD in comparison to tanzania grass and Tifton 85 bermudagrass, regardless of the cutting age. The increase of concentration of the cell wall in detriment to the cell content as plant maturity advanced was evident in marandu grass during January-March when higher values of B2 fraction, higher content of neutral detergent fiber and lower concentrations of non fibrous carbohydrate fractions were observed. In April-June period, the cellular wall contents did not show evident differences as age increased due to environmental conditions. The tanzania grass presents, in general, lower values of the cell wall and higher values of non fibrous carbohydrate, DMD and OMD during this period, followed by marandu grass and Tifton 85 bermudagrass, respectively. UNESP Programa de Pós-graduação em Zootecnia UNESP FCAV Departamento de Zootecnia UNESP Programa de Pós-graduação em Zootecnia UNESP FCAV Departamento de Zootecnia

We compared visible and near infrared spectroscopy to distinguish pasture-fed (P) from stall concentrate-fed (S) lamb carcasses. A total of 120 P and 139 S lambs were used. The reflectance spectrum of perirenal fat was measured at wavelengths between 400 and 700 nm using a portable spectrophotometer, and at wavelengths between 400 and 2500 nm using a laboratory monochromator NIRSystem. In method W 450–510 , the reflectance data were used at wavelengths between 450 and 510 nm. In methods W 400–700 and W 400–2500 , a multivariate analysis was performed over the full set of reflectance data, at wavelengths in the range 400–700 nm and 400–2500 nm, respectively. The proportion of correctly classified P lambs was 89.1%, 90.8% and 97.5% for W 450–510 , W 400–700 and W 400–2500, W 400–2500 performing best. The proportion of correctly classified S lambs was not significantly different between methods (98.6%, 98.6% and 97.8% for W 450–510 , W 400–700 and W 400–2500 , respectively).

This study was conducted to describe the dose-response curve relating the concentration of carotenoid pigments in plasma and reflectance spectrum characteristics of fat to the carotenoid intake level in sheep, and to investigate the extent to which incorporation of dehydrated alfalfa in the diet affects the reliability of the discrimination between concentrate-fed and pasture-fed lambs based on these measurements. In Exp. 1, 6 treatments were compared in individually penned lambs: feeding 0, 250, 500, 750, 1,000, or 1,250 g/d of dehydrated alfalfa for 60 d before slaughter. Each treatment (T0 to T1,250) consisted of 8 male Romanov x Berrichon lambs with an initial average BW of 24.8 kg (SD 2.6). All lambs received straw for ad libitum intake and T0 to T1,000 lambs received a concentrate free of green vegetative matter in amounts to produce similar ADG in all treatments. In Exp. 2, 33 male Romanov x Berrichon lambs grazed a natural pasture maintained in a leafy green vegetative stage for at least 59 d before slaughter. Initial BW when turning out to pasture was 14.2 kg (SD 2.3). Plasma carotenoid concentration was measured at slaughter by spectrophotometry. Reflectance spectrum, lightness, redness, and yellowness were measured after 24 h of shrinkage in subcutaneous caudal and perirenal fat. The spectra were translated to 0 reflectance at 510 nm, and the integral of the translated spectrum was calculated between 450 and 510 nm (i.e., the range of light absorption by carotenoids). Reflectance measurement was replicated 5 times, from which we calculated the absolute value of the mean integral (AVMI). In Exp. 1, plasma carotenoid concentration at slaughter (PCCS) increased linearly with mean daily carotenoid intake (P0.01). Both subcutaneous caudal and perirenal fat AVMI increased linearly (P0.01) with mean daily carotenoid intake and PCCS, the slopes of the regressions being greater for perirenal than for subcutaneous caudal fat. The mean PCCS was greater for lambs of Exp. 2 than for lambs on any treatment of Exp. 1 (P0.01). We established the dose-response curves relating PCCS and AVMI of subcutaneous and perirenal fat to carotenoid intake level. The combined use of PCCS and of perirenal fat AVMI enabled discrimination of pasture-fed lambs of Exp. 2 from the lambs of Exp. 1 that received up to 500 g/d of dehydrated alfalfa.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sources of soybean oil [ground soybean (GS), soybean oil (SO) and calcium salts of soybean oil (CS)] on DM intake (DMI), ingestive behaviour and average daily gain (ADG) of heifers grazing marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) supplemented in two frequencies [daily and 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday – MWF)]. The experiment was conducted from July until November of 2007. Forty-two crossbred heifers (1/4 Nellore × 1/4 Santa Gertrudis × 1/2 Braunvieh), 17-months old and 297.1 kg ± 30.5 BW ± s.e.m., were used. Supplements were offered at 0.75% BW.day. Treatments were allocated in a completely randomised design and distributed in a factorial arrangement (3 × 2 – SO from three different sources and two supplementation frequencies). Total DMI was greater in August and October (2.2 kg DM/kg BW) than in November (1.5 kg DM/kg BW). There was an effect of SO source on total DM, herbage and nutrients intake, but no effects of supplementation frequency. The animals supplemented with SO had greater DMI (P < 0.05) than the ones fed GS and CS. Average daily gain (0.580 g) was not affected by supplement sources or feeding frequency. Therefore, GS and CS are more efficient supplements. Supplementation frequency altered grazing time differently according to source. The MWF treatment resulted in a decreased grazing time when GS and SO were fed. However, in days when supplements were not offered, grazing time was increased for GS and CS. It was concluded that a decreased frequency of supplementation may be implemented without effect on weight gain and will reduce labour and machinery costs.