Disponibilidade de energia líquida no leite e desempenho ponderal de bezerros Hereford e Aberdeen Angus do nascimento à desmama Availability of net energy in the milk and weight performance in Hereford and Aberdeen Angus calves from birth to weaning

Esta pesquisa foi realizada com o objetivo de avaliar o desempenho ponderal de bezerros do nascimento aos 189 dias de vida. Foram utilizados 95 bezerros (55 Aberdeen Angus e 40 Hereford) manejados em campo nativo. A produção de leite das vacas foi estimada pelo método pesagem-mamada-pesagem, e o desempenho ponderal dos bezerros foi avaliado em intervalos de 21 dias a partir do nascimento. A parição foi dividida em época 1 (setembro) e época 2 (outubro). Para análise foram incluídos no modelo estatístico como efeitos fixos a raça das vacas, o sexo dos bezerros à época de parição, a ordem de parto e a gestação. Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística, adotando-se 0,5 como nível crítico de probabilidade. A raça das mães influenciou o peso dos bezerros ao desmame, o ganho médio diário e a eficiência das vacas com 191,90 e 163,02 kg; 0,78 e 0,64 kg; e 45,24 e 39,40% para Aberdeen Angus e Hereford, respectivamente. Vacas multíparas superaram as primíparas nos pesos dos bezerros ao nascimento e ao desmame e no ganho médio diário. A época de nascimento afetou os pesos do bezerro ao nascimento e ao desmame, o ganho médio diário e a produção total de leite, cujos valores para setembro e outubro foram, respectivamente, 31,15 e 37,19 kg; 183,63 e 171,29 kg; 0,76 e 0,67 kg; e, 1605,04 e 1378,78 kg. Setembro foi o melhor período para peso do bezerro ao desmame, ganho médio diário e produção total de leite, enquanto outubro foi melhor apenas para o peso do bezerro ao nascimento. O desempenho dos bezerros não é influenciado pelo sexos nem pela prenhez da vaca.This research aimed at evaluating ponderal performance of the calves from birth to 189 days of age. Ninety-five calves were used (55 Aberdeen Angus and 40 Hereford), grazing natural pasture. Milk production of cows was estimated by the weight-suckled-weight method, and ponderal performance of the calves was evaluated in 21-day intervals from birth. Calving season was divided at time 1 (September) and time 2 (October). For analyses, it was included in the statistical model as fixed effects, breed of the cows, calf sex in the calving season, calving order and pregnancy. Data were submitted to statistical analyses, adopting 0.5 as critical levels of probability. Breed of the dams influenced calves weaning weight, average daily weight gain and cow efficiency, with 191.90 and 163.02 kg, 0.78 and 0.64 kg, and, 45.24 and 39.40%, for Aberdeen Angus and Hereford, respectively. Multiparous cows were superior to primiparous on weight of the calves on birth and on weaning on average daily weight gain. Calving season affected weights of the calves on birth and on weaning, average daily weight gain and total milk production with the following values for September and October: 31.15 and 37.19 kg; 183.63 and 171.29 kg; 0.76 and 0.67 kg; and, 1,605.04 and 1,378.78 kg, respectively. September was the best time for calf weight at weaning, average daily weight gain and total milk production, while October was better only for birth weight. Performance of calves is not influenced by their sex neither by pregnancy

Methods of inducing conditioned food aversion to Baccharis coridifolia (mio-mio) in cattle

Three experiments were performed to determine the efficacy of various methods of averting naïve cattle to prevent Baccharis coridifolia poisoning: forced oral administration of 0.5g kg-1 body weight of fresh B. coridifolia; forced inhalation of the smoke from burning B. coridifolia and rubbing the plant on the animals' muzzles and mouths; and introducing the animals into paddocks with low invasion by B. coridifolia. Results demonstrated that cattle forced to ingest low doses become strongly averted if introduced into paddocks 23-26 hours after the aversion. In contrast, cattle introduced into the paddocks between 1-10 hours were not fully averted. Inhalation of B. coridifolia smoke, and rubbing the plant on the animals' muzzles and mouths were not efficient to induce an aversion. The introduction of cattle into paddocks with approximately 1% of B. coridifolia was efficient if the animals remained 5 months in the area, but not if they only remained for 60 hours, as cattle required sufficient time to learn to avoid the plant