Níveis de concentrado na dieta de bovinos Nelore de três condições sexuais: consumo, digestibilidades total e parcial, produção microbiana e parâmetros ruminais

Doze bovinos Nelore de três condições sexuais (CS) – quatro fêmeas, quatro machos castrados e quatro machos não-castrados – com idade aproximada de 15 meses e peso corporal médio de 235, 249 e 239 kg, respectivamente, foram distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 2 × 3, composto de dois níveis de concentrado (25 ou 50%) e três CS, objetivando-se estudar o consumo, as digestibilidades total e parcial dos nutrientes, a produção microbiana e os parâmetros ruminais. As coletas de líquido ruminal, para determinação do pH e da concentração de amônia, foram realizadas imediatamente antes do fornecimento da dieta e 2, 4 e 6 horas após a alimentação. Não houve interação significativa de níveis de concentrado e CS para nenhum dos consumos observados. Os consumos de MS, MO, EE, PB, CNF e NDT, em kg/dia, e de MS em % do PC ou em g/kg0,75, não foram influenciados pelos níveis de concentrado ou pela condição sexual. Não houve interação de níveis de concentrados × CS para as digestibilidades totais e parciais dos nutrientes, com exceção do EE. O aumento do nível de concentrado reduziu a digestibilidade da FDN. Os teores médios de N nas bactérias variaram de 7,39 a 6,91%. O fluxo de nutrientes e a eficiência microbiana expressa de diferentes formas, com exceção de gNmic/kgMODR, não foram influenciados pelos níveis de concentrados ou pela condição sexual. A concentração de NH3 máxima de 14,55 mg/dL foi estimada 1,83 hora após a alimentação. O aumento dos níveis de concentrado na dieta não resultou em respostas positivas para os consumos, as digestibilidades parciais e totais da maioria dos nutrientes e a produção microbiana.Twelve Nellore of three sexual categories (four heifers, four bulls and four steers) averaging 15 months of age and body weight of 235, 249, and 239 kg, respectively, were assigned to a completely randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement (two levels of concentrate – 25 or 50% and three sexual categories) to evaluate intake, partial and total digestibility of nutrients, microbial protein synthesis and ruminal metabolism. The collection of ruminal fluid was done before and at 2, 4, and 6 hours post-feeding to determine pH and ammonia concentration. With the exception of EE, no other significant effect of concentrate levels and sexual categories was observed on intake and partial or total tract digestibility of nutrients. The intakes of DM, OM, EE, CP, NFC, and TDN (kg/day) and DM (% BW or g/kg0.75) were affected neither by the concentrate levels nor by sexual category. Increasing dietary concentrate levels decreased NDF digestibility. Average bacterial N contents ranged from 6.91 to 7.39. No significant effect of concentrate levels and sexual category was observed on duodenal flow of nutrients and microbial efficiency excepted when expressed as gNmic/kgOMDR. Maximum ruminal NH3 concentration (14.55 mg/dL) was estimated at 1.83 hours after-feeding. It was concluded that increasing dietary concentrate levels did not affect intake, partial and total tract digestibility of most nutrients and microbial protein synthesis

Qualidade das silagens de seis cultivares de sorgo para ovinos

The objective of this work was to evaluate the silage quality, fermentation profile, intake, and digestibility of six sorghum cultivars for sheep feeding. 'SF 15', 'IPA 2502', 'BRS 655', 'BR 601', 'BRS 506', and 'Sudão' were cultivated in randomized complete block designs with five replicates, harvested, and ensiled when plants reached the soft-dough grain stage. Silage quality was determined in laboratory silos. Intake and apparent digestibility were determined during 22 days, using 24 Santa Inês lambs (35.5±2.21 kg) randomly distributed in the treatments. Silage from 'IPA 2502' had the lowest contents of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber; the highest nonfibrous carbohydrate and total digestible nutrient contents; and the greatest dry matter degradability. Silages from 'BR 601' and 'BRS 506' showed the highest values of crude protein, whereas those of 'SF 15' and 'Sudão' had the highest levels of fibrous fractions. Lambs fed silage from 'IPA 2502' consumed more dry matter and nonfibrous carbohydrates, and their crude protein digestibility was also greater than that from the consumption of other cultivar silages. 'IPA 2502' stands out for its nutritional characteristics, which resulted in better animal performance.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade da silagem, o perfil de fermentação, o consumo e a digestibilidade de seis cultivares de sorgo para alimentação de ovinos. 'SF 15', 'IPA 2502', 'BRS 655', 'BR 601', 'BRS 506' e 'Sudão' foram cultivadas em delineamento de blocos ao acaso com cinco repetições, colhidos e ensilados quando as plantas atingiram o estádio pastoso da maturidade dos grãos. A qualidade da silagem foi determinada em silos de laboratório. O consumo e a digestibilidade aparente foram determinados durante 22 dias, tendo-se utilizado 24 cordeiros da raça Santa Inês (35,5±2,21 kg) distribuídos aleatoriamente entre os tratamentos. A silagem de 'IPA 2502' apresentou os menores teores de matéria seca, fibra em detergente neutro e fibra em detergente ácido; os maiores teores de carboidratos não fibrosos e nutrientes digestíveis totais; e a maior degradabilidade da matéria seca. As silagens oriundas de 'BR 601' e 'BRS 506' apresentaram os maiores valores de proteína bruta, enquanto aquelas de 'SF 15' e 'Sudão', os maiores teores das frações fibrosas. Os cordeiros alimentados com a silagem de 'IPA 2502' consumiram mais matéria seca e carboidratos não fibrosos, e a sua digestibilidade de proteína bruta também foi maior do que a oriunda do consumo da silagem de outras cultivares. 'IPA 2502' destaca-se por suas características nutricionais, as quais resultaram em melhor desempenho animal

