Association of the forage cactus with differents types of forage in diets for lactating cows ingestive behavior and physiologic parameters

O experimento foi realizado de janeiro a abril de 2005 objetivando avaliar o comportamento ingestivo e parâmetros fisiológicos de vacas da raça Holandesa em lactação, alimentadas com concentrado e palma forrageira associada a diferentes volumosos (bagaço de cana-de-açúcar in natura, feno de capim-tifton, feno de capim-elefante, silagem de sorgo e bagaço de cana mais silagem de sorgo). Foram utilizadas 5 vacas, distribuídas em quadrado latino 5x5, após período pré-experimental de 14 dias. Cada período experimental teve duração de 14 dias, sendo sete para adaptação e sete para coleta de dados e amostras. O registro das variáveis comportamentais foi realizado de forma visual, a intervalos de cinco minutos, em 24 horas. O ambiente foi monitorado de hora em hora, das 6 às 18h, por meio dos termômetros de bulbo seco e úmido. A temperatura retal e freqüência respiratória foram registradas às 9:00 e 18:00 horas. O consumo de água foi mensurado às 5:30 e 17:30 horas. Não houve diferença significativa (p>0,05) entre os volumosos, quanto as variáveis fisiológicas, comportamentais, número de defecação, micção e procura por água. Houve diferença significativa (p0.05) among the forage, that the physiologic variables, behavior, defecation, urination and seeks for water. There was difference (p<0.05) among the treatments for the afternoon and total water intake. In the conditions in that the experiment present was conducted, the association of the cactus forage with sugarcane bagasse, tifton grass hay, elephant grass hay, sorghum silage and sorghum silage plus sugarcane bagasse, influenced no behavior variables and physiologic variables but water ingesting influenced.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPESConselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNP

<b>Associação da palma forrageira com diferentes tipos de volumosos em dietas para vacas em lactação: comportamento ingestivo e parâmetros fisiológicos</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i2.239 <b>Association of the forage cactus with different types of forage in diets for lactating cows: ingestive behaviour and physiologic parameters</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i2.239

O experimento foi realizado de janeiro a abril de 2005, objetivando avaliar o comportamento ingestivo e os parâmetros fisiológicos de vacas da raça Holandesa em lactação, alimentadas com concentrado e palma forrageira associada a diferentes volumosos (bagaço de cana-de-açúcar em <em>in natura</em>, feno de capim-tifton, feno de capim-elefante, silagem de sorgo e bagaço de cana mais silagem de sorgo). Foram utilizadas cinco vacas, distribuídas em quadrado latino 5 x 5, após período pré-experimental de quatorze dias. Cada período experimental teve duração de 14 dias. O registro das variáveis comportamentais foi de forma visual, em intervalos de cinco minutos, em 24 horas. O ambiente foi monitorado de hora em hora, das 6h às 18h, por meio dos termômetros de bulbo seco e úmido. A temperatura retal e freqüência respiratória foram registradas às 9h e 18h. O consumo de água foi mensurado às 5h30min e 17h30min. Não houve diferença (p > 0,05) entre os volumosos, quanto às variáveis fisiológicas e comportamentais, ao número de defecação e micção e a procura por água. Houve diferença (p < 0,05) entre os tratamentos para o consumo de água da tarde e total. Nestas condições, a associação da palma forrageira com os diferentes volumosos não influencia as variáveis comportamentais, fisiológicas e influencia a ingestão de água.<br>The experiment was carried out from January to April 2005, evaluating the ingestive behaviour and physiologic parameters of lactating Holstein cows fed with cactus forage associated with different forage (sugarcane bagasse <em>in natura</em>, tifton grass hay, elephant grass hay, sorghum silage and sorghum silage plus sugarcane bagasse). Five cows were assigned to a 5 x 5 latin square design, after pre-experimental period of 14 days. Each experimental period lasted 14 days. The registration of the behavior variables was in a visual way, at five-minute intervals, in 24 hours. The ambient temperature was monitored every hour, from 6 am to 6 pm, through bulb dry and humid thermometer. Rectal temperature and respiratory frequency were registered at 9 am and at 6 pm. The water intake was measured at 5.30 am and at 5.30 pm. There was no difference (p > 0.05) among the forage, as for physiologic variables, behavior, defecation, urination and seek for water. Yet, there was difference (p < 0.05) among the treatments for the afternoon and total water intake. Under these conditions, the association of cactus forage with sugarcane bagasse, tifton grass hay, elephant grass hay, sorghum silage and sorghum silage plus sugarcane bagasse, did not influence behavior, physiologic variables, while it influenced water ingestion

