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The objective was to evaluate the intake, digestibility, and feeding behavior of sheep receiving diets based on marandu grass silage (MGS) with different levels of dehydrated brewery residue (DBR) inclusion and different types of concentrates. Sixteen sheep (30 ± 1.46 kg and 12 months old) were distributed in a randomized block experimental design. The treatments were: MGS containing 10% DBR + concentrate (100% corn); MGS containing 10% DBR + concentrate (50% corn and 50% rice bran); MGS containing 30% DBR + concentrate (100% corn); MGS containing 30% DBR + concentrate (50% corn and 50% rice bran), with 4 replicates per treatment. The experimental period lasted 21 days. Regardless of the concentrate used, diets containing MGS + 30% DBR provided the animals with higher intakes and digestibility of dry matter (DM) and nutrients, water intake, and urinary pH (p < 0.05). Longer feeding and rumination times and periods, and shorter idle times, feeding efficiency of DM, feeding and rumination efficiency of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and intakes of DM and NDF per meal were shown by sheep-fed diets containing MGS + 10% DBR (p < 0.05). The use of 100% corn concentrate also resulted in lower rumination efficiency of NDF and a higher number of mericic chews associated with MGS + 10% DBR (p < 0.05). Diets containing MGS + 30% DBR and concentrate (50% corn + 50% rice bran) resulted in shorter rumination and total chewing times (in min/kg/NDF) (p < 0.05). The use of MGS ensiled with 30% BR in sheep diets improves dry matter intake and nutrient digestibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brackish water can promote physicochemical changes in the soil. Aiming to mitigate the effect of excess salts in the soil, the use of organic matter promotes restructuring. The aim was to evaluate the productive and nutritional characteristics of cactus pear under different brackish water depths (ID) and levels of organic matter (OM). A factorial arrangement of 4 × 4 × 4 with four replications was utilized. Plots consisted of ID (0, 12, 20, and 28% reference evapotranspiration—ETo), and subplots were composed of OM levels (0, 15, 30, and 45 t/ha) and days after planting (DAP; 180, 270, 360, and 450 days). The growth, yield, and chemical composition of cactus pear were affected by ID and OM and/or by their interaction. The regular and increasing application of ID from 192 to 456 mm/year and a rainfall of 110 mm/year in cactus pear crops in biosaline systems improves the growth, freshness, dry matter yields, accumulation capacity per unit area, and chemical composition of cactus pear. The increase in OM up to the range from 30 to 45 Mg/ha linearly increases the agronomic performance of cactus pear. Biosaline systems with cactus pear should be adopted with the combined use of regular supplementary ID and OM, measuring at 304 mm/year and 45 Mg/ha, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to evaluate the agronomic and production characteristics and the quality of forage sorghum for silage production, using a moisture-retaining polymer (MRP) in the soil during the agricultural off-season. To assess the agronomic characteristics of the forage sorghum, four treatments were used, represented by the MRP hydration intervals (Control, 0, 5, and 10 days) and four replications. The qualitative characteristics of the silage were evaluated in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, and the same MRP hydration intervals were used for the agronomic assessment, with and without the concentrate mixture at the time of ensiling, both in a randomized block design. There were differences (p < 0.05) for all morphological variables, agronomic variables, and weight constituents of forage sorghum. There was an interaction effect (p < 0.05) between the MRP hydration intervals and the concentrate mixture at the time of ensiling for gas losses, silage dry matter recovery, and ether extract. There was an effect (p < 0.05) due to the addition of the concentrate mixture at the time of ensiling for in vitro dry matter digestibility and total digestible nutrients. When using MRP at planting and the concentrate mixture at the time of forage sorghum ensiling, a hydration interval of every 5 days is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the ensiling fermentation profile, chemical composition, and in-situ degradability of mixed ration silages combining babassu by-products as a nutritional alternative for livestock. A completely randomised design was used, with four treatments (silages) and five replications (silos), which were composed of: Sugarcane silage, SS (control); sugarcane silage with corn and soybean meal (standard diet, MRSS); sugarcane silage with corn, soybean meal, and babassu flour, MRSF; and sugarcane silage with corn, soybean meal, and babassu cake, MRSC. The highest values (p < 0.05) of dry matter recovery (DMR) were for the MRSS, MRSF, and MRSC treatments, which also had higher dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and non-fibrous carbohydrate contents (NFC), compared to SC treatment, which showed the highest levels of neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and protein (NDFap), acid detergent fibre (ADF), lignin (LIG), and ethanol. The MRSS, MRSF, and MRSC treatments exhibited higher potential degradability (PD) and effective degradability (ED) of DM and CP; and higher (P < 0.05) degradability of DM and CP compared to SS treatment. The inclusion of babassu concentrate and by-products in sugarcane silages in the form of total ration acted positively in the qualitative indicators of the silages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the addition of increasing cottonseed cake contents in the diet. The diets were composed of corn silage (500 g kg− 1) and concentrate feed (500 g kg− 1) on a dry matter (DM) basis. The treatments consisted of the substitution of 0, 140, 280, and 420 g kg− 1 soybean meal to cottonseed cake in the DM of concentrate feed. Four rams of the Santa Inês breed, average age of 12 months and average weight of 27.77 ± 3.87 kg, were distributed in a Latin square design (4 × 4) in a split-split-plot design, with diets in the plots and as subplots were 5 days of collection and the collection times. The results were subjected to analysis of variance and regression at 5% probability. The soybean meal substitution contents by cottonseed cake in the concentrate increased linearly the pH (P = 0.019). Ruminal ammonia–nitrogen concentration decreased linearly by 0.0137 mg dL− 1 at each 10 g/kg of substitution and the time after feeding promoted the same effect (P < 0.001) decreased linearly by 0.6204 mg dL− 1 at each hour after feeding. There was an increased linearly of 0.0116 mmol mL− 1 at the concentration of propionic (P = 0.008) and a reduction of 0.0062 mmol mL− 1 at the concentration of butyric (P = 0.009) with cottonseed cake content; however, the substitution did not influence the others short-chain fatty acids. Replacement of soybean meal with cottonseed cake in the sheep feed did not significantly alter the blood parameters, promoting minor changes in the ruminal parameters mainly in the ruminal ammonia–nitrogen without affecting the animal’s health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of including common-bean residue in diets for feedlot sheep on feed efficiency and on ingestive behaviour of sheep. Treatments consisted of the inclusion of 0.0%, 11%, 22% and 33% of the common-bean residue (dry matter basis) in the experimental diets, which corresponded to the substitution levels of 0.0%, 33.3%, 66.7%, and 100.0% of cottonseed cake for the beanresidue. The inclusion of common bean residue did not change (P > 0.05) the NDF intake by the sheep, whose mean values were 358.37 g animal-1 day-1, 1.07% BW, and 14.81 g kg-1 BW0.75. There was a linear decreasing effect (P < 0.05) for the total chewing time, with a reduction to 94.48 min day-1 at the maximum inclusion level (33%) of bean residue in the diet, in relation to the treatment without this by-product (280.17 min day-1). A decreasing linear effect (P < 0.05) was observed for the number of ruminatedboluses per day, where it reduced by 0.66 percentage units for each 1% inclusion of the bean residue. Bean processing residue can be substituted for cottonseed cake in the concentrate fed to sheep, at levels of up to 33%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives in this experiment were to compare the effects of adding babassu oil or buriti oil in the diet of sheep on physiological response, feeding behaviour and water intake. Twenty-one lambs (24.6 ± 3.8 kg BW, mean ± SD) were distributed in an unbalanced randomized block design, using three diets: (1) basal diet without added oil (Control, CON); (2) 4% FA.kg−1 DM of babassu oil (BAO) and (3) 4% FA.kg−1 DM of buriti oil (BUO), containing 30% roughage. The addition of vegetable oil to the diet did not change the body temperature and rectal temperature; however, BAO decreased (P < 0.05) the respiratory rate. Additionally, BAO decreased (P < 0.05) dry matter (DM) intake, but did not affect: feeding, rumination and idle activities. The diets supplemented with vegetable oils reduced the efficiency of rumination of DM and neutral detergent fibre (NDF), the total water ingested, water intake per kg of DM and total water intake per kg of DM intake. Therefore, diets supplemented with vegetable oil modified the rumination efficiency and decreased the water intake of lambs in feedlots, especially with the addition of BAO with higher saturated fatty acids; it reduced the DM intake and respiratory rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty crossbred lambs (21.6 ± 3.5 kg BW) were used in a completely randomised design to determine the effects of babassu mesocarp flour (BMF) on performance and ingestive behaviour. The treatments were defined by the increase in concentrations (0, 10, 20 or 30%, in DM basis) of BMF in the diet. When significant treatments effects were found, orthogonal polynomials for treatment responses were determined by linear and quadratic responses (p <.05). To determine the in situ ruminal degradability of the diets used in performance trial, one rumen-fistulated Santa Inês male sheep (63 kg BW) was used in a completely randomised design in a split splot arrangement with three replications (three periods of incubation) in times 3, 6, 24 and 72 h. Data from potential degradability (PD), dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradability for diets and the incubation time were compared by t-test (p <.05). Negative quadratic effect was observed upon nutrients intake, except for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake. The average daily gain, body condition score, feeding efficiency of DM and time spent in feeding decreased linearly with BMF addition. The BMF decreased the soluble fraction (a) potentially degradable fraction (b) PD, effective degradability of DM and CP and the NDF degradability. The addition of BMF in diets of sheep had negative effects on performance, feed efficiency of DM and degradability of DM, CP and NDF. However, the BMF can be used in diets, during the conventional grains off-season, at concentration up to 10.5% as alternative feed. Highlights • The mesocarp produced from industrialization of the babassu coconut has a great content of fiber and lignin. • The great content of fiber associated to decrease in degradation of fiber and potential degradability in DM and CP reduced the performance of lambs. • Although the reduction of the performance, BMF can partially replace the corn in diets of lambs in periods that the price of this ingredient is great. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]