Performance, carcass and cut yields of crossbred Marchigiana x Nellore animals, bulls and heifers, finished in feedlots

The objective of this work was to comparatively evaluate the performance, carcass and cut yields and economic estimates of animals, bulls and heifers, crossbred Marchigiana (M) x Nellore (N) animals, and the use of the heifers as a final product. Thirty-four animals with 17 months of averaging age were allotted, in three groups. 1. 12 1/2 MN bulls, 2. 10 1/2 MN heifers and 3. 12 3/4 MN heifers, to a completely randomized experimental design. Contrasts between the mean responses of 1/2 MN bull group versus 1/2 MN and 3/4 MN groups and within 1/2 and 3/4 MN heifers groups, were made in the different feedlot periods. The means of cold carcass weights (CCW) and yields were, respectively, 321.31 kg and 58.94% for 1/2 MN bulls, that were superior of the 1/2 and 3/4 MN heifers; with values of 263.64 kg and 56.82%; and 289.56 kg and 57.94%, respectively. The economic results (%LW) of the carcass and cut yields, were higher for the 1/2 MN bulls than for the 1/2 and 3/4 MN heifers. However, based on that, the CCW differences between bulls and heifers were minimal, and that the hindquarter cut yields (rump, cap of rump, tenderloin and striploin) were higher than that for bulls and that 1/2 heifers (striploin) higher than the 3/4 MN heifers. The fattening of the heifers as a final product is justified. The economic devaluation of the heifers, as occurred in the Brazilian meat market did not justify, based on the results of this work.2761199120

Interactions between Climate Change and Infrastructure Projects in Changing Water Resources: An Ethnobiological Perspective from the Daasanach, Kenya

The fast and widespread environmental changes that have intensified in the last decades are bringing disproportionate impacts to Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. Changes that affect water resources are particularly relevant for subsistence-based peoples, many of whom already suffer from constraints regarding reliable access to safe water. Particularly in areas where water is scarce, climate change is expected to amplify existing stresses in water availability, which are also exacerbated by multiple socioeconomic drivers. In this paper, we look into the local perceptions of environmental change expressed by the Daasanach people of northern Kenya, where the impacts of climate change overlap with those brought by large infrastructure projects recently established in the Omo River. We show that the Daasanach have rich and detailed understanding of changes in their environment, especially in relation to water resources. Daasanach understand observations of change in different elements of the social-ecological system as an outcome of complex interactions between climatic and non-climatic drivers of change. Our findings highlight the perceived synergistic effects of climate change and infrastructure projects in water resources, driving multiple and cascading impacts on biophysical elements and local livelihoods. Our results also demonstrate the potential of Local Ecological Knowledge in enhancing the understanding of complex social-ecological issues, such as the impacts of environmental change in local communities. To minimize and mitigate the social-ecological impacts of development projects, it is essential to consider potential synergies between climatic and socioeconomic factors and to ensure inclusive governance rooted in local understandings of environmental change.Peer reviewe

Núcleos de Ensino da Unesp: artigos 2008

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq