Evaluation of models for prediction of the energy value of diets for growing cattle from the chemical composition of feeds

The objective of this study was to estimate and evaluate the contents of apparently digestible fractions of crude protein, ether extract and non-fibrous carbohydrates, the digestible fraction of the neutral detergent fiber and the content of total digestible nutrients (TDN) from the chemical composition of feeds in growing cattle fed different diets. Fourteen F1 Red Angus × Nellore young bulls with average age and weight of 12 months and 287±36 kg were used. Animals were fed elephant grass silage, corn silage or signal grass hay, with or without supplementation of 200 g concentrate per kg of the total diet. The experiment consisted of two 13-days periods, in which the concentrate supplementation was crossed over animals. The values of digestible fractions and the TDN content observed were obtained based on total collection of feces. Several sub-models applied to the different digestible fractions were assessed and discussed. Estimates of the TDN content in the diet were produced from the combination of sub-models applied to the individual digestible fractions. The TDN content was more efficiently predicted from the sub-models proposed by Detmann et al. (2010) when biological procedures for the estimation of the undegradable fraction of the protein and the potentially degradable fraction of the neutral detergent fiber were considered

Degradabilidade ruminal e digestibilidade intestinal da proteína de capim-elefante com três idades de corte Rumen degradability and intestinal digestibility of protein of elephant-grass at three cutting ages

Determinaram-se a degradabilidade potencial (DP) e a digestibilidade intestinal da proteína não degradada no rúmen (DIPNDR) do capim-elefante em diferentes idades de rebrote (30, 45 e 60 dias) e comparou-se a técnica do saco de náilon móvel (in situ) com o método de três estádios (in vitro). Para tanto, utilizaram-se seis novilhos mestiços canulados no rúmen e duodeno alimentados exclusivamente com capim-elefante picado. O ensaio de degradabilidade foi realizado com amostras do capim incubadas no rúmen por 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 e 120h. A digestibilidade intestinal foi determinada utilizando-se os resíduos de incubação por 24 horas. Na técnica in situ os resíduos em sacos de náilon foram colocados no duodeno e recuperados nas fezes. No método in vitro, os resíduos foram submetidos à digestão com HCl-pepsina-pancreatina. Em amostras de capim com idades de 30, 45 e 60 dias foram observados valores de DP da proteína de 87,5; 87,8 e 83,8%, respectivamente. A DIPNDR variou com a idade do capim e foi semelhante entre os métodos in situ e in vitro somente para o capim com 60 dias. O método in situ apresentou estimativa de digestibilidade intestinal mais coerente com as mudanças na composição química do capim-elefante decorrentes do envelhecimento.<br>The potential degradability (PD) and intestinal digestibility of ruminal escape protein (IDREP) of elephant-grass at 30, 45, and 60 days of regrowth were determined and the mobile bag technique (in situ) was compared to the three-stage method (in vitro). Thus, six cross-bred steers with rumen and duodenum canulas were used and fed exclusively with chopped elephant grass. The degradability trial was carried out with grass samples incubated in rumen by 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h. The intestinal digestibility was determined using 24-h ruminal incubation residue. In the in situ technique, residues in nylon bags were placed in duodenum and recovered in feces. In the in vitro method, residues were digested with solution of HCl-pepsin-pancreatin. In samples of grass at 30, 45, and 60 days of age, the values of protein PD were 87.5, 87.8, and 83.8%, respectively. The IDREP ranged with grass age and it was similar between in situ and in vitro methods only for 60-day old grass. Considering the changes in elephant-grass chemical composition due to aging, the in situ method supplied a more coherent estimative of intestinal digestibility

Avaliação de métodos de amostragem em pastagens de capim-elefante (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum) e capim-mombaça (Panicum maximum, Jacq) sob pastejo rotacionado Evaluation of sampling methods for elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum) and mombaça grass pastures (Panicum maximum, Jacq) under rotational grazing

Avaliaram-se pastagens de capim-elefante e capim-mombaça, por intermédio de amostras de extrusa esofágica e simulação manual de pastejo, estimando-se a composição químico-bromatológica, o fracionamento dos compostos nitrogenados e carboidratos, e a digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca. Foram utilizados 15 e 13 piquetes de capim-elefante e capim-mombaça, respectivamente, com período de ocupação de três dias. As coletas foram realizadas de forma que se obtivessem amostras relativas ao terceiro, segundo e primeiro dias de ocupação. As metodologias de amostragem foram comparadas dentro de espécie forrageira pelo teste t de Student, com arranjo em pares. Foram observados maiores teores de carboidratos totais, fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, celulose, lignina e frações de lenta degradação e não degradável dos carboidratos, quando se usou a extrusa esofágica, para ambas as gramíneas. Os teores de carboidratos não-fibrosos foram superiores (P<0,05) em amostras obtidas por simulação manual. Valores superiores foram encontrados para as frações de proteínas citoplasmáticas e proteína insolúvel em detergente ácido (fração C) dos compostos nitrogenados na extrusa esofágica da pastagem de capim-elefante. Para o capim-mombaça, foram maiores apenas na fração C. Para a maioria dos parâmetros avaliados, maiores valores foram observados nas amostras de extrusa esofágica.<br>The methods of esophageal extrusa and hand plucking sample of forage were compared to evaluate elephant grass and mombaça grass pastures, under rotational grazing. The chemical composition, the fractions of nitrogenous and carbohydrates compounds and the in vitro dry matter digestibility were evaluated. For elephant grass and mombaça grass 15 and 13 paddocks were used, respectively, with three days of occupation period and samplings were gotten in the third, second and first days of occupation period. The sampling methodologies were compared within forage species by Student’s t test, in paired arrangement. The contents of total carbohydrates, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, cellulose, lignin the slow degradation and undegradable fractions of carbohydrates were higher (P<.05), when esophageal extrusa was used, for both grasses. The non fibrous carbohydrates were higher (P<.05) in hand plucked samples. Higher values (P<.05) were found for cytoplasmic and acid detergent insoluble protein fractions in esophageal extrusa samples of elephant grass, however, for mombaça grass, only the fraction C was higher. For the majority of the compounds analyzed, higher values were found in esophageal extrusa samples