Supplementation of Banana By-products Hay does not Alter Serum Biochemistry of Lambs

In this study, we evaluated the serum profile of sheep fed with banana residue hays dried using two methods. Thirty crossbred Santa Inês × Dorper, male, non-castrated sheep (average body weight = 26.5 kg) were distributed in a randomized block design with five treatments: control, two types of residues (banana pseudo stem and banana leaf hays), and two drying methods (sun and shade drying). After feeding the experimental diets for 20 days, the animals were fasted for 12 h before collecting venous blood (6 mL) for plasma and serum at 0, 3, and 6 h after feeding. Variance analysis was performed in subdivided plots, and the means were compared using Dunnett’s test at 5% probability. No differences were observed in the dry matter intake of animals fed with banana by-product hay; however, the in vitro dry matter digestibility was high for pseudo stem hay. The differences in the nutritional value of the hays were not sufficient to alter the serum biochemistry of the animals. No differences were observed in the total protein, serum albumin and globulins, albumin/globulin ratio, and plasma glucose among time points and treatments (5.83 g/dL, 3.43 g/dL, 2.40 g/dL, 1.82 g/dL, and 64.6 mg/dL). Urea and triglyceride levels were the highest (p<0.05) at 3 h after feeding (30.1 and 37.0 mg/dL, respectively) and creatinine at 0 h (0.94 mg/dL). Serum cholesterol levels were the lowest (p<0.05) at 3 h after feeding (38.5 mg/dL). No effect of treatment on these parameters was observed. Thus, sheep can be fed with pseudo stem or banana leaves dehydrated in the sun or shade without compromising blood parameters

Comportamento ingestivo de cordeiros alimentados com torta de macaúba

Avaliaram-se os efeitos de diferentes porcentagens (0, 10, 20 e 30%) de inclusão da torta de macaúba (TM) no comportamento ingestivo de 24 cordeiros Santa Inês, com média de cinco meses de idade e peso vivo de 23,9kg, distribuídos em delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com quatro tratamentos e seis repetições, durante 60 dias de confinamento. Foram avaliados os tempos médios despendidos com alimentação, ruminação (TR), ócio (TO), tempo de mastigação total (TMT), eficiência de alimentação (EA MS e EA FDN) e eficiência de ruminação, além do número de bolos ruminados (NBR) e número diário de mastigações merícicas (MMnd). A adição de TM à dieta aumentou linearmente o TR, TMT, NBR, MMnd e EA FDN e reduziu de forma linear o TO, em consequência do maior teor de fibra em detergente neutro das dietas com o coproduto. Mesmo com o aumento no TMT, não foi verificada diferença no consumo e na eficiência de ruminação e alimentação da matéria seca, possivelmente em razão da baixa efetividade de fibra da TM, demonstrando o potencial de utilização desse coproduto na dieta de ovinos em crescimento.The effects of different percentages (0, 10, 20 and 30%) of inclusion of macauba meal (MM) on the ingestive behavior of 24 Santa Inês male lambs, averaging five months of age and 23.9kg of initial body weight were studied. The animals were allotted to a completely randomized block design with four treatments and six replications during 60 days of confinement. The variables measured were time spent in rumination (TR), idle time (IT), total chewing (TC), power efficiency (PE DM and PE NDF) and efficiency of rumination, as well as the number of ruminated bolus (NRB) and daily number of chews (Cnd). The addition of MM to the diet increased TR, TC, NRB, Cnb and PE NDF linearly, and reduced IT linearly, as a result of higher content of neutral detergent fiber in the diet. Although there was an increase in TC, no difference was verified in the consumption and efficiency of rumination and feeding of DM, possibly due to the low efficiency of fiber, which demonstrates the potential use of this coproduct in the diet of growing sheep

Composição Corporal e Exigências Nutricionais de Magnésio, Potássio e Sódio de Cordeiros Santa Inês em Crescimento dos 15 kg aos 25 kg de Peso Vivo