Planos alimentares no consumo, na digestibilidade e no desempenho de novilhas leiteiras de distintos grupos raciais

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of nutritional plans and breed composition on nutrient intake and digestibility, nitrogen balance, and performance of dairy heifers in tropical conditions. Thirty-six heifers – 12 Holstein, 12 Gyr, and 12 Gyrolando F1 (½ Holstein × ½ Gyr) – were housed in a tie-stall system and randomly distributed, adopting a completely randomized design in a 3×3 factorial arrangement (nutritional plans and breed composition). The diets were formulated to enable weight gains of 200, 400, and 800 g per day, corresponding to the nutritional plans 11, 14, and 19 g kg-1 body weight (BW), respectively. The intake of dry matter, fibrous fractions (g kg-1 BW-0.75), and metabolizable energy (kcal-1 BW-0.75) in the 11-g kg-1 plan were greater for Gyr heifers than for Gyrolando and Holstein heifers. Ether extract digestibility was 13.85% higher for Gyr heifers compared with Gyrolando F1 in the 19-g kg-1 plan. The increase in the nutritional plans shows a quadratic response to nutrient intake and a linear response to average daily gain, but does not affect the digestibility coefficients. Gyr and Gyrolando F1 heifers present similar nutritional efficiency to that of Holstein heifers.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do plano alimentar e do grupo racial sobre o consumo e a digestibilidade de nutrientes, o balanço de nitrogênio e o desempenho de novilhas leiteiras em condições tropicais. Trinta e seis novilhas – 12 Holandês, 12 Gir e 12 Girolando F1 (½ Holandês × ½ Gir) – foram alojadas em sistema “tie-stall” e distribuídas aleatoriamente, tendo-se adotado delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em arranjo fatorial 3x3 (planos alimentares e grupos raciais). As dietas foram formuladas para possibilitar ganhos de peso de 200, 400 e 800 g por dia, correspondentes aos planos alimentares de 11, 14 e 19 g kg-1 de peso corporal (PC), respectivamente. As novilhas Gir dentro do plano de 11 g kg-1 consumiram mais matéria seca, fração fibrosa (g kg-1 de PC-0,75) e energia metabolizável (kcal de PC-0,75) do que as novilhas Girolando e Holandês. A digestibilidade do extrato etéreo foi 13,85% superior para as novilhas Gir, em comparação às Girolando F1 no plano de 19 g kg-1. O aumento do plano nutricional tem efeito quadrático no consumo de nutrientes e linear no ganho de peso médio diário, mas não influencia o coeficiente de digestibilidade. Novilhas Gir leiteiras e Girolando F1 apresentam eficiência nutricional semelhante à das novilhas Holandês

Metabolizable Protein: 1. Predicting Equations to Estimate Microbial Crude Protein Synthesis in Small Ruminants

Microbial crude protein (MCP) produced in rumen could be estimated by a variety of protocols of experimental sampling and analysis. However, a model to estimate this value is necessary when protein requirements are calculated for small ruminants. This model could be useful to calculate rumen degradable protein (RDP) requirements from metabolizable protein (MP). Then, our objective was to investigate if there is a difference in MCP efficiency between sheep and goats, and to fit equations to predict ruminal MCP production from dietary energy intake. The database consisted of 19 studies with goats (n = 176) and sheep (n = 316), and the variables MCP synthesis (g/day), total digestible nutrients (TDN), and organic matter (OM) intakes (g/day), and OM digestibility (g/kg DM) were registered for both species. The database was used for two different purposes, where 70% of the values were sorted to fit equations, and 30% for validation. A meta-analytical procedure was carried out using the MIXED procedure of SAS, specie was considered as the fixed dummy effect, and the intercept and slope nested in the study were considered random effects. No effect of specie was observed for the estimation of MCP from TDN, digestible Organic Matter (dOM), or metabolizable energy (ME) intakes (P > 0.05), considering an equation with or without an intercept. Therefore, single models including both species at the same fitting were validated. The following equations MCP (g/day) = 12.7311 + 59.2956 × TDN intake (AIC = 3,004.6); MCP (g/day) = 15.7764 + 62.2612 × dOM intake (AIC = 2,755.1); and MCP (g/day) = 12.7311 + 15.3000 × ME intake (AIC = 3,007.3) presented lower values for the mean square error of prediction (MSEP) and its decomposition, and similar values for the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and for the residual mean square error (RMSE) when compared with equations fitted without an intercept. The intercept and slope pooled test was significant for equations without an intercept (P < 0.05), indicating that observed and predicted data differed. In contrast, predicted and observed data for complete equations were similar (P > 0.05)

Nutritional divergence in genotypes of forage peanut

The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional divergence between ten genotypes of forage peanut, based on chemical composition as well as fermentation and in vitro degradation kinetic characteristics. Treatments consisted of ten genotypes of Arachis pintoi, namely eight accessions (31135, 30333, 15121, 31828, 15598, 31534, 13251 and 31496) and two cultivars (cv. Belmonte and cv. Amarillo). The genotypes were harvested in each plot at a height of 3 cm from the ground, in 42-day intervals, during the time of heaviest rainfall. For the multivariate analysis the following variables, the following were used: crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, potential degradation in 48 hours, degradation rate of insoluble potentially degradable fraction and degradation rate of non-fibrous carbohydrate. The application of the hierarchical clustering analysis, using the Euclidian distances matrix of standardized averages allowed for the identification of five homogeneous groups. Among them, the accessions 31828, 31534, 15121 and cv. Belmonte stood out nutritionally among the remaining genotypes evaluated, depicting as promising for the utilization in ruminant feeding