Inclusion of Opuntia stricta (Haw.) in sheep diets affects nutrition and the physicochemical characteristics of the rumen content

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of the cactus Opuntia stricta (Haw.) in sheep diets on the feed intake, digestibility, fermentation, and physicochemical characteristics of the ruminal digesta. Five sheep cannulated in the rumen (61.5±9.5 kg body weight) were assigned in a Latin square design (5×5), with five diets and five experimental periods of 21 days each. The first 14 days were the adaptation period, and data were collected over the following seven days, making the total duration of the experiment 105 days. The diets included a control diet and four diets containing cactus at 121, 245, 371, and 500 g/kg of dry matter (DM). The diets had a forage:concentrate ratio of 65:35. The inclusion of cactus increased the DM intake and non-fiber carbohydrates, but reduced the neutral detergent fiber intake. It also increased the apparent digestibility of the DM, reduced the digesta density 4 h after feeding, and increased the production of ruminal fluid foam. The inclusion of cactus quadratically affected the DM rumen turnover, with the lowest value observed in the 336.5 g/kg cactus diet. The DM ruminal disappearance rate increased with the inclusion of cactus to the diets and quadratically affected the ruminal pH, with the highest value found in the 150 g/kg cactus diet. The concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) increased, but the acetate:propionate ratio decreased with the inclusion of cactus at 500 g/kg DM. Taken together, our findings indicate that the evaluated spineless cactus can be added to sheep diets up to the level of 500 g/kg DM. The inclusion of O. stricta (Haw.) improves feed intake, DM digestibility, and SCFA and modifies the physicochemical characteristics of the ruminal digest

Síntese de proteína microbiana e concentrações de uréia em vacas alimentadas com dietas à base de palma forrageira e diferentes volumosos

Cinco vacas da raça Holandesa foram distribuídas em um quadrado latino 5 &#215; 5 com o objetivo de estimar a produção de proteína microbiana utilizando-se a excreção total de derivados de purinas (DP), por meio de coletas spot de urina, e as concentrações de nitrogênio (N)-uréia no plasma, no leite e na urina. As cinco dietas foram formuladas com diversos volumosos (bagaço de cana-de-açúcar; feno de capim-tifton; feno de capim-elefante; silagem de sorgo; e uma mistura de silagem de sorgo + bagaço de cana) associados à palma forrageira. As concentrações de uréia (10,98 mg/dL) e N-uréia (5,11 mg/dL) no leite não foram afetadas pelos volumosos, assim como as concentrações plasmáticas de uréia (28,10 mg/dL) e N-uréia (13,09 mg/dL). As excreções urinárias de uréia, N-uréia, alantoína e derivados de purina, purinas absorvidas, a síntese de N-microbiano e as concentrações de alantoína no leite não foram alteradas. Os volumosos utilizados podem ser associados a palma forrageira na alimentação de vacas Holandesas, pois não alteram a produção de proteína microbiana

Palma forrageira (Opuntia ficus indica Mill) associada a diferentes volumosos em dietas para vacas da raça Holandesa em lactação = Addition of spineless cactus (Opuntia ficus indica Mill) to different types of roughage in the diet of lactating Holstein cows

Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da associação da palma forrageira com diferentes volumosos sobre o consumo, produção de leite e digestibilidade aparente de vacas em lactação com peso médio de 560 ± 50 kg e produção de 20 kg dia-1. Os tratamentos foram os diferentesvolumosos: bagaço de cana-de-açúcar (BC), feno de capim-tifton, feno de capim elefante, silagem de sorgo e mistura de bagaço de cana + silagem de sorgo. Foram avaliados os consumos de matéria seca (MS), proteína bruta (PB), extrato etéreo (EE), fibra em detergente neutro(FDN), carboidratos não-fibrosos (CNF), carboidratos totais (CHT), matéria orgânica (MO) e nutrientes digestíveis totais (NDT); os coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente de MS, PB, EE, FDN, CNF, CHT, MO e a produção e teor de gordura do leite. Os volumoso associados à palma forrageira não influenciaram o consumo e digestibilidade da maioria dos nutrientes, não influenciando também a produção de leite, a produção de leite corrigido para 3,5% de gordura e o teor de gordura do leite, com médias de 16,92 kg dia-1, 17,57 kg dia-1 e 3,76%, respectivamente. A palma forrageira pode ser associada a diferentes volumosos em dietas para vacas em lactação, sem alterar o consumo, o desempenho e a digestibilidade da matéria seca e dos nutrientes.The experiment was carried out to evaluate the association of spineless cactus with different roughage sources on the apparentdigestibility, intake and milk yield of lactating cows (average 560 ± 50 kg LW and 20 kg of daily milk yield). The treatments contained different roughage sources with spineless cactus: sugar cane bagasse, tifton hay, elephant grass hay, sorghum silage and a mixture of sugar cane bagasse + sorghum silage. The voluntary intake of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC), total carbohydrates (TCH), organic matter (OM) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) was evaluated. In addition, the apparent digestibility coefficient for DM, CP, EE, NDF, NFC, TCH, OM, milk production, and milk fat concentration of lactating Holstein cows were also evaluated. The different types of roughage in association with the spineless cactus did not affect the digestibility coeficients and the intake of most nutrients. The roughage sources also did not affect milk production, fat-corrected milk production and milk fat concentration, with averages of 16.92 kg day-1, 17.57 kg day-1 and 3.76%, respectively. The spineless cactus could be added to different roughage sources in diets for lactating cows without altering the intake, performance and apparent digestibility of dry matter and nutrients

Elephant grass ensiled with wheat bran compared with corn silage in diets for lactating goats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of wheat bran as an additive in elephant-grass silage on intake and digestibility of the nutrients, ingestive behavior, and yield and chemical composition of milk. Eight goats with 45 days of lactation were distributed in a (4 × 4) Latin square design.The treatments consisted of corn silage (CS), elephant-grass silage without wheat bran (EGS), elephant-grass silage with 10% wheat bran (EGS+10%WB), and elephant-grass silage with 20% wheat bran (EGS+20% WB). There was no difference in dry matter (DM) intake between diets EGS and CS in g d−1. However, the animals fed EGS+10%WB had lower DM and organic matter (OM) intakes than the animals fed CS in g kg−1 d−1 of body weight. There were lower non-fiber carbohydrate and metabolize energy intakes by animals fed diets based on elephant-grass silages than those fed CS. The EGS+20%WB diet provided lower digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and digestible nutrients of the diet than the diet with CS. The NDF digestibility coefficient with diet EGS was greater than that obtained with diet CS. The diets with corn and elephant-grass silages provided similar milk yield levels. However, the animals fed diets based on EGS+20% WB produced less total-solids-corrected milk than the animals fed CS. No difference was found in the milk physicochemical properties and ingestive behavior of goats in this study. Corn silage can be replaced by elephant-grass silage harvested at 50 days of regrowth and elephant-grass silage with 10% wheat bran without influencing goat performance, behavioral variables, physiological variables, milk yield or the milk physicochemical properties

Performance of sheep fed forage cactus with total water restriction

<div><p>SUMMARY A lack of water in livestock production can limit the performance of the animals; therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of water restriction on the growth performance of sheep that were fed forage cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera). Forty-two male sheep were used, with an average age and weight of ±100 days and 18.75 ± (2,05) kg , respectively, and they were fed diets containing concentrate, mineral mixture and three levels of substitution (30, 50 and 70%) of Tifton hay with forage cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera). The animals were slaughtered when they reached 32 kg (± 1 kg) of body weight or 90 days. The experimental design was a 3x2 factorial arrangement, forage cactus (30, 50, 70%) x water (with or without water) plus a control group (n=6). Variables were analyzed using Tukey and Dunnett's test at 5% with PROC GLM in SAS software. Voluntary water intake and dry matter intake (DMI) decreased with the inclusion of forage cactus; however, preformed water intake and total water intake increased with the inclusion of forage cactus. Water restriction and its interaction with the treatments had no effect on animal performance. Daily weight gain was higher for the diets with 30 and 50%forage cactus inclusion, at 174 and 155 g, respectively, compared with 90 g for the control diet. Cactus, therefore, can be used as a food supplement and water resource.</p></div