This study was carried out to determine body composition and magnesium, potassium and sodium requirements for weight gain of Santa Ines lambs (hairy coat breed). Eighteen animals were used with average 15 kg initial LW. At the beginning of the experiment, six animals were slaughtered for the determination of the amount of each mineral retained in the body, and serving as reference animals in the comparative slaughter technique. The remaining 12 animals were divided in two groups: six were ad libitum fed and six animals were restricting fed at maintenance plus 20%. The animals from the ad libitum and restrict feeding groups started in the experimental period by pairs and they both were slaughtered when the animals from the ad libitum group reached 25 kg LW. The estimates of magnesium, potassium and sodium body composition were obtained through the prediction equations obtained by the logarithm regression of the amount of each present minerals in the empty body in function of the empty body weight (EBW). The net requirements for weight gain were obtained through the derivation of these prediction equations. The estimates of body composition per kg EBW for the animals from 15 to 25 kg were: 0.591 and 0,578 g for Mg: 2.914 and 2.776 g for K 1.830 and 1.637 g for Na; and the net requirements for kg weight gain were: 0.515 and 0.503 g for Mg: 2.408 and 2.294 g for K; 1.315 and 1.177 g for Na, respectively

Efeito da restrição alimentar durante o final da gestação sobre o peso ao nascer de cordeiros Santa Inês Effects of maternal undernutrition during final pregnancy on weight birth of Santa Ines lambs

O experimento foi conduzido no setor de Ovinocultura da Universidade Federal de Lavras, com o objetivo de avaliar o peso ao nascer de cordeiros da raça Santa Inês, machos e fêmeas, nascidos de ovelhas submetidas ou não a uma restrição alimentar durante o terço final da gestação. Para tanto, foram utilizadas 44 ovelhas Santa Inês gestando gêmeos, as quais com 100 dias de gestação, foram confinadas e divididas em dois grupos: um grupo recebeu alimentação à vontade para satisfazer suas necessidades energéticas, e o segundo grupo recebeu alimentação restrita para satisfazer 60% das suas necessidades energéticas. O cálculo das necessidades energéticas foi baseado nas recomendações do ARC (1980), levando-se em consideração o peso da ovelha, o tempo de gestação e o número de fetos que cada ovelha estava gestando. Com relação as ovelhas, foram avaliados o peso corporal no início do experimento e logo após a parição, a duração da gestação e a massa biológica produzida. Com relação aos cordeiros, foram avaliados o peso ao nascer dos mesmos, sendo que para tanto estes animais foram divididos de acordo com o sexo (machos e fêmeas). O peso ao nascer dos cordeiros machos e fêmeas foi afetado pela restrição pré-natal, sendo que a média do peso ao nascer dos cordeiros machos sem restrição foi 4,162 kg e com restrição 2,893 kg; e o peso ao nascer das cordeiras fêmeas sem restrição foi 3,474 kg e com restrição 2,855 kg. A grande redução observada neste trabalho no peso ao nascer dos cordeiros machos (30,5%) e fêmeas (17,8%) revela a importância da adoção de um nível nutricional adequado para as ovelhas gestantes, principalmente durante o terço final da gestação.<br>An experiment was conducted in the Sheep Production Sector of the Animal Science Department at the Federal University of Lavras, Lavras MG to evaluate weight birth of Santa Ines lambs, males and females from ewes submitted or not to feed restriction during final pregnancy. A total of 44 ewes Santa Ines with twin lambs were utilized , divided in two groups: the first group was ad libitum fed and other was restricted fed (60% of energy requirements) during final pregnancy. The nutritional requirements for pregnancy ewes were calculated by ARC (1980) recommended with ewe's weight, gestation length and foetuses number. For ewes were evaluated initial and post-partum weight, gestation length and biological mass. For lambs were evaluated birth weight of males and females. The birth weight of males and females were affected by prenatal restriction, and the overall weight birth of males without restriction were 4.162 kg and with restriction were 2.893 kg; the overall weight birth of females without restriction were 3.474 kg and with restriction were 2.855 kg. The prenatal restriction reduced birth weight of males in 30.5% and 17.8% of females